Many companies consolidate their lubricant purchase into one integrated program to improve productivity and automate preventive maintenance routines. This will reduce inventory management costs and on-site inventory costs. The success of such programs will depend on how well they evaluate suppliers.
Lubrication management plays an important part in reducing costs and increasing productivity. Success almost always relies on finding the right single source lubrication products to meet complex needs, says an expert.
Expert suggests that you ask the following questions to help develop a lubrication management system:
Does the supplier have a comprehensive product range? Suppliers that are best equipped to provide a variety of lubricating solutions will offer more than a “wide selection”. Hydraulic, compressor and vacuum pumps, gearbox and chains, as well as multi-purpose oils are some of the high-volume fluids. To the mix, special industrial compounds, such as greases and pastes, antifriction coatings, dispersions, and anti-friction coatings, must be added. It is also important to have a variety of base stock options. Synthetics are very resistant to emulsification. They also last longer, which can extend maintenance intervals. Emulsification is not an issue with ultra-purity oils. They also have a better additive performance and last longer than other oils. A full-line supplier should also be able to draw on functional additive technology such as antioxidant, antiwear, and extreme temperature.
Does your supplier understand how often you should change your lubricant? It is difficult to maintain a cost-effective, safe and efficient plant. It is possible to waste money on changing your lubricant every so often or cause damage to equipment if you are not sure when. You and your staff will be well prepared to make informed decisions about when you should change your lubricant. Your supplier must offer a comprehensive analysis program that tracks the wear characteristics of oil in service. The results are compared with previous reports and noted the trends. It is important to understand how to collect a representative sample from the oil and how to interpret any results that are returned. A program like this can be used to identify contamination, lubricant loss, or abnormal wear.
Are they recommending the right product? In your search for lubricant suppliers, make sure you are looking at products that meet every plant’s requirements. Bisley & Company is a leading distributor of high-quality industrial chemicals and raw materials.
Expert technical assistance and local product supply should be available to support the recommendations. This can help maintenance personnel avoid making mistakes in lubricant selection or application, which can reduce equipment life and cause premature failure. High temperatures can cause reactions between compressed oxygen (and impurities) to accelerate, leading to rapid oxidation and sudden rises in viscosity. This can lead to lubricant loss and premature omission. Air compressor oils typically last for around 1,000 hours. Synthetic compressor oil that is specifically formulated for air compressors lasts approximately 12 times longer. This is why a knowledgeable supplier can help you choose the right consolidated lubricant. Your supplier must consider the entire material application. They may not be able to use the same product as you are currently using and therefore might not recommend the right type of lubricant for you.
Expert states, “Commodity lubricants purchased at many suppliers can be easy to take as a given in complex manufacturing operations.” This is a mistake that can cause productivity and profitability to be compromised. A key maintenance function can be managed and enhanced by consolidating lubricant purchases with the right supplier.
