12 November - December 2014
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www.machinerylubrication.com
COVER STORY
Over the past 18 months, Compass Minerals' division in Ogden,
Utah, has put considerable time and money into creating a best-prac-
tice lube storage and dispensing building as well as in taking oil
samples and attaching color-coded lube identification tags to each
piece of equipment. The company is now seeing great results from its
efforts and has even noticed a change in its employees.
Compass Minerals began its journey by formulating a plan and
obtaining management buy-in. Starting from the ground up, the
approach involved training technicians, developing lube routes,
incorporating air breathers, purchasing new lubricant/oil-handling
containers, and constructing a new lubrication building with
storage racks and a filtration system.
After the new lubrication building was completed, an open
house was held and daily training was provided for two weeks. This
was intended not only to celebrate the opening of the new lube
room but also to allow all maintenance and operations personnel
to see and learn about the new building, including how and where
to get oil/grease and why oil cleanliness is so important. Noria's
"Lubrication Basics for Machinery Operators" video was shown as
part of the training.
In 2015, Compass Minerals plans to have new color-coded
grease-fitting protector covers and oil sample ports installed on all
equipment. The company is committed to maintaining a world-class
lubrication system and has already started seeing cost savings/
payback, which is expected to continue for years to come. The
employees are excited to see what the future holds.
Compass Minerals'
old lube building
was not secure or
organized.
The new lube
building provides
more security and
temperature control.
Previously, there was no filtration of oils.
Cross-contamination
had been a problem
for Compass Minerals
with its old oil-
handling containers.
The first-in/first-out method is now used for storing oil drums.
Now all oil is filtered at least twice and sometimes three times.
Compass Minerals
Before
After
Before
Before
After
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