Lubrication may seem like a routine part of industrial maintenance, but small inconsistencies in the lubrication process can lead to larger equipment issues over time. Over-greasing, under-greasing, missed intervals, incorrect lubricant use and hard-to-reach lubrication points can all contribute to increased wear, downtime and maintenance costs.
Why Proper Lubrication Matters
Lubrication plays a key role in maintaining smooth operations and reducing damage. It helps to manage wear on your machines and reduce friction, allowing them to last longer. In addition to making your equipment more durable, lubrication supports a variety of components related to your industrial systems. Without the right lubrication practices, you’ll likely face more disruptions.
Often, improper lubrication leads to:
- Increased friction between moving components
- Higher operating temperatures, often generated by friction
- Premature wear and tear
- Bearing failure
- Unplanned downtime due to machine issues
- Higher maintenance costs than you’ve planned for
Properly lubricating your systems doesn’t just mean using the right lubricant. It is crucial to examine the amount of lubrication each machine requires, analyze environmental changes that can affect your equipment, identify hard-to-reach or easily missed spots that may need extra care, and more. Keeping track of each element can be difficult even for experienced technicians.
It’s important to note that many common lubrication system problems are not technician errors but rather stem from the difficulty of managing lubrication manually in cramped workspaces. Automatic lubrication systems can support more consistent lubrication practices, especially at points that are hard to reach, frequently missed or difficult to service manually.
Mistake 1: Using the Wrong Lubricant
Not all lubricants are alike, and using the wrong lubricant on industrial equipment can lead to disruptions, breakdowns and long-term issues. While common lubricants are typically formulated as grease or oil, the correct lubrication choice for your machine depends on several factors. These can include the machine’s function, how the lubricant is applied, operation temperature and more.
When determining the proper lubricant for your equipment, it’s crucial to check the manufacturer’s recommendations. Manufacturers recommend lubricants proven to work smoothly with their systems, and it’s wise to avoid straying from their choice.
It’s important to note that even within this recommendation, there will likely be many options. Take the time to carefully consider each machine’s specific needs before lubricating.
Details you should consider when determining what lubricant to use include:
- The type of equipment
- The application of the equipment
- The expected load of the machine
- Operating speeds
- Expected temperature ranges
- Environmental factors
Once the correct lubricant type is identified, teams should also confirm viscosity, operating temperature range, environmental conditions and compatibility with existing lubricants.
Mistake 2: Over-Greasing
More lubricant is not always better. In some cases, teams may apply too much lubricant in an effort to prevent wear or keep equipment running smoothly, but over-greasing can create its own problems. While more lubricant may appear to help a machine run smoothly for the short term, it can cause issues in the future that can slow down your operations or even halt them completely.
Too much lubricant can lead to problems like:
- Increased pressure on certain components
- More heat generation
- Damage to important seals
- Contamination issues
Problems occur when excessive lubricant creates an inviting surface for dust, grime and other environmental contaminants to stick to and accumulate on machinery. Eventually, accumulation can negatively affect performance due to increased friction and heat, among other issues. Keep in mind that using more lubricant now does not lessen your maintenance needs in the future.
Mistake 3: Under-Greasing
Just as too much lubricant can be detrimental to your operations, too little lubricant can be harmful to your machinery's life.
Interestingly, some of the consequences of under-lubrication can be the same as over-lubrication, including:
- Increased friction
- Increased heat
- Component wear
- Increased risk of part failure
While over-greasing can attract contaminants and increase system pressure, under-greasing leaves components without sufficient lubricant to support smooth movement.
With components moving against each other more directly, heat and friction increase. Many machine parts are designed with the support of lubricant in mind. Without proper lubrication, components can fail and create safety hazards if they malfunction.
Though some lubrication protocols call for under-greasing to save lubricant, it can also be accidental. Missing one or more key lubrication points, delaying maintenance, inconsistent lubrication schedules, or hard-to-reach areas can lead to under-greasing, increasing the risk of machinery issues and failures.
Mistake 4: Missing Lubrication Intervals
Consistency is key when lubricating any type of equipment. Lubricant is not a one-time maintenance item. Over time, lubricants will evaporate or wear away, but rather than disappearing entirely, they can leave a residue that further clogs your components. Consistent reapplication is necessary to prevent friction and residue buildup. The right lubricant in the right amount is only useful if applied consistently.
Technicians face many roadblocks to consistent reapplication intervals. Manual reapplication requires taking the time to apply the right amount of lubricant to every required component at strict intervals, ensuring no areas are missed. Because some lubrication points are difficult to reach, and many technicians are already busy working in cramped spaces, it can be easy to miss challenging spots until the next reapplication.
Continuously running machines also come with unique challenges, as they require consistent, careful maintenance and lubrication to ensure they continue operating properly at all times. When continuously running machines are not given the downtime needed for frequent lubrication, they can overheat, malfunction or stop working completely.
Mistake 5: Missing Hard-to-Reach Lubrication Points
Difficult or even dangerous-to-access lubrication points can be one of the greatest challenges of manual lubrication practices. Cramped spaces, continuously running machines, and hard-to-reach components make it difficult for technicians to lubricate equipment properly. In addition, tight conditions often create safety hazards for technicians, as they must squeeze into tight spaces, work among moving parts or risk injury from heavy equipment.
