The Lube Room

By: Mike Gauthier

Lubrication Program

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….providing the right product,

….in the right location,

….in the right amount,

….at the right time,

….in the right condition,

….with the right person.

Basic Rights of Effective Lubrication Management

• Assign a program champion

• Commitment from executive management is essential to the success of the program

• How you store, handle and dispense your lubricants plant will have a direct impact on your overall lubrication program

• Dedicated space (indoors or outdoors)

• Designing documents (SOP’s) and training personnel to effectively implement the program

• Create key metrics to gain visibility and support continuous improvement –what gets measured gets done

• Lubricant consolidation and procurement

• Employ 5s’ principles

Tenants to a World Class Lube Room

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It is important to note during the consolidation process you have to consider the impact it could have on overall reliability therefore lubricants used in critical assets should not be compromised.

Advantages:• Improved Inventory Management

• Less part numbers

• Better control on shelf life

• Reduced Inventory Dollars

• Reduction in potential of using incorrect lubricant

• Reduction in oil samples - new lubricant

• Potential for better vendor

Disadvantages:• Potential to compromise equipment by selecting a lubricant that

does not meet all requirements – “choosing something that was close”

Consolidation

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• Determine redundancy in products from different manufacturers

• Optimize lubricant inventory based on equipment design, criticality production, and environmental needs

• Determine the proper product is specified for the equipment type, application, and environment

Consolidation

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Identify redundant

products

Define equipmentrequirements

Develop lubrication

specification

Step 1: Identify Redundant Products

Obtain technical data and MSDS sheet of all products

Group products by type or family• This will indicate the number of different lubricant types in use

Once grouped rank lubricants based on:• Operating experience• Ease of purchasing and storing• Cost• Compatibility with equipment and other lubricants

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Inspect existing lubricants and compare product

design and application

Identify redundantproducts

Step 2: Equipment Requirements

Assemble a list of all lubricated equipment within the facility

• Make, model, vendor specifications

Obtain lubrication requirements for each equipment (audit or technical basis)

Review critical asset hierarchy

Equipment manuals and manufacturers

Review equipment maintenance history

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Define equipmentrequirements

Remember – Lubricants are a part of the design criteria of the

equipment!

Step 3: Lubrication Specifications

Specifications must be somewhat generic to be able to receive competitive bid

Specifications should be on a single sheet and include:• Product description• Description of application• Specifications• Packaging (what type best suits your needs)• Labeling (batch #, date, etc…)• Cleanliness (the specification you are paying for)• Equipment and environment specific considerations• Physical and chemical characteristics• Viscosity grade• Base oil type and/or thickener type

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Develop lubricationspecification Goal is to determine the minimum number of

unique lubricant applications types that will address all equipment needs in the plant.

Bulk Packaged

Lubricant Procurement Options

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• What is your average consumption rate?

• Safety Stock?

• Set min and max levels

• What is the vendor's standard delivery time?

• How much storage facility space do you have?

• What is the proximity of storage to equipment being lubricated and can improvements in

efficiencies be made?

Factors – Lubricant Packaging

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[ [The different factors that should be considered when determining packaging methods include:

Infrequently Used Lubricants: Purchase small volume in small containers (pints, quarts, gallons, etc.), preferably in one-shot containers.

Common Lubricants: Should be stored in a system or original packaging both designed to dispense and filter the product with the greatest amount of efficiency.

Lubrication Procurement

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[ [Which method to use?

Temperature Extremes

• Causes chemical degradation – Every increase in temperature of 18 °F doubles oxidation rate of oil

Varying Temperatures

• Causes air movement between atmosphere and head space – moisture and dirt ingression

Dusty Environment

• Oil attracts dirt particles – component wear, oil degradation

Procedure should be in place for immediate acceptance and storage of delivered lubricant.

Lubricant Health

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[ [

• When the OEM specified cleanliness codes are lower than what you see for new oil

• It is recommended that new oil is filtered to a predetermined and desired cleanliness level prior to being put into service

• Like reservoirs, drums breathe and desiccant breathers should be installed on the secondary bung hole

Filtration of Drums

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It cannot be assumed that new oil is clean!

OEM cleanliness codes are a ceiling and you should strive for

lower cleanliness levels.

