Machinery Lubrication magazine published by Noria Corporation
Issue link: https://www.e-digitaleditions.com/i/1356397
ML www . machinerylubrication.com | March - April 2021 | 25 www . machinerylubrication.com | March - April 2021 | 25 ML 0 1 µ σ STANDARDIZATION Current Practices Recommended Practices extremely aggressive in developing documen- tation for the program at the outset. I tend to agree that working on specific lubrication procedures is not as exciting as purchasing and installing a fancy new lubrication room, but there is something to be said for buy-in with physical purchases. We as reliability leaders must understand the importance of investing in the long game first. The initial step is arguably the most important. We must review the procedures for lubricant handling task documentation. At this time, we review certain established practices and the level of detail involved in delivery of the lubricant to the plant floor. Lack of documentation regarding these practices is extremely common, and when there is documentation, it embodies the bare minimum, such as which lubricant to use. It seldomly identifies how much lubri - cant or where to specifically apply it. Since this is often the case, it is important that all personnel, including craft, operators, lubrication team members, engineers and management understand the detrimental effect that lack of detail can have on the quality of work. is is imperative for anyone truly interested in nurturing and developing their lubrication program. e next step is to recognize and address ongoing variance within the plant's oper- ations. It's common for sites to have several highly experienced craft or lubrication team members with a general understanding of the importance of lubrication and adhering to best practices. But what happens when these individuals retire? What happens if they bid out on another job or move to a different company? If this position isn't prioritized within your plant, it may be given to someone with little experience or given to individuals new to the site in an effort to enhance their familiarity with the department equipment and processes. Either way, it's highly likely that they will be unaware of previous practices or the importance of the role they are stepping into. Is your site a company that practices Total Productive Maintenance (TPM)? If so, this tends to rely on team members from several different plant organizations (operations, maintenance etc.) to execute miscellaneous lubrication tasks. Consider that even expe- rienced and well-trained individuals may have ancillary activities (home life, other work-related tasks etc.) on their mind while performing lubrication tasks, resulting in substandard performance. All of these are examples where variance can occur due to too many hands being in the pot, individuals not understanding the recipe and failure to stir in unison. We need to recognize this often- present gap and implement a comprehensive strategy to minimize these concerns. When enhancing your lubrication program, there should be assigned roles and responsibili- ties along with qualifications for each of these positions. When developing this organiza- tional structure, standardization of procedures should be taking place as well. Each specific lubrication task (and there are several) should be accompanied by a defined procedure. ese specific procedures should include: • the purpose • materials necessary to complete the task • preparation requirements