These safety concerns shouldn’t be ignored when establishing the importance of maintaining proper lubrication practices. Automatic lubrication can help address these safety concerns while supporting more consistent lubrication at difficult-to-access points. For example, single-point lubrication systems can store lubricant and release the necessary amount at hard-to-reach points at pre-programmed intervals. Automatic lubrication supports safer, more consistent lubrication practices, helping keep operations running efficiently.
It is important to understand that automatic lubrication doesn’t eliminate the need for maintenance in tight areas; the system must be refilled and maintained to ensure smooth operation. It can, however, reduce the frequency of lubrication maintenance in tricky spots, simplify your operations and protect your technicians from hazards.
Mistake 6: Not Reviewing the Lubrication Process
Technicians, managers and machine operators alike need to understand that the right lubrication techniques for machines can change over time. Certain factors can shift, potentially requiring modifications to your maintenance plans.
Consider factors such as:
- Equipment conditions and age
- Operating hours of a machine
- Environmental conditions, including increased heat and humidity
- Production demands
It’s good practice to review lubrication plans regularly, even if you haven’t noticed any major changes. This helps you catch issues before they become detrimental and ensures your equipment's durability.
Mistake 7: Improper Storage or Handling of Lubrication
Lubrication must be stored properly to ensure proper viscosity and keep it free of dirt and debris. Much like sterile medical tools, promoting clean lubrication materials helps prevent the introduction of unwanted contaminants into your machines. Buildup of dirt, grime or other debris can cause increased friction and heat, faster wear on components and unplanned downtime when not properly cared for. Lubricants should be stored according to the instructions provided on the container.
Attention to clean lubricant also means keeping the environment clean. When handling lubricant, technicians must avoid bringing potential contaminants into the area that could affect it. Thoroughly clean any tools, gloves or other equipment used between refills or applications.
Mistake 8: Mixing Incompatible Lubricants
It can be tempting to mix lubricants, especially when switching to a new brand or when running low on one. However, supplementing with a different, less expensive or lower-quality lubricant is not a good solution. Lubricants don’t always play nicely with each other, and mixing them can often do more harm than good.
Many lubricants contain additives that help them lubricate, or even base ingredients that don’t mix well together, like combining grease and oil.
Mixing incompatible lubricants can result in:
- Unexpected thickening
- Diminished lubricant capabilities
- Chemical reactions that otherwise structurally change the lubricant
- Damage to components as a result of improper lubrication
Do not mix lubricants unless it is explicitly stated that they can work together. Always consult the manufacturer’s guides or a lubricant expert to determine if two lubricants can be safely mixed before mixing them yourself.
Mistake 9: Ignoring Proper Training
Addressing lubrication problems requires a manager and a maintenance team that understands the nuances of varying lubricants and their use. While lubrication is a fairly straightforward topic, assuming that every team member knows all equipment-specific requirements can be risky.
When initiating new lubrication practices or hiring new workers, it’s important to provide thorough training. Explain the lubrication plans, schedules, types of lubricant used in specific instances and any other important information, then review each frequently.
Training may seem straightforward, but it is easy to overlook when teams are busy or processes feel familiar. Remember to prioritize thorough training to help prevent future issues caused by improper lubrication.
How Automatic Lubrication Helps Reduce Common Mistakes
Lubrication mistakes are common throughout industrial settings and workplaces alike, often due to the pressures of a technician’s job and the difficulty of accessing key lubrication points. Keeping track of the lubrication nuances of each machine and sustaining a consistent maintenance schedule can be challenging to do manually. With proper planning, training and the right automated tools, introducing automatic lubrication can reduce lubrication issues.
Automatic lubrication practices can help your maintenance staff keep your equipment running smoothly for the long term.
Automatic lubrication can help reduce the risk of issues such as:
- Missed or delayed lubrication intervals
- Inconsistent lubricant amounts
- Hard-to-access lubrication points
- Over-greasing or under-greasing
- Safety concerns around difficult or hazardous points
Systems that use automatic lubrication techniques, such as single-point lubrication systems, store more lubricant than is needed for one application. They can hold large volumes of lubricant and be programmed to distribute the correct amount at precise intervals. Reducing the number of manual steps required at difficult lubrication points can help improve consistency.
Like any lubrication solution, automated systems require regular maintenance to run smoothly. Still, because an automated lubrication system only requires occasional maintenance checkups and does not require consistent reapplication of lubrication, technicians can focus on other equipment issues. Automated systems can also help reduce the risk of additional contaminants, since there are fewer instances where technicians come into contact with the lubricant. While automatic lubrication doesn’t eliminate all common lubrication system problems, it can be an effective addition to your efforts to reduce equipment malfunctions.
Adopt Effective Lubrication Solutions with perma USA
Fewer lubrication mistakes can help maintenance teams improve consistency, reduce manual burden and support more reliable equipment operation. For hard-to-reach, frequently missed, or high-priority lubrication points, perma USA single-point lubrication systems can help make lubrication more consistent and easier to manage.
Contact perma USA to explore automatic lubrication options for your equipment.