Lubrication management or simply lube management plays a key role in achieving optimum machine or asset performance. Unfortunately, very few organizations recognize that proper lube management must follow best practices for it to be beneficial. In this post, you’ll learn about the basics of lube management and the essentials for the selection, handling, and storage of lubricants.
Basics of Lube Management
Lube or lube oil management involves all the steps and processes that oversee the use of lubricants and other fluids to maintain machines, equipment, and similar assets. The main goal of lube management is to ensure that assets receive proper lubrication for optimum performance, efficiency, and lifespan.
Successful and effective lube management follows a robust lubrication program that reflects these basic steps:
1. Lubricant Selection
Lubricants come in a wide range of types and have differing compositions, properties, and characteristics within these types. The ideal lubricant you select depends on the specific requirements of the asset. Selecting the lubricants can be a complicated process that requires careful evaluation, testing, and monitoring.
2. Distribution and Application
Lubricants need proper handling, storage, and application to optimize performance and function. Lube management must ensure that these steps follow standard methods and timing for the best lubrication results.
3. Continuous Improvement
Lubricants must undergo regular and continuous monitoring and analysis to ensure that they remain effective while in use. Oil analysis and other condition monitoring techniques provide the data that help identify the necessary improvement or maintenance steps.
Core Components of Lube Management
Lube management can consist of varying programs and components depending on the specific requirements of your assets, process, and industry. Any effective lube management, however, must have the following core components:
Fluid Transfer
Lube management must implement the necessary steps to ensure that any lubricant oil or grease is dispensed correctly during transfers. Automatic fluid transmissions can be used for high accuracy and low human mistakes. Standard and streamlined transfer procedures are necessary for maximum efficiency and minimal loss from contamination or spillage.
Fluid Management Systems
Lube management can get valuable benefits from using fluid management systems that can effectively keep an eye on lubrication status and levels. These systems allow large industrial facilities to monitor and control the lubrication of multiple assets in real time. Fluid management systems improve lube management in various lubrication areas including secure fluid transport, handling, storing, and improving safety procedures.
Lubrication Program
Lube management is also involved in creating and carrying out a systematic lubrication program based on the best practices and standard regulations for a given industry or sector. This program allows a facility to maintain the health of its assets by planning and implementing proper lubrication and maintenance procedures. In addition, a lubrication program allows facilities to evaluate and examine current lubrication tactics, helping to identify any issues to resolve or areas to improve.
Lube Oil Management
Lube management must also keep an eye on the lubricant oil, grease, and other equipment and materials used in lubrication. This management area involves keeping a record of lubricants in use or stored in the facility, the condition of said materials, and other relevant information. By doing so, lube management can easily optimize oil change schedules and maximize the longevity of the materials and the assets involved.
Lubrication Management Software
A lubrication management software like Redlist is an indispensable tool in creating and implementing the complex processes of lube management and achieving its objectives. The following are the critical roles a lubrication management software can play for lube management success:
Lubricant Selection
Lubrication management software can serve as a database where users store and organize digital information on lubricants and assets. A powerful software can offer suggestions and recommendations based on the available lubricant and asset information. Thus, lube management decisions on lubricant selection are results-based and well-informed, minimizing loss and chance of asset incompatibility leading to failure.
Education and Other Resources
Successful lube management relies heavily on accessible and correct information. A lubrication management software allows facilities to maintain an extensive database of educational resources specific to their facility and assets. It also makes said information readily available through an intuitive interface that allows fast and real-time information sharing. When an experienced technician retires or takes a day off, their expertise is available in a centralized database instead of existing only in their mind.
Adaptability and Growth
Businesses are ever-changing, and lube management must adapt to change to stay effective and relevant. A lubrication management software provides a system or infrastructure that is flexible and easy to modify for growth or any form of business modification. The software also provides regular updates and enhancements, helping keep a business flexible and open to whatever technological advancements may be available in the future.
Redlist: Leader in Lubrication Management Software
Redlist’s user-friendly platform and cutting-edge functionality make it one of the leaders in the current market for lubrication management software. Choosing Redlist means choosing the following benefits:
- User-friendly interface – Redlist is equipped with an easy-to-use interface that requires minimal training before use. It can also integrate seamlessly with current workflows.
- Engineering services – Implementation of your new system is easy with our engineering team. They act as your reliability partner who stands by you every step of the way, sharing years of specialized experience in lubrication management to help you achieve your reliability goals.
- Reliable support – Redlist also comes with reliable software support to ensure the resolution of any technical issues encountered while the software is in use. This after-sales support also provides regular updates and enhancements to help keep the software relevant and future-proof.
- Mobile access – Redlist can work on both desktop and mobile devices, even with offline capabilities for team members in the field. Thus, teams can collaborate and share information from any location and in real-time, improving information transfer and decision-making.
The best solution to simplifying and improving lube management procedures can be found in lubricant management software. And if you opt for an industry leader like Redlist, you are guaranteed lube management success. Schedule a demo to experience all the Redlist benefits today!
