Master the lubricant lifecycle in industrial machinery maintenance. Discover stages from selection to disposal, key practices to extend lubricant life, enhance performance, reduce downtime, and lower costs. Achieve sustainability and efficiency with innovative solutions like SKF's RecondOil.
In industrial machinery maintenance, understanding the lubricant lifecycle is paramount to ensuring optimal performance and longevity. Lubricants play a critical role in reducing friction, wear, and heat within machinery components, thereby enhancing efficiency and preventing costly breakdowns. According to Machinery Lubrication, we will delve into the various stages of the lubricant lifecycle, highlighting key practices to extend lubricant life and promote machinery reliability.
Oil Reconditioning / Lubricant Reconditioning
The lubricant lifecycle encompasses several stages: selection, application, monitoring, and disposal or recycling. Each stage is crucial in maintaining the health of industrial machinery. Proper management of lubricants not only extends their useful life but also improves equipment performance, reduces downtime, and lowers maintenance costs.
The main applications for contamination removal technologies are large circulating oil systems such as turbine, paper, and hydraulic machinery. They might be useful, nevertheless, for smaller splash and bath lubrication systems. Splash-lubricated gearboxes need to be shut down in order for the particles to settle to the bottom, so oil changes are ineffective for them.
Quick-connect connections can be used to lubricate parts of smaller bath or splash-lubricated machines, enabling oil to be cleaned while the machine is operating. If the oil is still usable, this technique removes the requirement for an oil change. This strategy converts duties normally accomplished during shutdowns into runtime activities, which is in line with maintenance programs intended to improve dependability and lean manufacturing. You can also check our previous blog post Revolutionizing Maintenance: The New Era for Reconditioning, which highlights the dawning of a new era for reconditioning.
Refreshing
To replenish the present oil in an additive system, it must first be partially drained and then replenished. This method requires replacing the old oil with new that hasn't been contaminated or tainted by impurities that can't be cleaned out. This approach extends the drain cycle if the base oil is unharmed. On the other hand, with damaged base oil, the additives in fresh oil often deplete quickly, leaving the lubricant unchanged. An equivalent tactic would be to send a healthy individual into a room full of sick people, hoping that their health will assist others around them.
Reclamation
Reclamation is the process of rebuilding the additive system of a lubricant. It entails rebuilding the additive system of a lubricant, which calls for a mix of heat and mechanical shear to guarantee compatibility with the chemistry of the basic oil. The procedure calls for assessing the current additive system and developing a formula for an additive reconstruction package prior to in-situ blending. Prior to implementing the reconstruction on the in-service oil, performance property tests and simulated laboratory simulations are carried out. The expense of the process is increased but its effectiveness is guaranteed when performance property testing is done on the in-service oil following the reconstruction.
Condition-based Drain Interval
In lubrication management, the criticality of the machine, tank capacity, ease of maintenance, and additional information from oil analysis are all taken into consideration when deciding when to change the oil. The restoration of performance properties and decontamination are important objectives for oil changes since too long intervals might cause wear and failure because of insufficient lubricant or excessive contaminants.
The selection procedure is further influenced by variables including wear generation rate, pollutant intake rate, operating temperature, risk propensity, water pollution, aeration levels, and planning and scheduling windows. A test slate, caution limits, sampling technique, sample interval, personnel training, and system determination are all part of the process. Certification and training are necessary for effective sampling and diagnosis, as well as an appropriate sample method and system.
Leak Control
Machine leaks can result in mishaps, fires, subpar performance, problems with quality, and damage to the environment. Leaks may result from poor design, operation, or maintenance. Finding the cause and putting preventative measures in place are key components of leak management. This entails a washdown, visual inspection, and the use of UV lights and fluorescent dyes. Every leak is recognized by being tagged, numbered, and recorded; also, the level of leak severity is ascertained. Based on the extent of the leak and how simple it is to fix, a remedial plan is then developed. Although it's not always possible to halt leaks entirely, it's important to handle them carefully to reduce damage. Systems for collecting oil spills can be expensive and ineffective. In the end, it is preferable to eliminate leaks when feasible.
Lubricant Disposal and Recycling
At the end of their useful life, lubricants should be disposed of responsibly or recycled. Improper disposal can harm the environment, while recycling helps in conserving resources and reducing waste. Advanced technologies now enable the reconditioning of used lubricants, restoring them to a usable state and extending their lifecycle.
Innovative Solution for Oil Reconditioning
To further optimize lubricant performance and extend its lifecycle, innovative solutions like SKF's RecondOil come into play. RecondOil employs Double Separation Technology (DST) to remove contaminants from used oils, restoring them to a near-original state. This reconditioning process not only extends the life of lubricants but also reduces environmental impact by minimizing waste.
Benefits of Using SKF's RecondOil
Extended Lubricant Life: Reconditioning used lubricants reduces the frequency of lubricant replacement, leading to cost savings.
Enhanced Machinery Performance: Clean lubricants ensure better protection and efficiency of machinery components.
Environmental Sustainability: Reducing lubricant waste contributes to environmental conservation and sustainability efforts.
Cost-Effective Maintenance: Lower lubricant consumption translates to reduced maintenance costs and improved operational efficiency.
Understanding and optimizing the lubricant lifecycle is essential for maintaining industrial machinery performance and reliability. By implementing best practices in lubrication management and leveraging innovative solutions like SKF's RecondOil, industries can achieve significant cost savings and operational efficiency.
Please contact us for further information on how our products can help you achieve the best possible lubricant management. To increase asset longevity and adopt preventive maintenance, make use of our extensive range of lubricating solutions.
You can make sure that your maintenance procedures match or surpass industry standards, which will increase the longevity of your priceless assets and their operating efficiency, by adhering to these rules and utilizing cutting-edge technologies.
