Machinery Lubrication magazine published by Noria Corporation
Issue link: https://www.e-digitaleditions.com/i/756816
and unidentified containers, and there was poor contamination control in the lube room. The lube area was also located directly in front of a makeup air unit for the shop, which made the area gritty. Since that time, the mine has come a long way and made many improvements. It now has a dedicated room both underground and on the surface specifically for lubricant storage and dispensing. A color-coding system of lids is used to distinguish the lubri- cant category (e.g., industrial gear oil), while a ring identifies the lubricant type (e.g., mineral 220 EP). Warehouse storage of new oil is also inside a climate-controlled building. Kidney-loop filtration is now used on the mine's oil storage tanks, which are outfitted with desiccant breathers and quick couplers. Sealed containers with pumps and pour spouts are utilized for lubricant dispensing. Three of the most common oils are dispensed through a piping system to hose reels in the shop for mobile equipment. The mine has also consolidated its lubricants, dropping from five hydraulic oils to two, three compressor oils to one and only one type of motor oil. In addition, every lube technician has been certified as a Level I Machine Lubrication Technician (MLT), with one on duty for each shift. These changes are expected to have a positive impact at the mine for years to come. Cargill The Cargill plant in Grantsville, Utah, harvests and processes salt from the Great Salt Lake. The facility's maintenance team recently discovered that lubrication excellence is a cornerstone to a strong reliability program. The plant began its journey by hosting an onsite training class involving the entire maintenance team. As a result, the majority of team members achieved their Level I Machine Lubrication Technician certifica- tion through the International Council for Machinery Lubrication (ICML). Manage- ment also recognized the value of the initiative and created a dedicated lubrica- tion position to lead the change. The lube room was identified as one of the areas in need of improvement. Previ- ously, the lubricant storage area was open to dust and contamination, and lubricants were pumped directing from barrels utilizing open transfer containers. The plant also had poor labeling practices and a lack of oil sampling and filtration. 10 | November - December 2016 | www.machinerylubrication.com COVER STORY Previously, Cameco's oil drums were stored outside in frigid temperatures. Cameco now has a dedicated room both underground and on the surface specifically for lubricant storage and dispensing. Cargill's new lube room features individual containers with pumps, color-coded oil sample results and clear labels.