Reliability Files

Problem
Lubricant performance can vary greatly between competing mineral-based and synthetic oils. Because these quality differences directly and significantly impact the ultimate cost of operating and maintaining rotating equipment, your lubricant purchases can’t be managed the same way your organization manages its purchasing of commodity-type products. Lubricant excellence must always be the top priority, for even the most effective lubricant-management practices can’t impart properties to a lubricant that it doesn’t possess.

Solution
The primary job of a lubricant is to reduce friction and protect lubricated components. (Those reflect, respectively, energy- and wear-related issues.). Most rotating equipment repairs are due to the failure of lubricated components, mainly bearings. Therefore, it makes perfect sense that truly superior lubrication will deliver both energy and maintenance savings. That’s where Royal Purple comes in.

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Problem
As you probably have noticed, today’s hydraulic systems are much smaller, run at more extreme temperatures and work harder than ever before. On top of those challenges, many hydraulic systems have to operate through a wide temperature range.

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Problem
When it comes to providing workers with MRO and safety supplies, maintenance operations have traditionally had two options:  Leave products out in an uncontrolled area where workers can grab them, or have crib managers or supervisors hand them out. The first option makes it easy for workers to get what they need, but it leads to wasteful usage and makes it difficult to regulate inventory. The second option provides more control, but takes people away from core activities every time an item is needed. (In some cases, that means two people—the worker and the supervisor.) Both options typically involve stock-outs, excess inventory, unnecessary spending, lost productivity and other forms of waste.

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This chart shows that some competitive synthetic gear oils are formulated specifically to deliver exceptional results in one area but may sacrifice performance in many other areas. Only by selecting an oil that has a balanced formulation can operators look toward maximizing productivity. (Source: ExxonMobil Research)Problem
For many industrial businesses, gearboxes represent the heart of production. Today, advancements in technology have enabled equipment manufacturers to decrease the footprint of gearboxes, while maintaining the same—or even higher—power transmission capabilities.

Compared to previous models, these newer, higher-performing units typically require lubricants that offer more comprehensive protection. If a gearbox isn’t properly maintained with the appropriate lubricant, there’s a potential for the equipment to experience a condition known as “micropitting.”

A common sign of excessive load, torques and stress placed on operating components, micropitting is surface fatigue that’s mainly seen in gears—but which also can be found in rolling element bearings. Micropitting causes destructive wear that can occur within the first few hours of operation.

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Problem
The heavy-duty hydraulic systems in today’s industrial plants endure some of the toughest operating conditions. They run under extreme pressures, at increasing speeds and are working harder than ever before. Now, in light of the trend toward smaller reservoirs, even more stress is being put on this equipment. 

These factors can present many challenges—one of the most important of which is sludge buildup. With the smaller systems now in operation, air and heat are not able to escape as easily as they are with larger reservoirs. Water may not separate as effectively. Contaminants may accumulate faster. As the rate of oxidation rises, so does the risk of harmful sludge buildup. Even with a good filtering system, excessive sludge can plug filters, which increases equipment wear and can seriously damage the hydraulic pump.

Sludge buildup can greatly affect the performance of your systems. How does it affect your costs? As equipment runs harder, fluid can break down faster, risking total system failure and costly downtime. Failure to evaluate the hydraulic fluid that protects your hydraulic systems can resultin the use of low-quality fluids withshort service lives that can requirefrequent top-ups or change-outs (andmay not properly benefit the machinesin the area of sludge protection orfurther performance demands.) Theresulting downtime and repairs can increase maintenance costs, slow production and ultimately reduce your profit margins. Not to mention, the cost of an unplanned line stoppage or machine failure can easily absorb profit and damage productivity—costing you much more in the long run.

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Problem
These days, manufacturing facilities face a constant battle to find new ways to increase productivity while lowering or maintaining operating costs. When you’re in charge of maintenance you have to adapt quickly to changing production and business demands, while still considering your operations and, of course, your bottom line. Reducing operating costs and managing the risk of downtime is a big part of the job. A review of hydraulic fluids can go a long way to helping meet this goal.

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Problem
A leading plastic-injection company planned to install variable frequency drives (VFDs) on its chiller pumps to increase energy efficiency and reduce operating costs. These drives are increasingly popular in the HVAC industry because of their ability to economically meet changing load demands, making them ideal for fluid and air-flow applications.

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Problem
Workloads continue to increase. Why shouldn’t tools be expected to do more? That includes your trusty multimeter, which should allow you to carry fewer tools and still get the job done faster and better.

Solution
Agilent Technologies—the world’s premier measurement company—has brought that type of tool to market specifically for you: The U1233A Handheld Digital Multimeter.

Consider the potential benefits you’ll be able to reap if you purchase a U1233A today. How much are they worth to you in terms of time and resources?

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