Two Painfully Powerful Tools

They aren't high-tech. Not even state-of-the-art. And you probably won't get that "kid in a candy store" feeling when you first pull them out of your toolbox.

These are reality-check tools. They constantly bring you back to the fundamentals and show you how to build your lubrication program from the ground up. Powerful, but sometimes painful.

The 'repetitive why' is one of the best diagnostic tools available. Here's a simplified version of how it works: "Why did the machine fail?" The bearing failed. "Why did the bearing fail?" The lubricant failed. "Why did the lubricant fail?" It was contaminated. "Why was it contaminated?" The breather filter was inadequate. "Why was the breather filter inadequate?" No training provided for the maintenance staff. You can see that this could go on for quite a while.

The other powerful, but under-utilized tool is the common '80-20 rule.' One way to apply this rule-tool to lubrication is as follows: 80 percent of lubrication-related failures come from 20 percent of the possible causes of failure. Clever readers already know that this means keeping contaminants such as particle, moisture, heat and air from distressing the oil. They typically account for around 80 percent of all lubricant- related failures.

These are two basic tools that dig for basic answers that can produce remarkable results. Make sure you keep these tools handy and pull them out often.

Mike Ramsey
mramsey@noria.com

Book Bits

From "Synthetic Lubricants and High-Performance Functional Fluids":

Automotive synthetic base stocks (PAO and ester) exhibit improved high temperature properties versus petroleum oils of comparable viscosity. These improvements are characterized by viscosity retention at high temperature (due to higher viscosity index), higher flash points and lower volatility.

Higher viscosity index base stocks, whether petroleum or synthetic, will exhibit lower viscosity loss upon temperature increase. This property will translate into higher film strength for hydrodynamic and elastohydrodynamic lubrication in an engine. At high temperatures, this set of characteristics will mean improved protection for bearings (sleeve, ball or needle) and rotating seals.

Click here for more information about "Synthetic Lubricants and High-Performance Functional Fluids".

Today's Tip

• When you make a new hydraulic hose cut from a roll of bulk hose, install the new fittings and then flush the hose with a light-weight oil in order to wash all of the shavings out of the hose. Otherwise you will introduce rubber and metal braid shavings into the hydraulic system. (Tip submitted by Gary Valadez, Hampel Oil. Thanks Gary!)

  In regard to the tip above, we'd like to add: When flushing a hose with oil, make sure the flushing oil is compatible with the hydraulic fluid used and that the velocity of the flush is about twice that produced by the system's hydraulic pump. Another way to clean hydraulic hoses is to use pneumatic projectiles (sponges) that push through the hose to clean out debris.

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Q & A

"Should I specify a particle cleanliness requirement in my oil procurement contract? (We have visual inspection for contamination, but no ISO cleanliness code.) If I did specify cleanliness, would the oil distributors/suppliers bid? -- Vickie Trojan, Lubrication Engineer, Constellation Energy

I like to see delivered cleanliness of 18/16/13 or better, per ISO 4406 (99). If the oil is going into an application that demands superclean oil, it will still need to be pre-filtered before entering the machine. The proposed cleanliness is a happy medium that gives you relatively clean oil and provides some tangible evidence that the oil has been well-handled in the logistical chain from the refinery, to the blending house, on to the distributor and finally to your facility for use.

In my experience, bulk oil deliveries must be filtered out of the tanker to achieve this goal. For drum oil deliveries, the oil should be filtered at the time of filling the drum.

The drums also play a role. In my experience, reconditioned steel drums will miss the cleanliness objective most of the time. New steel drums will miss the goal some of the time and new one-shot plastic containers will hit it most of the time, assuming proper management at the time they are filled.

Need I mention that you get what you pay for? It costs money to deliver clean oil. Filters, new steel drums and one-shot plastic drums and containers cost money - you should plan on paying a little extra. It is unfair to an oil supplier to slip this into your requirements after the contract has been negotiated. Get these issues out on the table.

Drew Troyer, Noria Corporation

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Lube-Tips is published by Noria Corporation. Oil Analysis and Lubrication Experts