Improving Machine Health Through Lubrication Best Practices

Nat Mills

Proper lubrication is a critical and fundamental component of any company’s maintenance and reliability practices.  Applying the correct lubricant on the correct machine at the correct time and in the correct quantities is a vital step in ensuring proper machine health within a facility.  A robust machine health program can provide insights into causes of poor machine health.  It can identify if issues in the lubrication practices are a cause of poor machine health and machine failures.  By using the best practices below, a site can improve the overall machine health of their facility and extend the life of their equipment.

Once the machine health program identifies lubrication related insights, here are the steps to take to address those gaps:

1. Implement a lubrication program as part of the site’s strategy
2. Assess the current program
3. Conduct training to close knowledge gaps
4. Build best practices for the lubrication program
5. Create an ongoing management system to continuously improve the program

Step 1 - Maintenance & Reliability strategy

Any facility should have a clearly defined maintenance and reliability strategy.  Lubrication should be a fundamental part of the strategy.  Even if a site has a strong lubrication program already, the strategy should have steps defined to continuously improve. 

Step 2 - Conduct an Assessment

Understanding the strengths and gaps in the current system is the first tactical step of building any lubrication program.  A comprehensive assessment should be used to review the entire program from lubricant selection to lubricant disposal.  The assessment can be one found on the internet or one from a 3rd party that specializes in lubricant system development and training.

A good assessment will identify areas of strength and weakness in the existing program.  It will be able to help the facility being assessed to develop a prioritized action plan so the facility knows where to start.  

Step 3 - Training

Typically, one of the first areas of lubrication improvement is in the area of training.  This training can be from very fundamental to highly advanced.  The training plan should meet the facility team where they are in their knowledge journey and help them to improve their skills.

As the lubrication training is completed and as the program matures, opportunities for advanced knowledge can be identified.  Look for people to receive further training and even certifications through organizations like the International Council of Machinery Lubrication (ICML).  Continuing to improve the education of the people performing lubrication tasks highlights the importance of the work and the importance of the people to the organization.

Step 4 - Building Best Practices

Identifying best practices for the lubrication is a key outcome of the assessment.  As gaps are identified and prioritized, the site should implement an action plan to close those gaps.  Implementing practices in the lube program will ensure the program improves and that the overall machine health improves with it.

Here are the typical areas where lubrication best practices can be developed and implemented:

1. Lubricant Selection
2. Receiving and Storage
3. Transport and Application
4. Sampling Program
5. Program Management
6. Disposal and Environmental efforts 
7. Safety

Here is a brief summary of the items in each of the areas listed above.

Lubricant Selection

The facility should have a process to select the correct lubricants that are needed in the site.  This process should look to condense the number of lubricants being brought into the site and involve appropriate members of the procurement team, maintenance team, storeroom team and engineering team.  This ensures that a formal process exists to review any lubricants and to focus on the best suppliers for the needed lubricants.

Receiving & Storage

The receipt of lubricants is the first step in a process to ensure the correct lubricant is applied at the correct time to the correct machine.  Receiving best practices should ensure the site receives the correct lubricants and their containers are undamaged.

Storage best practices should ensure storage areas are clean and prevent the possibility of contamination.  The area should be controlled with defined housekeeping and Leader Standard Work (LSW) tasks.

Application of Lubrication

The application of lubrication is where the lubricant gets added to the machine.  It is the time when the previous training techniques are used and the machine health data dictates which machines need lubricant and how much.  

Some best practices to consider are:

1. All lube points are easily marked, accessible and prevent the cross contamination of lubricants at application
2. Portable containers and application tools are labeled in a manner that identifies the lubricant. 
3. Application tools (grease guns & auto lubers) have a method to verify the correct application of lubrication 
4. Each lubrication task is documented and personnel performing have been trained.  The training is documented and the task is reviewed on a regular basis.

Sampling

Sampling is a great way to periodically check the health of the lubricant that is inside your machines and to verify the incoming lubricants are clean and free of contaminants.  A good sampling lab will be able to provide you training on how to collect samples, help you set up a solid program for your critical machines and provide you easy-to-understand results into the health of your lubricants.

Program management

Any program should have an infrastructure to support how it is managed and measured.  Look for a program champion to own the work and for Key Performance Indicators (KPI) that can be used to track how well the program is performing.  These KPIs should be part of a dashboard that measures the performance of the maintenance organization and reviewed regularly.

Disposal and Environmental

The lubrication program should have steps to dispose of used lubricants and tools used in the application of the lubricants.  These steps should include ways that prevent spills into the local area and prevent cross contamination with incoming lubricants.

Employee Safety

Every program should include steps to reduce the risk to employees using lubricants.  All job tasks should be reviewed to ensure the correct PPE is used and tools are provided when handling lubricants.  Part of the employee training program should include all safety measures and employees should actively look for ways to make tasks safer.

Summary

Lubrication is the lifeblood for any rotating machinery in the facility.  Identifying gaps and implementing best practices will ensure that the program is strong and keeps the machines healthy.  Using data from Machine Health systems like Augury can ensure that the lubrication program is providing the desired outcomes of keeping machine running well.

Scott Reed

Great topic. Even with a robust lubrication program, a common program failure is in lubrication cleanliness control. The Machinery Lubrication website https://www.machinerylubrication.com/Read/28935/lubrication-best-practices#:~:text=4.%20Cleanliness%20Control has their top 10 best practices listed and it is a great checklist to ensure any lubrication program has these covered. If you have never bothered to filter your incoming machine and gearbox oils from your supplier (even as received in a sealed drum), you will be shocked at the contaminates you will find that otherwise make it into your equipment. I have learned this the hard way.