16/12/2020 How to Design Lubrication Task Routes
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How to Design Lubrication Task Routes
Bennett Fitch, Noria Corporation
Are your lubrication task routes optimized? To many, the idea of a task route might seem simple and
straightforward. Can’t you just create a list of machines that need to be lubricated?
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16/12/2020 How to Design Lubrication Task Routes
What else is there to consider? If everything is designed correctly and managed routinely, when it
comes time to perform the lubrication route, it should be quite simple. However, before that state of
lubrication excellence can exist, some preliminary work is required.
While creating lubrication routes from scratch can be overwhelming, working from something that has
been poorly created or is in disarray and full of uncertainty may be worse.
As you assemble the miscellaneous lubrication requirements for your machines, sequence the
intervals when they need to be completed, ensure manpower is available to perform the tasks and
keep track of everything that must be documented, the complexity quickly emerges.
Fortunately, the design of lubrication task routes can be optimized when a few key prerequisites are
established. For instance, there must be a set of lubrication task plans. This means having a clear
understanding of exactly what needs to be done and how often. It should include details for each type
of lubrication activity, the machines that require it, the necessary tools, etc.
There must also be a routinely optimized schedule of activity. This provides information on when
routes should be scheduled, when on-condition activities should be triggered and which lubrication
technician is quali ed to perform each task.
In addition, there must be a management system. For most, this means some sort of computer-based
data management system that has the capability to organize routes and machine details, de ne
machine groups, and offer sequencing and optimizing tools.
Another prerequisite would be for the machine to be equipped to allow best-practice lubrication
activities. This may involve installing inspection devices, sample ports, quick connects, etc.
The individual performing the tasks, such as the lubrication technician, must also be quali ed for the
tasks through training and certi cation. Remember, the success of a lubrication program (including
the lubrication task routes) often hinges on a champion who is entrusted by management.
Finally, lubrication task routes must be designed to collect feedback and communicated to the
appropriate personnel to ensure corrective action and optimization of the tasks and routes.
Problems and Opportunities for Lubrication Tasks
Management must be involved in the initiation of a lubrication program. They set the expectations and
fortify the responsible personnel to create action to achieve bene ts on the bottom line.
A recent poll at MachineryLubrication.com asked, “What is the biggest problem or area of opportunity
for lubrication tasks in industrial facilities?” The most popular responses were human error (28
percent), management oversight (26 percent) and training de ciency (23 percent).
Although human error may not be completely unavoidable, it can be minimized, as will be discussed
later in this article. Second on the list of problems/opportunities was management oversight. While
there is much effort to make improvement at this level, too often there is uncertainty of the
expectations for the lubrication task routes.
Good management sets the tone for the importance and impact that lubrication routes have on overall
equipment reliability. Otherwise, it is common for lubrication to be underappreciated and devalued.
This generally is due to limited root cause analysis and the challenge of uncovering the evidence
linking machine failures with improper lubrication. Effective management, personnel training and due
diligence will help ensure this focus on lubrication is kept intact and aligned expectations are
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16/12/2020 How to Design Lubrication Task Routes
What is the biggest problem or area of
opportunity for lubrication tasks in industrial facilities?
established. The survey further validates this problem and opportunity.
Setting a Foundation for Good Lubrication Task
Routes
A lubrication route encompasses a group of machines or maintenance points typically sequenced for
performing one or several types of lubrication tasks. This primarily consists of lubrication tasks that
are completed routinely, such as weekly or monthly, but may include speci c on-condition or by-
exception tasks.
Before a lubrication route can be created, you must rst have a breakdown of all the various types of
tasks for each maintenance point. This may involve inspections, lubricant replenishment, lubrication
hardware change-outs, lubricant drain and ll, oil ltration, and oil or grease sample extraction.
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16/12/2020 How to Design Lubrication Task Routes
If a machine has moving parts, it more than likely uses a lubricant of some sort. If there is a lubricant,
some number of routine lubrication tasks must be performed. At minimum, an inspection usually is
warranted for even a sealed lubricated component, although most equipment demands several
lubrication task types.
For example, an agitator gearbox that contains 35 gallons of oil may require monthly oil sampling, bi-
weekly oil level and desiccant breather inspections, and weekly oil ltration with a lter cart.
Depending on the feedback mechanisms (inspections, oil analysis or online sensors), on-condition
tasks may need to be added to the route. These might include a breather change, oil top-up or
additional oil ltration. Keep in mind, these are just the lubrication tasks.
Lubrication Task Plans
Each lubrication task should have scheduling properties and procedure details. The scheduling
properties provide guidelines on how and when the task should be assigned to a route. They may
specify the task frequency (or interval), required machine operating state or estimated time to
complete. This will be essential in the scheduling state, so if machine-speci c information is
unavailable, begin with values that are standard for the task type and optimize later.
