Lubrication Program Development and Maintenance

Lubrication

• Separate moving materials to prevent wear, scoring, and seizure
• Reduce heat, keep out contaminants, protect against corrosion, and wash away worn materials
• Develop lubrication specifications from equipment manufacturers, lubricant vendors, other equipment users, and individuals' own experience

Lubrication Program Development

• Identify every piece of equipment that requires lubrication
• Ensure each piece of equipment is uniquely identified and records are complete
• Determine locations on each piece of equipment that need to be lubricated
• Identify the lubricant to be used and the best method of application
• Establish the frequency or interval of lubrication
• Determine if equipment can be safely lubricated while operating or if it must be shut down
• Decide who should be responsible for human involvement and standardize lubrication methods
• Package the above elements into a lubrication program
• Establish storage and handling procedures
• Evaluate new lubricants to take advantage of state-of-the-art technology
• Analyze failures involving lubrication and initiate necessary corrective actions

Calibration

• Calibration is a special form of preventive maintenance that keeps measurement and control instruments within specified limits
• A 'standard' must be used to calibrate equipment
• Ohmmeters should be calibrated at least once a year and before further use if subjected to sudden shock or stress
• The purpose of a calibration system is to provide for the prevention of tool inaccuracy through prompt detection of deficiencies and timely application of corrective action
• Establish realistic calibration intervals, list of all measurement standards, and environmental conditions for calibration
• Ensure the use of calibration procedures for all equipment and standards
• Coordinate the calibration system with all users
• Frequently check equipment by periodic system or cross-checks to detect damage, inoperative instruments, erratic readings, and other performance-degrading factors
• Provide for timely and positive correction action
• Establish decals, reject tags, and records for calibration labeling
• Maintain formal records to ensure proper controls

Estimating Time

• Inspection or preventive maintenance is a standardized procedure with little variation
• Tasks and time required can be accurately estimated considering resources such as equipment manufacturers' recommendations, national standards, industrial engineering time-and-motion studies, and historical experience

Estimating Labor Cost

• Cost estimates follow from time estimates by multiplying the hours required by the labor rate

Estimating Materials

• Most parts and materials used for preventive maintenance are well-known and can be identified in advance
• Quantity of each item planned should be multiplied by the cost of the item in inventory
• Consumables such as transmission oil should be enumerated as direct costs, but grease and other supplies used from bulk should be included in overhead costs

Scheduling

• One of the advantages of doing preventive maintenance is planning for inspections and preventive activities in advance
• Scheduling is primarily concerned with balancing demand and supply
• Demand comes from the equipment's need for preventive maintenance, and supply is the availability of equipment, craftspeople, and materials

Record Keeping

• The foundation records for preventive maintenance are the equipment files
• Essential items include equipment identification number, equipment name, equipment product/group/class, location, use meter reading, preventive maintenance interval(s), use per day, last preventive maintenance due, next preventive maintenance due, cycle time for preventive maintenance, crafts required, number of persons, and time for each
• Parts required and maintenance records should be maintained

Maintenance of Auxiliary Systems

• Daily maintenance of a Kelly spinner consists of checking the lubrication system and greasing all lube points every trip
• Specific Kelly spinner maintenance recommendations should be consulted
• Problems that may arise when using the Kelly spinner often have to do with blockage of air or hydraulic flow
• Keep hoses straight and check connections to make sure they are airtight
• Replace valves and seals as necessary

Maintenance and Calibration of Indicators and Sensors

• Indicators and sensors do not require much maintenance
• Periodically check all fittings and hoses for tightness and damage and replace worn or damaged parts
• Calibration is done by manufacturers and does not require adjustments in the field
• Weight indicators are an exception and should be calibrated after each move or whenever there is a reason to suspect that the reading is not accurate

Maintenance of Vapor Compression Evaporators

• Uses electric motor to power pumps, compressor, and lubricating oil pump
• Size of the unit can produce 4,800 to 16,800 gal of purified water per day
• Has a heat exchanger, titanium plate that absorbs heat from waste water and transmits it to the entering seawater
• Requires a great deal of maintenance, including scale removal and flushing the unit

Maintenance of Reverse Osmosis Watermakers

• Filtration system for removing unwanted contaminants from water
• Uses old and fairly simply technology
• Permeability is a measure of the ease with which molecules flow through a substance
• Membranes are semipermeable, allowing small molecules to flow through but not large ones
• Built-in system to clean the permeators
• Consist of mixing tank, filter, piping, and valves that flush fresh water through the pump, piping, and chambers after shutdown
• Pumps need inspection and lubrication

Learn about the importance of lubrication in preventing wear and tear, and how to develop a lubrication program. Understand the primary functions and sources of lubrication specifications.