There are three main roadblocks that prevent a facility from designing and implementing a lubrication program that delivers long-term asset reliability: Lack of Management Buy-in, Constant Firefighting, and Competency Gaps.
Maintenance and lubrication, when done correctly, can have a large impact on productivity. To ensure your machinery is operating at the highest quality-standard possible and avoiding costly shutdowns or delays, maintenance and lubrication planning is crucial. In this article, we’ll dissect the six principles of having a quality maintenance and lubrication plan.
It is significantly more difficult and costly to remove contaminants from machinery than it is to modify and protect equipment against contaminant ingression. Especially in turbine applications with a large volume of oil, keeping possible contamination sources away from lubricated equipment and performing routine flushings are your best lines of defense. Contaminant exclusion revolves around modifying equipment to protect against solid particles, water, and other contaminants that are trying to enter your machines, thereby avoiding costly repairs and machine downtime.
A lubrication technician, or “lube tech” as they are often called, is a skilled position on maintenance and reliability teams that can involve a variety of different possible responsibilities and knowledge relating to lubrication, oil analysis, and inspections.
A lubrication technician, or “lube tech” as they are often called, is a skilled position on maintenance and reliability teams that can involve a variety of different possible responsibilities and knowledge relating to lubrication, oil analysis, and inspections.
Amidst all the various components in a plant, small reservoirs often go neglected. Larger equipment tends to be deemed critical due to being high-dollar items. Smaller equipment only gets noticed when it holds up production. Reliability goals with larger equipment is usually pretty straight forward; prevent outages and increase production. Longevity of the equipment is a byproduct of our ultimate production goal, so why is this so often forgotten when it comes to the smaller stuff?
Outsourcing activities considered non-core is an ever-growing trend among companies. Jobs like sanitation, security, facilities maintenance, and lubrication management are commonly being handled by external companies. But is contracting lubrication out really the best strategy? It can be, but there are a few things to consider before you make the decision.
By having a dedicated Lubrication Program Management Company to implement and focus on maintaining lubrication best practices, reliability and maintenance can focus on other areas of their job while ensuring that lubrication is properly managed.