Machinery Lubrication magazine published by Noria Corporation
Issue link: https://www.e-digitaleditions.com/i/1378657
34 | May - June 2021 | www . machinerylubrication.com When Alright Is Not All Right Give Your Lubrication Program a Critical Exam John Ross | Maintenance Innovators Inc. LUBRICATION PROGRAM Cha rle s Da r w in onc e stated that for a species to advance and survive, they (the species) had to adapt to compensate for the changing environment. e change, he advised, had to occur incremen- tally, organically and with purpose. Consider the magnifying results of small change over time, demonstrated by the math equation in Figure 1. We need this kind of change in our work- place in order to compensate for the changing environment in our global workplaces. We need our processes and practices to change to remain relevant in a shrinking world if we want to survive and thrive. Allow me a few words to put the need into the context of having a lubrication program that is good enough. In fact, you might say that it's 'alright.' ere is a very famous man in the world of maintenance and reli- ability by the name of Earl Porter. Earl was an early pioneer of what is now known as the Computerized Maintenance Management System (CMMS). Earl said one of his most well-known idioms to me years ago, and I wrote it down. We were assigned to work together to conduct a preventive maintenance assessment at a cheese factory in Wisconsin. Upon arriving at the plant, Earl asked, "John, do you know why we do assessments?" Now, I know why we do assessments — I've assessed every aspect of maintenance and reliability in almost ever y industry on almost every continent. "We do assessments, John, because even if you know where you're going, you're still lost if you don't know where you are." at message had a tremendous effect on me. My assessments going forward had purpose now, and I had a renewed obligation to lift the scales from my clients' eyes to help them see — no, to make them see — where they were and which way to go from there. You see, if we don't know where we are, we are lost. at doesn't mean just pointing at a map (figuratively) and saying, "I'm here." Rather it means "owning" where you are. If we don't accept that we are lost, don't accept where we are currently, it is highly unlikely that we'll have the motivation or the driving force to improve. When I conduct a maintenance or storeroom audit or assessment, the lubrication program (specifically, the lube storage area) is on my checklist. I believe that I can surmise the quality of the maintenance (or storeroom) service I'm likely to measure by the condition and orderliness of the lubri- cation storage room. A well-kept lube storage area denotes an organized, well-documented and disciplined " We do assessments, because even if you know where you're going, you're still lost if you don't know where you are. " Figure 1