The procedure details offer step-by-step instructions for the lubrication technician to perform the task.
Even the simplest task should have speci c steps to allow it to be completed consistently and
accurately by anyone. Task details are often de cient in many lubrication programs where inspections
are kept vague and identify requirements in just a few words, such as “replace gasket, inspect
machine, replace other parts if needed, lubricate as needed,” etc.
This can occur when task routes are rushed or blended together, with important details left out.
Training and experience can sometimes make up for this de ciency, but they are not a guarantee.
Providing the necessary speci cs will be the best practice for long-term route performance.
Take the time to develop these procedure details. Several departments or individuals should be
involved, including engineering, maintenance (speci cally lubrication technicians) and operations. It’s
also a good idea to create a baseline by conferring with a lubrication consultant who can identify best-
practice procedures. This generally is a good place to start.
When ne-tuning the procedures, some contributors may provide guidelines that are too speci c or
theoretical, but this will be balanced by those who are more familiar with the equipment and can offer
adjustments to the steps that are more practical.
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16/12/2020 How to Design Lubrication Task Routes
Even after the procedure details are outlined, they should be routinely updated based on the
effectiveness of the task experience. This concept of using feedback to make improvements should
be followed on a larger scale with the lubrication task routes as a whole.
Form Factors in
Route Creation
There is no single correct way to
create a lubrication task route. In
fact, routes are better optimized
when the methods used to develop
them are not too rigid. Normally, the
lubrication task type or equipment
location will take precedence in
de ning the theme of the route.
For example, the route may be a
weekly lubrication inspection on 10
agitator gearboxes located on the
southside ground oor. Routes
usually can be optimized when the
tasks are focused on equipment
near each other and involve the
same type of activity, tools or
materials.
The design of a lubrication task
route can be based on a
combination of factors from the
task properties, equipment
information or other relevant
details. The primary factors used to
create an overall route theme and
designation may include the task type, interval/frequency, required operating state, estimated time to
complete, lubricant type, necessary tools, equipment type, maintenance point type, equipment
location, lubrication technician quali cations, and criticality or downtime risk.
Without these factors, the route may be unorganized or lack de nition. For example, not knowing how
often to add grease to a number of bearings will make it di cult to optimize the planning and
scheduling of this activity. As a result, inadequate lubrication may lead to premature bearing failure.
The lubrication technicians may overgrease or undergrease the bearing, or the need to grease the
bearing may be disregarded because the fundamental properties of the task were never documented.
A similar analogy can be made with most of the other factors. De ning all the elements for every task
and piece of equipment will be essential when developing the route.
Structuring Routes
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16/12/2020 How to Design Lubrication Task Routes
Once these task and equipment factors are known, a route can be arranged and optimized. First,
organize the routes that can be described as “frequent and general,” or those that have common
activities or a large number of maintenance points. Next, assign the remaining tasks. An example of
these “frequent and general” routes would be the general inspections on all lubricated equipment.
Typically, the number of machines at a plant will make one general lubrication inspection route
impractical. Thus, secondary or tertiary factors for the general inspections will be necessary. This
could involve the physical location, process line or other element that de nes a smaller group of
machines in close proximity.
An inspection is an activity that usually can be completed in as little as a few minutes per machine, so
a larger number of machines will likely be on this route. On the other hand, a ltration route with a lter
cart should have fewer machines, since it will take more time to transport and set up the lter cart for
each machine. In any case, it’s important that route size is based on the estimated time to complete
and is no more than a few hours. By keeping this constraint, the scheduling of routes can be optimized
more freely.
After the majority of tasks are assigned, the remaining tasks can be designated to their own smaller
routes or included strategically in one of the main routes. For example, a route at a paper mill for
weekly inspection of 15 pumps in the basement room may consist of a monthly oil sample extraction
on four of the pumps during every fourth occurrence. Or, the monthly sampling of the four pumps
could be on their own route and tasked simultaneously with the inspections when they occur at the
same time.
Manpower Study
Once the routine lubrication tasks have been added, all the routes may be ready for scheduling.
However, before this schedule can be assigned, the available manpower must satisfy the estimated
manpower required by the routes. This should not just be a rough idea of which maintenance
personnel will be available but rather a more comprehensive study on the number of individuals
quali ed for each of the lubrication technician activities and how many hours per time period they can
dedicate to lubrication activities.
For example, if the lubrication tasks add up to 2,000 hours required annually, this does not mean that
someone who works 2,080 hours a year can satisfy all the lubrication requirements. Usually there are
other daily requirements, such as meetings, trainings, administrative tasks, scheduled breaks, etc., that
limit their available hours. With those remaining hours, only a percentage (normally no more than 80
percent) should be considered for true utilization. Overtime should also not be part of the initial
schedule of lubrication activities.
