Lubrication basics

It is a great pity that lubrication is not generally given the priority it deserves within industry, claims Andrew Monk.

It is a great pity that lubrication is not generally given the priority it deserves within industry.

There are of course exceptions to this rule and I wouldn't want to tar every type of industry, or individual business, with the same brush.

Without the combination of the appropriate lubricants and associated proficient lubricating practices, a great deal of hard-earned money goes unnecessarily to waste.

Having spent a great many years in the application of lubricants, it can be very difficult to persuade industry that an almost insignificant investment at the outset to achieve effective and efficient lubricating practices will actually improve the profitability of a business.

With no particular type of industry in mind, it is not uncommon to find lubrication details scattered around a plant and not always readily available.

Often, it is not clear which document containing lubrication details is relevant.

Sometimes, a combination of machine manuals (which can be confusing, illegible, recommend lubricants which no longer exist, or are difficult to comprehend), in-house documentation (which could be notes put together by a frustrated but competent technician who may have left or retired), labels affixed to machinery (which could also be either old or detail foreign lubricants), or even a previously compiled "lubrication survey" are used to finalise lubricant selection.

The required information may even exist in certain employees' memories.

Understandably, this is not ideal as this strategy could encourage mistakes to be made.

So what can you do? Quite simply all lubrication information should be collated in one document.

But make sure that everyone is aware of such a programme being undertaken because it should be made clear that the result will be to everyone's benefit.

It is important to spend adequate time to do the job well, as an attractive document is not much use if the content is lacking.

It will be filed away and rarely used.

If this task is done professionally it will generally only have to be accomplished once, with revisions necessary if plant is renewed or replaced, or lubricants change.

It is essential to make this document useful and clear to all, so information needs to be obtained from a variety of sources, typically those mentioned above, but it is equally important to actually have a good look at the equipment.

This may sound obvious, but it is clear when this has not been done.

Very often this can only be accomplished when the plant is inoperative, and maybe during unsociable hours.

Additionally, and this too may sound rather obvious, it is important to talk to all the relevant people who know about the equipment, who may be responsible for maintenance, or indeed helped to install and commission it if it is new.

Much can be gained from this exercise, which can clarify conflicting information or, perhaps, provide reasons why a different lubricant has been used for many years other than that recommended.

So what should this document contain? Straightforward lubricant recommendations are often not enough.

It needs to be clear how the recommendations have been derived.

Health and safety and product information sheets should be included, and it is worthwhile including specific ancillary information, for example capacities, gearbox types, the location of oil level indicators (extremely relevant if a gearbox is mounted other than horizontally), the quantity, type, and location of grease points, serial numbers, plant numbers, and of course frequencies, to name but a few.

Note also that the presentation of the recommendations should not be overlooked, as labelled photographs clarify recommendations better than the conventional tabulated format.

Get this document right and effective planned maintenance strategies logically follow, there is no sense in doing it the other way around, but it does happen.

Get this document right and training with respect to lubrication fundamentals and/or good lubricating practices will be more meaningful.

Get this document right and storage and handling details can be discussed with more relevance, as the exact lubricants to be used will have been ascertained as well as their exact location within a plant.

Get this document right and it will become clear where improvements need to be made.

It will also unravel manufacturers warranties and preferences, with potential cost savings in terms of the lubricants used.

Finally, understand that this is an investment, as the minimal cost will be repaid many times over in increased efficiency and productivity.

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