Lubezine Volume 8 * NOVEMBER 2013 - JANUARY 2014 | Page 28

TECHNOLOGY

FEATURE

A

s more and
more companies continue
to expand due to
market demands,
production targets
and goals have to be
met and exceeded.
By Crispin Mbogo Fierce competition
also demands that an
President - Droplex
organization reduces
Industrial Systems Ltd. its cost of production
Mr. Mbogo has over
in order to remain
17 years industrial
competitive.
engineering
This however, is
experience both
not happening due to
locally in the oil
frequent unplanned
industry and with
shutdowns caused by
General Electric
equipment failure.
in USA. He is an
These failures are
expert in Automated mainly attributed
Lubrication Systems. to poor lubrication
practices.
Modern and efficient maintenance methods
require less reliance on manual lubrication
activities. Production requirements and
modern equipment can no longer be managed
manually and therefore the need to automate
lubrication. Additionally, safety concerns
increase the need to automate.

Principle of Automation
Automated Lubrication Systems also referred
to as Centralized Lubrication Systems
comprise of a controller or timer, pump,
grease or oil reservoir, metering valves and
fittings and supply and feed lines. The system
delivers a controlled amount of grease or oil
periodically to multiple lube points on a
machine while it is operating. Whether the
equipment is stationary or mobile such as
mining and construction equipment, application of the lubricant is often most effective
when it is dispensed in small, measured
quantities over short, frequent time intervals.

Benefits of Automated Lubrication
1. All critical components of the equipment
are lubricated
2. Lubricant is distributed evenly in the
bearing thereby increasing machine availability
3. Less wear of the components means
extended equipment life, fewer failures,
reduced downtime, reduced replacement
costs and reduced maintenance costs
4. Measured amounts means no wasted
26

Automated
Lubrication
pump at a
cement plant

AUTOMATED LUBRICATION

Automated/Centralized
Lubrication Systems
lubricant
5. Increased safety as access to dangerous
areas is not required
6. Reduced energy consumption due to less
friction
7. Increased overall production due to
machine availability and reduced downtime due to breakdowns

Capital Cost of a System
The capital cost of a lubrication system
includes:
- Lubrication pump and fittings
- Piping system
- Engineering of the system
- Installation and commissioning

System Operating Costs
Operating costs of the system include:
- Maintenance of the system which is
typically low as most components are
self-lubricated
- Lubricant costs which is essential but
reduced on automation

Industries
Centralized lubrication systems are to be
found in many industries such as;
- Cement & Aggregates
- Food & Beverage
- Glass Manufacturing
- Mining
- Paper & Pulp
- Power Generation
- Steel
- Water & Waste Water
- Wind Energy

Total Cost of failures
Although bearings are just a part of the equipment components, their failure results in the
failure of other components such as seals,
impellers and shafts. This means that indirect
failures are often much more than the bearing
failure itself. Installation of automated lubrication systems hence becomes extremely
essential and not an option for manufacturers and equipment owners looking to reduce
operating costs and increased production.

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LUBEZINE MAGAZINE | November 2013-January 2014