Everyone knows that machines literally grind to a halt without lubrication. Insufficient lubrication and contamination account for roughly half of all premature failures in rolling bearings. When components such as industrial chains are included, the proportion is even higher. This has hardly changed over time. Despite new lubricants, tools, and some software tools for lubrication management, basic lubrication is unfortunately still considered unattractive.
Inadequate lubrication can lead to enormous waste of capital and resources, wasted personnel, and environmental pollution (e.g., through CO2 emissions), at a time when environmental concerns are constantly in focus.
In 2017, the journal Friction published a study estimating that 20 percent of global energy consumption is used to overcome friction losses. This proportion could be significantly reduced with more efficient lubrication.
A targeted lubrication management concept can make a substantial contribution to increasing efficiency. If done correctly, lubrication could transform from a bothersome chore, as it is currently considered, into a genuine benefit.
Poor Lubrication Practices
But why is lubrication so often neglected? It's a dirty job that no one likes to do. Lubricants aren't exactly pleasant to handle. Applying them involves many steps and routine tasks.
Lubrication represents a small portion of a company's maintenance budget (usually around ten percent). Therefore, it's easily neglected or viewed solely as a cost factor rather than a benefit.
Improved knowledge and skills regarding lubrication are needed at both the operational and management levels. A number of steps must be performed at each lubrication point. They all require expertise and optimal procedures.
The extent to which each step matters can vary from company to company. Although many are aware of the importance of proper lubrication, its practical implementation is often inadequate. Lubrication should not be viewed as a series of isolated tasks. Rather, it's an ongoing process that must be treated as such.
Where things go wrong
This is by no means always the case. Here are two negative examples:
1. At a cement industry end-user, expensive ball bearings repeatedly failed. Upon closer inspection, it was discovered that four different lubricant designations were assigned to the individual components of the lubrication management program. The wrong lubricant was being used for the bearing, exhibiting only one-twentieth of the required viscosity. The resulting metallic contact between the surfaces of the bearing components led to premature failures. Overall, the improper handling of various aspects of lubrication management resulted in catastrophic failures.
2. In a salt press in the food and beverage industry, an outdated lubrication system supplied a medium-sized ball bearing with grease that then leaked into the final product. The grease should have been approved for use in the food and beverage industry, but it was not. Furthermore, salt penetrated the bearings, necessitating cleaning every two weeks.
Many more examples exist—perhaps even within your own company. They demonstrate how seemingly minor lubrication problems can lead to significant costs, production downtime, and additional work. All of this affects the sales revenue and operating results of every company.
Lubrication Management
Good lubrication management, on the other hand, saves money, resources, and time. It contributes to employee health and protects the environment by reducing CO2 emissions and the release of harmful substances. There is also an official definition of lubrication management:
"The proper organization of resources to effectively and efficiently improve reliability, reduce inefficiencies and costs, and increase safety and environmental compatibility."
The SKF Lubricant Lifecycle Model identifies the seven areas of proper lubrication management:
- Choosing the right product: Tools like SKF's LubeSelect help with this challenging process because they take actual bearing performance into account.
- Purchasing: This involves selecting a small number of reliable suppliers who offer products of consistent quality.
- Storage: Lubricants not intended for immediate use must be stored at the correct temperature and humidity and must not be exposed to contamination.
- Usage: Color coding for tools and lubrication points helps prevent factors such as cross-contamination. Clean tools are, of course, also of great importance.
- Application: Lubricant quantities and relubrication intervals must be checked regularly, regardless of whether the lubricant is applied manually or via an automatic lubrication system.
- Monitoring: Analyze the oil or lubricant used to determine whether it is performing as required.
- Reconditioning/Disposal: Proper disposal of lubricants. A system like SKF RecondOil enables the reconditioning of industrial oil. Lubricants, on the other hand, are usually replaced and must be disposed of properly.
This brings us back to the choice of lubricant. In both case studies, the deficiencies were resolved through appropriate lubrication management:
At the cement plant, the problem was solved with sound practice. By documenting the process, SKF was able to eliminate the main flaw in the system: the use of the wrong lubricant.