This manpower study should provide con dence that an appropriate number of hours will be available
during every cycle of the lubrication routes and that they can be performed by quali ed lubrication
technicians. These estimates should be for all routine tasks in addition to an estimated amount of
time for any on-condition tasks that might occur.
Lubrication technician quali cation is another important factor in the manpower study. A matrix of
required training and certi cations should be de ned for each set of lubrication task routes. If
quali cations vary, the manpower study should be task-type speci c. For instance, oil sampling
requires a speci c skill and may only be performed by one or two designated lubrication technicians.
In this case, the availability of these individuals must be analyzed to allow appropriate scheduling.
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Scheduling Routes
With the initial routes structured and adequate manpower available, the routes can now be scheduled.
This can be done by using the required quali cations and blending experience levels, but the
preferences of the lubrication technicians (or those performing the activities) should be considered.
Those more familiar with an area of the plant are more likely to be assigned to the lubrication routes
for that area, although it is best practice for more than one quali ed lube technician to be familiar with
each task route. The shared experience and knowledge across all the lubrication technicians support
long-term sustainability by minimizing risk with decentralization.
of lubrication professionals say training
de ciency is the biggest problem or area of
23% opportunity for lubrication tasks in
industrial facilities, according to a recent
survey at MachineryLubrication.com
Route Feedback, Compliance and Optimization
A management system for lubrication task routes should be designed with self-improvement in mind.
The rst part of this involves compliance of each lubrication task route’s completion. Not only should
con rmation of the route completion be sent to the management system, but feedback details should
be provided as well.
This feedback may include veri cation of each inspection point (with nding of abnormal results),
consumption of materials used or disposed of (such as lubricant volume), start time and completion
time, deviations from task steps and reasons for added time, suggestions for step improvements
(including tools, materials, etc.), and recommendations for route sequencing or optimization
improvements.
Of course, compliance is also about task completion. It is best when there is built-in exibility. For
example, a weekly inspection route may not need to be completed on the exact day it is assigned but
instead may have a compliance window of two to three days. If the route is completed within this
window, assurance is given to the schedule.
Otherwise, performance measures should be tracked to indicate those that do not meet compliance
and where the backlog of uncompleted routes can be assigned. If there continue to be challenges with
completing routes within the compliance window, adjustments should be made to the route schedule.
The lubrication technician’s competencies and other in uencing factors should be reviewed as well.
Feedback is also required to schedule corrective actions and assess suggestions for route
optimization. Working with this feedback is primarily the job of planners, schedulers and lubrication
champions. This feedback upon route completion has several key bene ts.
First, with each abnormal inspection result (along with feedback from oil analysis, sensors, etc.),
justi cations should be made for follow-up on-condition actions. Some may require immediate
attention, such as reporting and xing a leak. Others may result in actions being added to the
schedule, like a lter or breather change.
Secondly, the lubrication technician performing the route should be given an opportunity to provide
recommendations to improve the speci c tasks or the overall route design. If justi ed, the appropriate
adjustments should follow.
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Finally, route compliance tracking is a fundamental measure for performance. This type of metric
should be routinely reviewed to validate the micro and macro e ciencies for each machine, task type,
route, technician or any other variable in question.
Managing and Optimizing Task Routes
For most industrial plants, lubrication task routes are best managed through a computerized
maintenance management system (CMMS) with the oversight of a lubrication excellence champion.
Not all systems are created equal, and many are not designed with lubrication best practices in mind.
If you are in the process of selecting a CMMS for general planning and scheduling of all routes and
work orders, consider the fundamental elements discussed in this article for lubrication. Otherwise, a
complementary software that can handle the lubrication requirements should be considered. With
many outdated or de cient management systems still in use, the latter option is often the preferred
choice.
At this point, it may be di cult to believe that highly optimized lubrication task routes are possible and
that there will be enough manpower to perform the work. While periodic resource limitations,
unexpected machine failures and other unknown variables always seem to create barriers, this is
where the lubrication champion and route management personnel can step in.
At times, the scheduled routes can be redistributed based on the varying levels of prioritization.
Routes may also be modi ed to ensure completion of the most critical tasks on the most critical
equipment. These periodic adjustments are necessary to meet short-term demands.
The lubrication champion should have a weekly meeting to discuss these updates and deviations.
However, in the end, these adjustments should not be considered the status quo. Lubrication task
routes must strive to achieve completion as long as it is in the best interest of the machine’s overall
reliability objectives.
The key is that lubrication maintains its importance. The systems in place to plan, schedule, act,
improve, manage and measure the lubrication task routes are long-term investments to promote this
cause.
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