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THE ROLE OF LUBRICATION
Recent studies in Tribology, (lubrication science) have concluded
that annual energy losses and maintenance costs attributed to friction and
wear exceed hundreds of billions of dollars in the United States alone!
Unfortunately, the background and training of many plant engineers and
maintenance personnel in the fields of lubricants and lubrication is
woefully inadequate, and there are insufficient practical lubrication
reference sources available for those directly involved in the design,
operation and maintenance of industrial equipment and machinery. Quite
often, the oil or lubricant salesperson is also victimized by a lack of
formal training, and their employers turn them loose on industry, often
forcing them to learn from their customers what they were expected to learn
from their employer’s or supplier’s training programs.
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For too many plant managers and engineers, their 24-hour day is 48 hours
too short, and they inadvertently disregard or discount the importance of
lubricants and their proper application. Consequently, many maintenance
specialists make incorrect and costly assumptions, assume the consequences
of friction and wear are "normal" or acceptable, and refuse to take
advantage of the extraordinary potential cost savings and improved equipment
reliability that could be achieved. Although lubricants have long been
considered a mere means for keeping machinery or equipment in operation,
extraordinary cost savings could readily be achieved in virtually all
industries by utilizing existing lubrication technology and
application techniques. Tribology is one of the few areas left where
large-scale improvements and cost savings are still possible.
Organizations can no longer afford "not" to provide formal
lubrication training, education and development for their engineering and
maintenance personnel. They can no longer continue to place more emphasis on
"problem correction" (the squeaking wheel gets greased) rather than
"problem prevention". With significant advances in lubrication science and
technology, organizations can no longer allow friction and wear to continue
to result in:
Decreased Equipment Maintainability And Reliability
Decreased Productivity
Excessive Expenses For Replacement Parts
Higher Than Necessary Operating Costs
Premature Adolescence Of Capital Equipment
Poor Quality Assurance
Production Stoppages And Delays
Rejection Of Finished Projects
Lubrication has often been called the least expensive "insurance" a
manufacturer or end-user can buy. A "certified" lubrication engineer
or Tribology specialist can also ensure that it’s the "best
insurance" available.
What about you? Are you "lubrication literate" or a "self-proclaimed
expert"? What about your oil or lubricant supplier? Does he or she actually
possess 20 years of bona-fide experience, or merely 1 year of experience 20
times over?
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