Machinery Lubrication magazine published by Noria Corporation
Issue link: https://www.e-digitaleditions.com/i/1412702
14 | September - October 2021 | www . machinerylubrication.com Critical Tools of a Lube Champion 10 Lint-Free Cloth In every lubrication procedure in the book, you always clean the fill port and the area around it before relubricating. A lint-free cloth is also great for condition monitoring, cleaning off BS&W bowls, 3D Bullseyes and the like, and cleaning up any spilled or dripped lubricants. Set of Allen Wrenches Most gearboxes have drain and level plugs that require Allen wrenches (or hex keys) to open. That alone makes it an essential tool for every lube champion. Disposable Funnels/ Formable Funnels Hopefully, you're utilizing sealable and refillable containers at your facility. Just in case you aren't, disposable or form- able funnels are excellent tools every tech should have for preventing contamination during relubrication. Drain Pan or Bucket For obvious reasons, a drain pan or bucket should absolutely be on a technician's cart. Lubrication Cart with Robust Wheels A sturdy four-wheeled cart with a robust set of wheels for easy transport from one side of the facility to the other. Carts make lube routes a breeze! Gloves—Work and Latex Most plants require technicians to at least have a pair of working gloves on their person (although in certain situations near rotating equipment, it is unsafe to wear gloves). Latex is more for cleanliness while lubricating and keeping the tech safe from potentially harmful chemicals. Flashlight/Headlamp One tool that very rarely gets mentioned but is very important is a good light source. Inspections and condition monitoring procedures both require a flashlight. Notepad/Tablet Write down daily tasks or set reminders to let maintenance know about that noisy pump. Track your routes through maintenance or lubrication software for optimum results. Temperature Gun Just to keep an eye on machine temperatures while on a route. If some- thing is overheating it could potentially be a lubrication issue. Stay on top of it with a temp gun. Lubrication Knowledge and Confidence In the lubrication industry, the Interna- tional Council for Machinery Lubrication (ICML), a nonprofit organization, serves in this capacity by offering multilevel skill certifica- tions for the Machinery Lubrication Technician (MLT) route, the Machinery Lubricant Analyst (MLA) route and the Machinery Lubrication Engineer (MLE) route.