Part 4 of 4

OVER-GREASING ELIXIR One of the most common root causes of rolling-element bearing failure is over-greasing. This practice damages seals and shields, and causes uncontrolled heat excursions that accelerate wear and lubricant degradation. No additive has the capacity to work as a magic elixir under such distressful conditions.

CONCLUSION Reliability emerges from the optimum combination of quality lubricants and best practice lubrication. Don’t spend more money on premium lubricants hoping you can spend less on lubrication. This is a false economy. There is no substitute for vigilant inspection, frequent and thorough oil analysis, and well-deployed (and engineered) lubrication practices. No question, today’s additive technology can serve as a solution-provider across a wide range of potential problems that frequently plague machinery. Yet, they are unable to be miracle cures for numerous other maladies. Practitioners need an arsenal of tools and skills to get the desired reliability results. Begin with training and then follow with programmatic structure and procedures. Develop a culture of lubrication excellence. And remember, reliability is everyone’s responsibility.

This article appeared in the January/February 2009 issue of Machinery Lubrication

LUBE TIP by Jim Fitch of Noria Corporation