Within industrial maintenance, the importance of lubrication management cannot be overstated, though it is often undervalued in its contribution to the longevity and efficiency of machinery.
SKF, a company at the forefront of this field, has designed a robust lubrication management programme centred around optimising the lubricant lifecycle.
This strategic approach not only boosts machinery performance but also delivers a spectrum of benefits, offering comprehensive, end-to-end support to customers.
Shayne Halls, who leads sales transformation for lubrication in India and Southeast Asia at SKF, also manages one of the company’s major lubrication distributors in Australia and New Zealand. He underscored the critical role that lubrication plays in bearing maintenance.
“Close to half the amount of failures that are caused are from lubrication-related issues,” Halls said. “And oversupply is just as bad as undersupply when it comes to lubrication of critical bearings.”
This emphasis on the delicate balance required in lubrication highlights the necessity of a comprehensive strategy, which is precisely what SKF’s Lubrication Management programme aims to deliver.
Sumit Mitra, director for lubrication management and seals businesses for SKF India and Southeast Asia, described the lubrication management lifecycle at SKF as meticulously crafted, ensuring peak efficiency from selection and purchase to application and monitoring.
The ‘selection’ process is where the most suitable lubricant for each application is determined. Factors such as machinery type, operating conditions, and desired performance outcomes are considered.
“We discuss with the customer about applying the right lubricant in the right quantity, in the right spot at the right time,” Mitra said.
This sets the foundation for the subsequent steps in the lifecycle, ensuring each machine receives exactly what it needs for efficient and environmentally friendly operation.
The ‘purchase’ phase, as highlighted by SKF, involves careful consideration of which lubricant you can purchase and use, underlining the importance of choosing the right lubricant not just for its application but also considering its source and quality.
This stage is crucial for avoiding issues such as contamination, which can arise from improper storage and handling.
Safety, a crucial consideration, is meticulously addressed in every aspect of SKF’s strategy.
Halls drew particular attention to its significance in equipment maintenance, noting the hazards associated with servicing remote lubricant points.
“There are multiple remote lubricant points where the person has to physically go there to apply the lubricant,” he said.
The SKF experts collectively highlight the company’s solution-oriented approach, featuring single point lubricators and wireless cloud-connected systems.
These not only confront safety challenges head-on but also advance the ‘remote monitoring’ capabilities within the lubricant lifecycle. By facilitating remote monitoring, these technologies curtail the necessity for manual involvement, thereby enhancing safety.
Cloud-based notifications enable maintenance teams to address lubrication needs swiftly and precisely, which ensures that machinery operates at its best with the least need for human intervention.
Mitra further underscores the importance of guiding customers through their lubrication management journey.
“We are really trying to bring this all together,” he said.
The lubrication audit is crucial in understanding not only the customer’s needs but also their current lubrication practices, tailoring a strategy that evolves with the customer’s operational progress.
Sustainability is an integral part of the lubricant lifecycle at SKF, with every stage reflecting a commitment to eco-friendly practices.
The experts at SKF explain that the company is redefining the use of oil, shifting from treating it as a consumable to offering it as a service. This approach prioritises the specific lubrication needs of machinery over the volume of oil used.
Such a strategy is aligned with SKF’s aim to diminish unplanned downtime and lubrication-related machinery failures.
Products like SKF’s RecondOil contribute to this goal by extending the useful life of lubricants, thereby decreasing the frequency of oil changes and reducing both waste and the overall environmental impact.
Additionally, SKF has noted an increasing interest among oil companies in forming collaborations that endorse this eco-friendly approach.
SKF’s lubrication management strategy demonstrates a strong commitment to sustainability, ensuring solutions are holistic and customer centric.
For further details on SKF’s lubrication management programme and its impact on industrial operations, explore SKF’s lubrication management page.
This offers comprehensive insights into their approach to machine care and sustainability, showcasing their commitment to effective and environmentally responsible lubrication strategies.
