Lubrication specification The first step to an effective lubrication strategy is to determine the requirements of the lubricant. In order to do this, engineers and plant managers should assess the operating conditions of the machinery in question.
These operations do not necessarily relate to the plant conditions or even the temperature of the machinery itself. However, the operating environment should also be accounted for. A food processing or pelleting plant will be prone to contamination, so it is important that lubricating greases have a composition that nullifies the impact of particulates.
For machine conditions, the most important variables are operating temperature and load dimensions. For example, if a machine processes heavy materials, plant engineers must ensure that it is lubricated sufficiently to perform under the high pressure. This involves selecting a lubricant that has a high load-bearing capacity.
A number of things can happen without correct specification. In some instances, an unspecified lubricant will simply deteriorate quickly and need replacing frequently, which in turn increases the cost of operation. Yet in other cases, the lubricant will be unable to handle the load and will deteriorate during the first use. This not only leads to machinery damage but also risks breakage and downtime.
Of course, even an intelligent system in an IIoT network will only be able to highlight the unusually high operating temperature or breakage after the wrong lubricant has already been applied. Maintenance engineers can pre-empt the problem by understanding what kind of lubricant they need.
In the case of heavy load-bearing machinery, plant engineers would need a high viscosity lubricant with a calcium-sulphonate formulation, such as NCH Europe’s K Nate HV.
The application process
Even a perfectly specified lubricant is only as effective as its application. Applying too much lubricant is just as bad as applying too little, as both cause the equipment to fail sooner.
The implications of under-lubrication are clear. Without enough lubricant on a surface area, friction will occur and accelerate wear. Over the course of a production
cycle, it is not uncommon for high amounts of friction to lead to a complete machine breakage and downtime. Industrial sensors may be able to alert engineers to an impending failure, but cannot tell them that they are under-lubricating the equipment.
Conversely, many plant engineers take a ‘more is better than less’ approach to lubrication in the hopes that it will reduce the frequency of maintenance. Unfortunately, this is not the case.
For example, when equipment is over-lubricated with a grease, the excess volume of lubricant raises the overall operating temperature of the equipment. This heightened temperature increases the rate of oxidation, which can cause the build-up of hardened grease deposits on surfaces.
These deposits impair the effectiveness of lubrication and can prevent the flow of future products unless properly removed. They also increase the pressure on seals, which results in failure and leakage of lubricant.
Plant managers and maintenance engineers can avoid these problems by ensuring all engineers know how much lubricant to use. This is information that a lubrication specialist, such as the supplier of the product, can help with.
Status and maintenance The final step to an effective lubrication strategy is to ensure that machinery is regularly lubricated and that any possible issues, such as grease deposits, are addressed before they cause problems.
This is where the IIoT can help by notifying when equipment is running low on lubricant. While this ensures that maintenance is conducted regularly, engineers must then inspect the application fully to assess whether any further action needs to be taken.
Undoubtedly, the rise of IIoT is bringing a wealth of benefits to manufacturing businesses, but the elimination of downtime is not strictly one of them. What it does offer is an opportunity for engineers to manage and prevent downtime more effectively, which can only be realised with proper planning, the right products and a comprehensive strategy.
LINK
www.nch.com
LUBE MAGAZINE NO.145 JUNE 2018
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