Simple Solutions That Work! Issue 18

The lubrication program can be developed in a straightforward manner by following these simple steps and putting together a schedule according to specifications: I. Standardize and code lubricants – From equipment manufacturer’s service manuals and data from lubricant suppliers establish a minimum number of standard lubricants which will cover all equipment needs. II. Set up a central storage area for all lubricants – Ensure that lubricants are stored in such a manner that sand or other impurities cannot contaminate them. Such care will pay handsome dividends in prolonged machine life. III. Determine the frequency of lubrication – Machine priority ratings, lubricant supplier’s data and past plant records are used to determine both the frequency with which each lubricating point should be serviced and the type of standard lubricant to be used. IV. Compile a lubricating schedule – Use the established lubrication criteria above to determine the lubricating workload on each machine. EQUIPMENT INSPECTION Think of equipment inspection as your greatest opportunity to save money by preventing downtime and more costly repairs. When it comes down to it, your production (and profitability) is directly tied to your equipment’s ability to perform. Use machine priority ratings and past plant experience to establish: A. Items of equipment requiring regular inspection B. Type of inspection necessary (visual, audible, measured) * C. Frequency of each type of inspection D. Corrective maintenance procedures to be used to prevent the recurrence of unexpected equipment breakdowns * Rounds and readings are fairly common start of shift activities. Its also advisable to provide some basic training to the operators. Simple sensory observations of sound, smell and touch can help to avoid a catastrophic outage. Once the inspection methodology has been established the maintenance department must procure the inspection tools. Transfer the relevant inspection data to a set of machine inspection cards, log sheets, or appropriate software. Record daily the work completed, using a standard check sheet. Require a signature at the end of each shift to complete their duties conscientiously and makes it possible to pinpoint responsibility for machine breakdowns. MACHINE RECORDING SYSTEMS Just as you use data to increase production and reduce waste – you need to use data in your maintenance programs, for the same reasons. In order to keep vital equipment running and minimize production delays resulting from breakdowns, it is important to have on hand a selection of the important spare parts needed for individual machines. It is also important to have some record of the frequency with which such spare parts are used so that inventories can be held to economic levels. To achieve this, it is necessary to set up a file of equipment repair history records. These should contain the important technical data of each machine, and in addition should list those parts of each machine, 18