Lubrication

Audit
Sabita Mishra

Figure 2 Ref. AIMAN (Italian Association of Maintenance

Engineers)
and IRI (International Research Institute) in conjunction

Factors that Enable

Lubrication Excellence
People Preparedness. People are trained to modern
lubrication skill standards and have certified
competencies.
Machine Preparedness.Machines have the necessary
design and accouterments for quality inspection,
lubrication, contamination control, oil sampling, etc.
Precision Lubricants.Lubricants are correctly selected
across key physical, chemical and performance
properties, including base oil, viscosity, additives, film
strength, oxidation stability, etc.
Precision Lubrication. Lubrication procedures,
frequencies, amounts, locations, etc., are precisely
designed to achieve the reliability objectives.
Oil Analysis.This includes optimal selection of the oil
analysis lab, test slate, sampling frequency, alarm limits,
troubleshooting rationale, etc.

Advantages of an Audit
Identify duplication of lubricants
Learn about your hidden lubrication costs
Learn of potential safety and
environmental issues
Cost out the R.O.I. of automating some of
your critical production equipment
Up-dated manuals as required for your
current automated lubrication system
A customized plan to reduce cost, improve
productivity and safety, listing the
opportunities in priority sequence

Equipment Survey
Overview
Develop an equipment list
Routine inspection, equipment survey and visual
inspection
Identify and label equipments with equipment number
and description
Equipment pictures
Machine criticality assessment and operating parameters
Identify lubricant sections from the OEM manual
Technical data sheet for the selected lubricant for the
equipment
Selected lubricant MSDS
Leakage reports
Equipment temperature environment
Oil sampling as required
Lubrication inspection, top offs
Reliability, mean time between failure data on the
equipments
Safety and operational hazards

Equipment Assessment

Lubricant Survey
Overview
Lubricant technical selection practices
Lubricant application practices
Oil analysis program practices
Condition control practices
Lubrication practices standardization (SOPs)
Long term lubricant stability
Lubrication survey and lubricant vendor selection
Consolidate lubricants
Set lubrication preventive maintenance (PM)
frequency
Root cause mapping and correction
Program effectiveness reporting
Program management and personal development

Lubricant Survey Overview

(Contd)

Eliminate unnecessary oil changes

Eliminate premature aging of lubricants
Verifying, defining lubrication practices
Verifying, defining re-lubrication activities like volumes,
frequencies, route sequences, machine upgrades etc.
Purchase necessary lubrication equipment and tools
Perform financial analysis review and establish a cost
basis
Reduce the number of lubricants in use and thereby
reduce the chances for mis-application and cross
contamination
Contamination control practices
Upgrading knowledge level
Develop a lubrication manual

Lubricant Selection Chart

Storage and Handling

Survey Overview
Lubricant delivery, storage and handling practices
should be followed
Wasteful practices of products, duplication and
excess inventory should be eliminated
Storage room temperature extremes should be
avoided
Fluctuating temperatures should be avoided
Containers should not be stored in a humid
environment
First in first out (FIFO) system should be
maintained such that stocks are rotated properly
All new drums should be filtered to an appropriate
level. Use a 3=200 filters for lubricants below 150
cSt @ 40C. Use 6=100 filters for lubricants above
150 cSt @ 40C
All drums and containers should be labeled and
color coded and filtered drums should be labeled as
such with the date of filtration.

Storage and Handling

Survey Overview
Filtered drums should be fit with an appropriate air
filter to offer air flow a path of least resistance allowing
moisture and solid particulate to be captured prior to
entering the drum.
When new oil is transferred to the top-up container, it
should be transferred through a filter.
Oils should be stored in fluid storage racks
Fluid storage racks should have oil and air filtration
Proper dispensing containers should be used and
stored in an explosion proof cabinet
Drums should be stored horizontally and covered to
keep excess moisture and dirt from settling on them.
The openings (bungs) should be at 3 and 9 oclock
positions to minimize the amount of breathing in the
drums
Drums should be fitted with dispensing taps with
covers

Storage and Handling

Practices

Storage and Handling

Practices

Storage and Handling

Practices

Safety Survey Overview

MSDS are available and are reviewed
Lock out procedures are followed
Leakage control
Spill response is in place
Handling practices maintain a safe
environment
Lubrication equipment use is understood
Sampling procedures are followed
Training to ensure effectiveness and
consistency
Proper documentation and reports and
manuals
Proper fire hazard precautions are taken

Typical Checklist for an

Audit

Typical Audit
Oil storage and dispensing:Oils stored in fluid storage racks
Fluid storage racks have oil filtration
Fluid storage racks have air filtration
Use of proper dispensing containers
Lubricant stocks properly rotated
Bulk oil changes performed using a
filter carts

Typical Audit
Oil sampling techniques:Oil sampling procedures are
documented
New oil deliveries are sampled
Oil sampling ports are properly located
Proper oil sampling hardware is
installed
Sample ports are properly labeled
Automatic monthly scheduled oil
change in place

Typical Audit
Contaminant ingression control:Proper air breathers are installed on
equipment
Additional offline filtration is installed
on critical equipment
Lubrication ports are installed
Off line filter carts are available and
employed regularly
Water stripping equipment is available
Offline filtration and oil filter changes
are performed on condition

Typical Audit
Oil analysis program:Proper sampling frequencies are defined
Oil analysis test slates are well defined
Proper limits and targets are employed
by machine type
Oil analysis data is effectively
communicated through the company
A process exists for troubleshooting
exception conditions

Typical Audit
Program Management:Equipment criticality assessed and
determined
Regular and condition based PMs in place
Oil changes are based on condition
Qualified and trained technicians
dispense lubricants
PM schedules are tracked in a database
Trend charts showing sample/analysis
performance are publicly displayed

Continuous Improvement