MACHINERY LUBRICATION- INDIA MARCH-APRIL 2020 | Page 14

COVER STORY
However, for the first six months of Briner’s
first year with Advanced Composites, the
PM team was operating on the limited
knowledge of how to use and understand
their current oil analysis results. When
the quarterly oil sample was sent out to be
tested, it usually would take the laboratory
more than 30 days to return the results.
Waiting this long for sample results was not
helpful, especially if there was a problem
that required urgent attention. By the time
it was determined based on the results that
an action such as an oil change or filtration
was needed, it was time for the next
quarterly oil sample to be collected.
As Briner began looking at the results
closely, questions about the reports
sometimes would arise. He would reach out
to his contact at the lab and often have to
wait for days or weeks to receive an answer.
Advanced Composites was just taking the
word of its lab as to whether anything
needed to be done on the equipment. This
made personnel feel as if the lab was driving
them. The company was not steering the
wheel of its own lubrication program.
The Company was also struggling to find the
right time to conduct oil changes and filter
oil in a timely manner. With a production
schedule that is seven days a week, 24
hours a day, the PM team would have to
work closely with production management
to find out when and how long the next
line changeover was scheduled for the
vital equipment that required lubrication
attention. In most cases, by the time oil
changes or filtering could be conducted, it
was time to extract oil samples on the next
scheduled quarterly PM task.
The facility was not even close to being
preventative with its lubrication PM
program, let alone proactive. Frustration
12 | March - April 2020 |
was beginning to build, and Briner knew
big changes would be necessary to create a
world-class lubrication program.
Fostering Change
Briner met with the maintenance team
and brought forth his concerns about the
current state of the lubrication program.
Right away, they gave him the go-ahead to
seek a better laboratory to handle the oil
samples. They also asked him to establish a
set of goals to work toward, make changes
and improve in a timely manner. There were
many things he wanted to improve at this
point, but Briner had to limit his list to the
most important goals first. The initial goals
were as follows:
1. Perform oil filtration on vital equipment
in a timely manner by finding a way to
filter the oil while the equipment is still
in operation.
2. Obtain a better laboratory to handle the
oil samples with a quicker turnaround
time for the results.
3. Find training, possibly with the new
laboratory, to gain the knowledge and
understanding to read the oil sampling
test results.
4. Improve the prevention and common
practices relating to oil contamination
within the lubrication program.
5. Continue to improve and reduce the
lubrication carbon footprint.
6. Continue to improve the lubrication
program’s file history, including oil
sample test results and work completed,
possibly within a spreadsheet.
understand the results to proactively tackle
issues. Now he would know how good his
oil was and whether it could last until the
next scheduled quarterly oil sampling.
In addition, this lab could provide an online
database with a history of the oil sampling
as a bonus service. This database makes it
easy to go back and look at baseline samples
to see trends and spikes. For instance,
Advanced Composites received a report
indicating what was considered a high
particle count. Previously, a filtration work
order would have just been scheduled, but
after examining the current report, some
past reports, and the baseline report, the
company determined that the particle count
wasn’t high at all. It was consistent across
all the samples. There was no need to create
a new work order. This saved a tremendous
amount of man hours.
Personnel at the new lab were also very
interested in visiting the Advanced
Composites facility to get a better idea of
the environment in which the equipment
operates. This allowed them to recommend
the best tests for the equipment. Briner
now receives better results that are tailored
to his type of production and equipment,
and he is in a better position to advise the
maintenance team on what to do. They
can see when a problem is coming, and if
something keeps recurring in the results,
they can dig into it to determine if there is
a larger issue. Partnering with this new lab
effectively crossed two items off the to-do
list.
After this list of goals was submitted, Briner
located a laboratory that promised to have Briner then started search for a company
oil test results back within 24 hours and which could help with in-service filtration.
at a savings of half the current cost per He was able to locate one and they discussed
sample. Briner also decided to undergo the installing “oil access assemblies” on a vital
Oil Analysis training of Noria to read and piece of equipment to see if they could filter
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