MACHINERY LUBRICATION- INDIA MARCH-APRIL 2020 | Page 26

IN THE TRENCHES
These tasks may be sent to operations to
perform as part of their daily rounds. for multiple departments to help with oil
changes.
Regreasing can be highly technical
depending on the component and how
grease is applied. Utilizing a feedback
technology such as ultrasound will help
identify how much grease to add as well
as how often to apply it. This technology
requires training and experience, so it
usually is left to the lube team. A condition
monitoring team may also complete this
work, as they will be charged with all
types of predictive maintenance, including
vibration, infrared, ultrasound and oil
analysis. Sampling
The changing of oil in a system may
demand a high degree of skill and for the
machine to be removed from operation.
These tasks normally are left in the hands
of the lube team, as they will be able to take
any samples needed during the change-out
and can filter the incoming oil to ensure it
is clean. Maintenance personnel may also
be involved in this work depending on the
number of oil changes required. During
outages and turnarounds, it is common
24 | March - April 2020 |
Extracting lubricant samples is highly
specialized work that should be performed
by trained individuals, such as the plant’s
lubrication or condition monitoring team.
On the surface, collecting a lubricant sample
may seem simple and straightforward, yet
there are many intricacies that can taint the
results. Previously, all lube samples were
exclusively oil, but new technology has
made grease sampling easier to aid in the
diagnosis of grease-lubricated equipment
failures.
Regardless of the lubricant being sampled,
the work must be done consistently and
in a manner that eliminates outside
contaminants. Samples should be taken
from an area that is representative of the
lubricant in the system so the results can
be analyzed for corrective action.
The diagnostic work related to lube
sampling is even more specialized and
frequently requires an individual becoming
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trained in this specific discipline. The work
is often assigned to managers or engineers,
with all test results coming across their desk
for more detailed analysis. Without the
proper training, this person may miss some
of the incipient failures that can be clearly
shown within the body of the reports.
Simply relying on the comments from the
testing lab will not be enough to get the
most out of the lube sampling program.
One-off Tasks
Certain tasks in the lubrication program
are performed only once. These generally
include machine modifications or changing
of a lubricant from one type to another.
Once completed, these tasks are no longer
valid and typically are not part of the
computerized maintenance management
system (CMMS) or lubrication software.
Machine modifications involve the
installation of various inspection and
contamination control hardware.
Normally, these modifications are made
during oil changes or turnarounds to allow
for easier inspection of the lubricant as well
as to improve the ability to add, drain or