Overcoming the foremost Common Misconceptions of Lubrication
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After working closely with industrial personnel, we came across a few misconceptions about lubrication in equipment. These point are worth noticing as it carries significant economic losses to industries. By overcoming them, the industrial facilities can gain tremendous monetary profit and opportunities while greatly enhancing profitability and operational excellence.
Listing a few misconceptions and putting light on them for better understanding
- Lubrication of industrial equipment is of less consequence
- Lubrication is an easy job
- Cutting down lubrication costs by avoiding lubricating of equipment.
- Lubrication is key for achieving operational excellence and profitability
1. Lubrication of industrial equipment is of less consequence
The misinterpretation says that lubrication plays a minor role in industrial facilities and after effects are not major and therefore it doesn’t require any special attention.
Now let’s understand what research says. As per the research conducted in industries, major maintenance costs sum up of repairing of friction and mechanical wear on equipment approx 6 % of GDP Gross domestic product.
If we do a root cause analysis for mechanical wear, the cause is inadequate lubrication or a wrong lubricant. Studies have proven that improper lubrication leads to approx 43% of mechanical failures, 54% bearing failures, and 70% equipment failures.
Equipment lubrication is a common problem and vital as well. Many intermediate losses are occurring, but our immediate concern is losses due to inadequate lubrication. One should consider the cost behind the replacement of bearing in terms of cost of bearing as well as labour cost. The cost involved in emergency shutdowns due to equipment failure, maintenance cost, energy cost.
[Fact] Rather than being of less consequence, lubrication of industrial equipment has a symbolic impact on operational excellence
2. Lubrication of equipment is an easy job
The misinterpretation says that lubrication of equipment is an easy job and doesn’t require any skill. After all, oil is oil and grease is grease. Do you feel it’s right???
Here comes in the picture the five rights of lubrication i.e the right lubricant in the right place in the right amount at the right time using the right procedure. It sounds simple, but is it???
The complexity of the statement increases when the parameters of equipment come into the picture, working conditions, and many other industrial factors.
Eg: We can start with a question
How much equipment are there in a plant which requires lubrication?
The next question that comes is which component e.g. bearing, shaft, chain drives, couplings, etc. Now working parameters and conditions and the right lubricant are selected.
In the same way, we have to consider all the five rights of lubrication. Now maybe it doesn’t sound that simple. The long lubricant in at the wrong place at the wrong time can create havoc in machines and equipment failure leading to production losses.
[Fact] In contradiction to the impression that its simple, lubrication of industrial equipment is a detailing and complex process
3. Cutting down lubrication costs by avoiding lubricating of equipment
The misinterpretation says that we can easily cut off the lubrication cost from budget
In industries, the maintenance people are in aim to lower the maintenance budget. The quote believed in maintenance is “do more with less” but instead can’t we do more with what we have? Here the lubrication plays a vital role.
With an optimized lubrication solution, industrial facilities can minimize unplanned downtime and eliminate the primary cause of equipment failure leading to an increase in higher productivity from existing assets and personnel.
[Fact] Instead of cutting down on lubrication cost, proper equipment lubrication offers a substantial opportunity.
4. Lubrication is key for achieving operational excellence and profitability
Here, we all have to give a thought to which lubrication misconception is creating havoc in your operations? It’s worth your time to find the answers. Considering lubrication issues can provide the industrial plant with significant financial opportunities and return on investment.
Remember lubrication is 100% proactive maintenance