At the salt press, the solution was to select the correct lubricant and apply it accordingly. The machine was additionally properly sealed and monitored using vibration and grease analysis.
A More Refined Picture
In addition to the lubricant lifecycle described above, the complete lubrication management model encompasses four other key areas: planning and control, procedures, training and development, and leadership and key performance indicators (KPIs). Together, these areas provide a more comprehensive picture of lubrication management.
Planning & Control
Many tasks need to be performed in a factory. Firstly, it's essential to ensure the right questions are being asked: Do we have the right lubricant in the right quantity? Are we using the right procedure at the right time and at the right lubrication point? If not, could this be changed? Secondly, how can tasks be planned to keep the workload manageable? Specialized lubrication management software can provide relief in this regard.
Procedures
To ensure consistent quality in work performance, procedures must be developed and made accessible to everyone. Digital documentation is easy to update and can be accessed from remote locations. Often, technical personnel perform tasks based on their own experience and knowledge, regardless of whether it is good or bad. Shared digital documentation prevents information loss when qualified technical staff retire or leave the company.
Training & Personnel Development
Even more important than the points mentioned so far are the people who perform the lubrication work. This work should be considered and treated as a skilled activity. This includes training and skills development plans. Replacing routine tasks with proactive, problem-solving activities makes the work environment more stimulating. Sometimes, outsourcing lubrication tasks can also be a suitable alternative.
Leadership and Key Performance Indicators (KPIs)
Finally, the question arises: What do we need to measure to determine that we are on the right track? For this, we need well-thought-out and pragmatic key performance indicators (KPIs). Lubrication management software can help monitor and visualize critical information. Typical goals include improving the efficiency of lubrication operations, reducing the number of unplanned tasks, or lowering oil consumption without compromising machine maintenance. All of this can be tracked and measured.
Practical Application of the Model
Lubrication management encompasses a large, almost overwhelming number of elements, including tribology, filtration, and oil analysis and handling. But even small steps and simple, pragmatic measures can lead to significant improvements:
Assess the Situation
How is your plant performing? If action is needed, a lubrication audit using tools like the SKF Client Needs Analysis can be invaluable. This tool provides an assessment and sets benchmarks for effective lubrication management. Alternatively, individual personnel can use online self-assessment tools like SKF QLR (Quick Lubrication Review) to evaluate their lubrication practices.
Develop a Scenario
Use well-known case studies and try to put a price tag on them. Consult literature or analyze the results of a lubrication audit to demonstrate the positive impact of proper lubrication.
Promote skills development among your staff
Raise your staff's awareness of proactive, problem-solving lubrication practices. Simply "pushing grease into the bearings" isn't enough. Automatic relubrication frees up more time for machine inspections.
Use the best practices
Make this the guiding principle in all areas of lubrication management and create a pragmatic action plan. This may sound daunting, but think of it like preparing a meal for your family. The goal is to ultimately put a dish on the table, for which you have made various decisions, purchased supplies, and taken other necessary steps.
Define objectives
One possible objective could be to reduce lubrication-related bearing failures by a certain amount. Smart lubrication management often has further benefits: Lubricants typically account for only two to three percent of the maintenance budget, but 40% of maintenance costs are attributable to inadequate lubrication (e.g., for spare parts and labor).
Conclusion
Implementing these steps requires a change in mindset and an awareness of the lubrication management concept. Everyone must understand that efficiency can only be improved through concrete measures.
The first and most important step is understanding. A relevant campaign, a study visit, or training can be helpful in fostering mutual understanding and achieving communication on equal footing.
The next step is to eliminate outdated methods. By this time, however, the necessity for this will already be widely recognized, so this should proceed smoothly. Start with visible deficiencies, such as storage space. This signals that the company is taking the problem seriously.
Lubrication must enter a new era. This is possible with industrial expertise, new tools, digitalization, artificial intelligence, and reconditioning. Lubrication management helps reduce resource and energy consumption.