Machinery Lubrication magazine published by Noria Corporation
Issue link: https://www.e-digitaleditions.com/i/147079
COVER STORY cost savings. In order to track oil usage, a database was created and data entered every time a reservoir was refilled. The type of oil used, amount, equipment number and date are all recorded. This information is then utilized to create charts highlighting the largest consumers and to focus repair efforts in that direction. Standardization Documentation of all processes and procedures was critical. Nissan discovered that with thousands of employees, standardization is key to process sustainability. This was essential to the long-term success of the effort, as many employees were promoted or moved to other functions after the successful program. Nissan also incorporated the use of decision trees, which aid technicians in making the right choices at the right time. Another goal in the process was to create a manual that included all of these items. The challenge was making the manual widely accessible. The solution was to develop a dashboard, which is simply a page full of hyperlinks for technicians to access all the information they need. The dashboard not only enables new items to be added easily but also allows everyone to have immediate access to it. The utilization of the dashboard played a significant role in the monthly lubrication taskforce meetings, which were designed to help communicate the status of the program. These meetings were expanded to include technicians and have proven to be invaluable for obtaining new ideas, expressing concerns with any changes, sharing information and, more importantly, building trust between the technicians and management. Management Support Having the support of technicians and management has been critical in Nissan's success. Crane credits Welgan and his director, Brian Sullivan, for believing in him and supporting him throughout the implementation process. He also praises the efforts of technician Donald Myers. "T.K. Brewer and I put him in a position to help promote the standardization of the program when we began to roll it out plantwide," Crane says of Myers. "Without his help, none of this would be where it is today." Although the program at Nissan is still very young, its strong roots in education, unquestionable management support for sustainability, standardization of procedures based on best practices, trending of critical metrics, use of information technology and commitment to continuous improvement have captured the attention of ICML. The vendor-neutral organization recently presented its John R. Battle Award to the Nissan plant for excellence in the application of machinery lubrication. "We are very excited and very proud to be selected as the recipients of this award," Crane said. "When we started this journey, this was very much one of our goals, but we thought it would take us five years to get here. To accomplish this feat in just two years shows how strong of a team we have here." DyNAMIS® & DyNAMIS® MAXX FOR 2013 serious engineering for serious ApplicAtions. © 2013 BIJUR DELIMON INTERNATIONAL. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED. Features & BeneFits • injector and progressive divider models • output ~ 4,350 pSi / 360° orientation • Smart, rugged, modular design • 2 to 20 liter reservoir capacity • 12VdC, 24VdC or 110/240VaC • available on-board pco controller • + 70C to -30C operation; grease or oil • durability tested and built to last DIRECT SALES HOTLINE industrial Applications industrial machinery UniTED STATES Wind turbines (+1) 800-631-0168 mobile Vehicles transfer lines China | FranCe | Germany | United KinGdom | ireland | india | Spain | rUSSia CORPORATE HEADQUARTERS 2250 perimeter parK dr., SUite 120, morriSVille, nC 27560 14 | July - August 2013 | www.machinerylubrication.com SALES@BIJURDELIMON.COM