Machinery Lubrication magazine published by Noria Corporation
Issue link: https://www.e-digitaleditions.com/i/1336798
ML www . machinerylubrication.com | January - February 2021 | 15 ML • Sealed concrete f loors with non-skid finish • Conspicuously marked aisles, work area s a nd equipment locations • C l i m a t e a n d hu m i d it y control led (dehu mid if iers, air-drying systems, etc.) • Safety measures in place, (e.g. first aid kits, fire extinguishers or f ire suppression system, eyewash station and conspicu- ously placed evacuation routes). • Work bench • Computer station for lubrica- tion and maintenance tasks and inventory • Clean and orderly environment Now that the space requirements are established, the true potential of the lube room can be found through consistently utilizing best practice storage and handling solutions. You will need the right equipment to properly outfit the lube room to prepare for short- and long-term storage needs. Each facility should outfit the lube room to accommo- date the amount of lubricated assets in the facility and the quantity requirements of each of the assets. A working list of lube room equipment for most facilities would be: • Storage racks for drums • Bu l k oi l c ont a i ner s w/ dispensing system • Fire safe cabinets for storing and organizing greases and other s m a l l - qu a nt it y lu br i c a nt containers • Storage rack or cabinet for seal- able and refillable containers • Filter carts, each filter cart being dedicated to one lubricant to prevent cross-contamination. • Proper disposal receptacles for oily rags and used oil. • Recla imers to recondition used oils • Oil and grease transfer pumps • Maintenance supplies such as rags, various fittings, spare filters, reservoir screens, absor- bent materials to control spills, desiccant breathers etc. Every successful lube room should also have defined policies and procedures in case of spills, wastage, accidents or any unexpected lubrica- tion issues. Organization is absolutely key to not only a successful lube room, but most other work that a lubrication technician will perform. All tools and applicable handling devices should be stored in cabinets with doors. Each storage area in the lube room should be marked specifically for the tool or piece of equipment that is to be placed in that spot. is helps main- tain proper organization and allows for efficient use of the available space. Lubricant Storage Grease – While grease is widely used in most industries, it is also the most common lubricant to be stored improperly. Store grease vertically with the plastic cap up. is method of storage decreases the amount of oil bleed that may occur in greases, particularly for long term storage. I'm sure most of us have experienced opening a cabinet to get a new tube of grease only to see the oil pooled on the shelf. is is a result of the oil sepa- rating from the thickener—leaving it unusable and wasted. Grease guns containing grease should be stored differently. Grease guns should be stored horizontally to prevent oil from bleeding out of the bottom of the grease gun. is allows for the next technician to choose the grease gun according to the lubricant label (such as an LIS tag) and not have to worry about pumping mostly thick- ener into the component. Remember, the oil and additives provide lubrica- tion while the thickener just helps keep it in place. Oil Drums – Just as grease is often stored improperly, we also see a lot of drum oil waste as well. When storing drums, each facility must utilize the First-In First-Out method, also known as FIFO. This inventory method helps keep oil drums from being left in storage too long and cycled into service before they reach their storage life. Also, good drum storage practices like this can help keep oil drums from being over-ordered, double-ordered or generally wasted through a number of other mistakes resulting in excess drums and poor cost control. But how, you might ask, is having excess lubricant is a bad thing? Imagine the lube storage area becomes full due to over ordering. Now perhaps the drums must be stored outside. While this can be done properly, most facil- ities in this situation would not take the time to adequately protect those drums. So there they sit, out behind the shop or some other open space