Oxidation occurs in oils that is in contact with air including stored lubricants

Don’t use product that have been stored for long periods of time

Establish appropriate shelf life limitsfor new oils

• If unsure consult lubricant manufacturer

Many grease products have a shorter storage life than oils

• Inspect for excess oil bleeding

Product

Maximum Recommended Storage

Time (months)

Lithium Greases 12

Calcium Complex Greases 6

Lubricating Oils 12

Emulsion Type Fire Resistant Fluids 6

Soluble Oils 6

Custom Blended Soluble Oils 3

Wax Emulsions 6

Ref: MOBIL & Wills

Lubricant Health: Product Storage Life

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An Industry Standard does not exist for storage life – below is a

conservative/general guideline assuming appropriate storage environment.

1. Lubricant storage facility well designed and orderly

2. Floor is painted and marked (slip resistant coating

or mats)

3. Secondary spill containment is employed

4. Proper color coded lubricant transfer containers

are used

5. Transfer Containers are properly labeled

6. Shelving or cabinet is being employed for storage of transfer containers

7. Transfer containers are properly cleaned and stored

8. Totes and drums are used properly

9. Oil pumps are properly secured to storage containers and desiccant breathers are installed

10. All bulk (55 gallon) drums

11. Funnels and other accessories are kept clean and properly stored

Storage and Handling Guidelines

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12. Shelf life and stock rotation principle are observed (FIFO, First In, First Out)

13. Color coded bands are employed for in use grease guns and spares

14. Use of color coded wall charts to identify current lubricant and grease in use Fire rated safety cabinets are used for grease gun and stock storage

15. Filtration system is employed to remove any contaminants present in new and stored lubricants

16. Transfer carts are properly used

17. Correct reconditioning and/or reclaiming practices are applied where appropriate

18. Used oil is properly handled, labeled and disposed

19. MSDS sheets are accessible and current

Storage and Handling Guidelines cont’d

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20. Lubricant chart outlining color coding is visible and kept current

21. Employ 5s’ principle to ensure the area is well maintained and orderly

22. Disposal bin for shop rags

23. Eye wash station is set up in lube storage area

24. Fire extinguishers are made available

Storage and Handling Guidelines cont’d

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Lube Room should be a “Show Case” and considered a critical part of the

Lubrication Program

Poor Bulk Storage Practices

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Bulk Storage Systems Best Practices

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Poor Indoor Storage

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Poor Outdoor Storage

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Poor Storage Practices

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Storage Cabinets

Improper Labeling

Located in central storage or in strategically placed location within plant

Use safety locker if flammables are stored

Ventilation – top and bottom

Keep doors closed and sealed between use

Seal all containers

New Shop rags and funnels should be stored in sealable containers

Never store used rags or waste in lockers

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Storage Cabinet Best Practices

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Best Practices: Lubricant Storage Cabinets

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Best Practices at Boeing

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Non Dedicated Lube Room Best Practices

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Best Practices Lubricant Storage

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Best Practices Lubricant Storage

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Sort

Start by sorting the useful from the unnecessary. The only things that should remain in a work area are the parts, tools, & instructions needed to do the job.

Straighten

Everything has a place; everything is in its place.

Sweep & Shine

Perform seasonal group cleaning. Maybe painting, scouring, sweeping, scrubbing, and whatever else is needed to make your work place shine.

Standardize

Preventative maintenance is routinely performed by planning and scheduling the responsibilities to the maintenance department

Sustain

Sustainability is when 5s’ becomes a routine way of life and part of the work culture. Root causes are routinely identified and dealt with.

5s’ Principles and Implementation

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Best Practices 5s’

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Always leverage the principle 6 R’s when performing lubrication related tasks

Lubrication Program Strategy

….providing the right product,

….in the right location,

….in the right amount,

….at the right time,

….in the right condition,

….with the right person.

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1. Gain Management support2. Assign a program champion3. Dedicated space/area4. Think safety first5. Consolidate lubricants 6. Create SOP’s and training your people7. Provide your people the right tools to perform the task8. Use visual aids, color coding, ID tagging9. Filter new oils10. Implement 5s’

Lube Room Recap

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