Optimise the Benefits of your Condition Monitoring Program

In today’s industrial landscape, the pursuit of peak operational efficiency and equipment reliability is paramount. And within this quest, the utilization of advanced condition monitoring programs has become a linchpin for success. Most modern mining, manufacturing and facilities management operations utilise condition monitoring programs already. With continuous lubrication you can increase the benefits you gain from these worthwhile, but costly, programs substantially. Today we take a look at how you can optimise your condition monitoring program.

Most modern companies have Reliability Engineers and reliability programs in place to improve maintenance and productivity outcomes. Typically, these will involve laser alignment during equipment installation and Conditioning Monitoring to optimise equipment availability. Both are time consuming and costly, but they deliver quantifiable results and an increase in productivity and ROI. However, without a well-managed lubrication program supporting these programs, you are not gaining the full advantage. Your program will identify bearing issues related to lubrication. But unless you implement an efficient lubrication program, the problem will remain.

Greasemax helps you optimise your condition monitoring program

There are four primary components to grease lubrication for bearings:

  • lubricant selection
  • application method
  • re-lubrication volume
  • re-lubrication frequency

Correct Lubricant selection

Selecting the correct lubricant is critical. But let us assume that you’ve done this, as the technicalities of this are not the main subject of this topic. Systems that rely on hand greasing, or the lubricant replenishment of mechanical lubrication systems, introduce the possibility of the wrong grease being applied. The grease may not be suitable for the task or it may not be mixable with the grease already in the bearing, in both cases creating serious maintenance issues.

Application Method

You can apply grease through centralised application systems, by hand-greasing with a grease gun and with single point automatic lubricators. Centralised systems are costly to install and maintain, however. You need to refill them and they need their own maintenance program. They are appropriate for some equipment types. Particularly where you need high grease volumes but are not practical for many applications. For most types of equipment the practical alternatives are usually hand lubrication or single point automatic lubricators. For equipment such a pumps, conveyors, electric motors, fans, screens, and most mining and processing equipment, a single point lubricator will provide a more cost effective and efficient result.

Manual greasing introduces the human element of uncertainty. Especially with respect to applying the correct grease, correct quantity, and correct re-lubrication interval. You could also possibly have contamination issues because you’ve failed to ensure that equipment and fittings are free of contaminants before you applied the grease. Hand greasing does not deliver the lubrication benefits of continuous lubrication. The bearings typically will have excess lubricant at the time of greasing and then reach a point where they are under-greased before the re-lubrication cycle catches up.

Re-lubrication volume

With manual greasing lubricant, you generally apply until you see excess grease coming out of the seals. Or you’ve simply guessed at the quantity needed. Neither is a precise method providing a suitable outcome that optimises the benefits of the condition monitoring program. Some bearing companies provide formulas for re-lubrication. However these are theoretical with respect to the amount of grease that is actually needed and usable in the rolling elements and don’t take all factors into account.

optimise your condition monitoring system with GreaseMax Single Point Lubricators

The type and age of existing grease, housing types, operating conditions, factors such as speed, load and vibration may all mean that this theoretical approach is unsuitable. A continuous lubrication method based on a condition-based approach will provide a better outcome. If you’re already using condition monitoring, you can easily and accurately confirm that using less grease, applied correctly, can yield better results than manual lubrication.

Re-lubrication frequency

Factors such as bearing type, seal type, bearing and seal condition, temperature, water contamination, load, vibration, particle contamination and grease quality will all influence the re-lubrication frequency. In practice it will be difficult with hand greasing to put in place a program that takes into account all of these factors and is also practical in terms of human resources, the necessary hand greasing cycle and equipment operation.

GreaseMax lubricators provide a cost effective and efficient solution to these lubrication issues and optimise the benefits of a Condition Monitoring program.

IFS is the official distributor for GreaseMax in South Africa. Contact us today to help you optimise your condition monitoring program.

*First published by Delta International Sales, Factory Representative and Master Distributor for the Americas, Africa, Middle East, Australia, New Zealand and Pacific