June

An infrared camera is one of the best tools for performing regular reliability tests on a hydraulic system. It is also invaluable when troubleshooting heat, speed and pressure issues. In any hydraulic system, some lines will be at, above and below the oil temperature in the reservoir. The key is to know which lines should be cool, warm and hot. If checks are made when the system is operating normally, a reference can be established. By regularly conducting the following tests, a faulty component can be found, many times before it shuts down the machine.

“Our plant needs better lubrication practices, but management is not yet onboard with the necessary improvements. What are the most effective ways to get management buy-in for a lubrication excellence program?”

Considering the effects that contamination can have on lubrication, it’s not difficult to understand why oil filtration is so important to industrial machinery. Without it, contaminants would pile up, and contaminant-induced abrasion would go uncontrolled, resulting in disrupted lubrication and machines more prone to premature failure. Depending on the equipment’s needs, there are various types of oil filters, all of which are designed to capture different kinds of contaminants with varying degrees of performance. Solid particles are the primary contaminant targeted by oil filters, but water also has an opportunity to be absorbed by many of these filters, including those made from cellulose fibers and coiled paper. This can even enhance the filter’s ability to capture particles to a certain extent. However, if the filter is exposed to too much water, it can cause the filter to function improperly or even clog the oil flow.

While helping a pharmaceutical manufacturer address deficiencies in its lubrication program, I realized one area that needed attention was the variety of grease guns in the hands of the lubrication technicians. Various styles were in use, and there was a wide range of delivery volumes. The first step was to gather this motley collection of tools and choose a new standard grease gun for the company. We settled on a quality gun with a clear tube to allow users to view the type of grease that had been loaded into the gun. We calibrated the gun by measuring the delivery rate per pump.

“What would you consider to be the most important factor when purchasing an oil filter: pore size, flow rate, differential pressure, etc.?”