Machinery Lubrication magazine published by Noria Corporation
Issue link: https://www.e-digitaleditions.com/i/847153
34 | July - August 2017 | www.machinerylubrication.com CASE STUDY that new oil is not necessarily clean oil, the Nissan team has begun checking all received oil drums along with new bulk orders. With the new Karl Fischer testing system, the plant can now see if water is present in the oil. This is the appropriate way to deter- mine whether good, clean oil is being received for the equipment. Another significant step Nissan has taken to control particle contamination has involved selecting the right grease applica- tion for all new conveyor chains. The best grease is now identified before new conveyor chains are purchased to eliminate any cross-contamination in the facility. The stamping plant must also manage its unique open-lube systems, which expose many of the equipment's vital parts to particle contamination. After a thorough investigation, it was determined that the most cost-effective way to control contami- nation was to use kidney-loop filtration. With these systems in place, particle contamination has been minimized, resulting in downtime being reduced by nearly 61 percent over 35 pieces of equip- ment. Achieving this type of reduction in downtime ensured management's support for implementing the contamination control and improved lubrication practices strategy on all presses with this design. Dirt Reduction Nissan recently saw considerable cost savings by decreasing the dirt in its inline washing units. These units are used to reduce the number of contaminants before the forming process of surface parts. Previ- ously, the filtration unit was a bag filter system, which was difficult to maintain, with a high cost for replacement filters. Oil testing also showed signs of degradation. After the issue was studied, it was decided to implement kidney loops for the washing oil filtration process. By installing a kidney- loop system, the plant found that management of the filters is easier to main - tain and more cost efficient, as the filters can be changed quickly without having to shut down the line. This has resulted in a cost savings of $166,000 through less downtime, scrap reduction and overall quality. A kidney-loop system was installed to make it easier and more cost efficient to manage and maintain filters.