How Proper Lubrication Practices Improve Plant Operations

Every industrial entrepreneur, plant manager, or officer-in-charge wants to have a reliable plant, and a critical part of achieving this objective is a set of good lubrication practices. While it is true that industrial lubricants take a tiny percentage of the overall operating costs, about 1%, not having the right lubrication program can have a huge impact on the entire plant's efficiency. If you do not have a lubrication program, this might be the perfect opportunity to craft one, and we will start by demonstrating how it can improve your plant operations.

Poor Lubrication Can Be Expensive

It is true that purchasing high-quality grease and oil and investing in lubrication equipment can be expensive, but this is insignificant compared to damages of not using them. Failure to lubricate your machinery, from motors to conveyor belts, is likely to result in severe friction and damage to the moving parts. Other possible impacts are likely to be:

• High cost of repairs and buying damaged parts.
• Expensive downtime because of equipment failure.
• Reduced lifespan of your equipment.
• Regular need to replace parts and equipment damaged by intensive friction.

Good Lubrication Program Frees Technicians’ Time

When you adopt and use the right lubrication program, it implies that your machines, be they hydraulic presses or material handling equipment, will run smoothly without requiring all technicians to be on-site. This implies that part of or the entire team of technicians will be free to focus on other areas crucial for enhancing overall plant reliability. In facilities that require round-the-clock motoring, a good lubrication system could mean that only one or a few technicians will be needed on-site.

Consider combining your lubrication program with predictive maintenance to be able to anticipate breakdowns. Then, fix the noted issues as early as possible, ultimately improving the facility's reliability, cutting down the cost of maintenance, and optimizing productivity.

Helps to Avoid Over-Lubrication

We must indicate that a good lubrication program is more than just picking some grease and throwing it into your machinery. Instead, the program should also include selecting the right lubrication, storing it well, and avoiding over-lubrication.

Over lubrication can result in unnecessary loss of lubricant, increase the risk of injuries because of spills, contaminate the products being processed, and even machine damage. The good news is that you can use advanced oil application equipment and technology only to apply the right quantity of oil. For example, advanced ultrasound grease application equipment can help to assess the friction levels in your equipment and signal you when to stop applying grease.

Consider Adopting Automated Lubrication

Now that you know a lubrication program is so crucial, it is also important to think about its application. If the moving parts are easy to access, using a manual lubrication method can be a good idea. However, you need to develop a good lubrication schedule and strictly follow it. If you find following the manual lubrication schedule challenging, consider shifting to an automated lubrication system, which comes with the following benefits.

• It reduces the risk of human error in machine lubrication.
• You can lubricate the entire facility’s machinery with only a few technicians.
• A great way to avoid losing oil and greases due to over-lubrication.
• Can be part of your system automation to help monitor and improve the performance of your equipment.

Final Thoughts

If you want your machinery and equipment to run smoothly and reliably, it is prudent to have a good lubrication system. Indeed, it can enhance your facility’s efficiency if you make it part of the system’s predictive maintenance. Remember to always buy the best greases, oils, and grease application equipment for your program.