MAINTENANCE
ExxonMobil has launched Mobil Serv SM Lubricant Analysis, a next generation used oil analysis service
ExxonMobil’ s Industrial Marketing Adviser for Europe, Africa and the Middle East.“ Our next generation used oil analysis service enables mine site operators to proactively monitor equipment operating in challenging conditions, helping to reduce equipment downtime and improve productivity.”
TOTAL Mining Solutions argues that while maintenance strategies and practices have been around for many years, early maintenance practices of when it breaks‘ we’ ll fix it’ have progressed to preventive, predictive and even proactive maintenance strategies.“ Identifying the correct maintenance strategy for your equipment can reduce overall operational costs as well as add significant value to your mining operations.” Total breaks down the four main maintenance strategies as follows: n Breakdown maintenance – basically, fix or repair the equipment when it breaks n Preventive( routine) maintenance – the service, replacement or overhaul of the equipment at predetermined intervals according to a defined set of criteria with the aim of avoiding unwanted failures n Predictive maintenance – identified maintenance activities incorporating condition monitoring techniques( such as oil analysis), preventive maintenance and equipment test measurements aimed at making informed decisions as to the overall health of the asset and any associated risk. n Proactive maintenance – the use of both preventive and predictive strategies for improving equipment reliability by identifying root cause of failure and utilising engineering solutions to address the root cause.“ As in most cases, there are pros and cons with each type of maintenance strategy. The best approach is to identify the most cost effective maintenance strategy based on risk and cost of the asset, the risk and consequences in the event of a failure, and how both of these relate to your company’ s goals. Each piece of equipment should be reviewed, assessed and treated on its own merits. A breakdown maintenance strategy,( that is to only repair the equipment when it breaks down), is sometimes applied to noncritical equipment so that if a failure occurs, it has minimal disruption to production, is relatively cheap, is quick to replace and will have no impact on safety. Some equipment, such as an excavator, can be identified as critical to your operations and where a breakdown or failure is extremely costly to the company. This could be due to production downtime or a long replacement time, or where safety may be compromised. When it comes to these critical pieces of equipment the maintenance strategy that should be applied would be predictive or proactive so as to reduce the possibility of failure, thereby ensuring maximum value from the equipment.
Oil analysis is a condition monitoring tool that involves taking approximately 100 ml from an oil wetted compartment while it is in use and subjecting it to a variety of chemical and physical tests. In the case of used oil, these tests provide a snapshot as to the current health of the asset, the general health of the oil and any contamination issues that may exist. The practice