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After we attended the Practicing
Oil Analysis 2000 Conference in Tulsa in October, we heard a universal theme emerge from almost
every presentation - avoid contamination if your want to avoid a
lubrication problem!
We decided to learn more about
contamination so we went to one the most respected voices in the
area, Ms. Lana Robin of PdMA
and asked her the following questions:
1) Why is oil/lubrication
contamination a big issue?
Contamination is a leading cause of
machinery damage and reduction in the oil's ability to properly
perform. Once contamination is introduced to the lubricant, it
starts to degrade and internal components deteriorate pre-maturely.
By controlling contamination, the life of the lubricant and machine
can be extended greatly. Like any good maintenance practice, the
earlier a problem is detected, the cheaper it is going to be to
correct.
Furthermore, it is always cheaper to
keep the contamination out of the equipment than it is to remove the
contamination once it has entered a system.
2) What steps can be taken to
minimize the risk of contamination during the lubrication storage
and transportation process within the plant?
All new oil should be stored in a
clean, controlled environment. Exposing the new oil to extreme
weather conditions or unclean environments can easily introduce
water contamination or airborne dust and debris. Additionally, all
storage containers should be clearly marked for identification
purposes.
Containers used to transport the oil
to the equipment should be clean and used for only one type of
lubricant so that cross contamination does not occur.
Transportation containers should be
designed to keep the contamination out and not aid in allowing
contamination to reach the oil.
3) Do oil/lubrication vendors
address these problems?
Although new oil has not normally
been considered as a likely source of contamination, new lubes are
often contaminated. Contamination of new lubricants can happen in a
variety of ways. The oil itself may be dirty upon receipt from the
supplier. The oil may be dirty as it leaves the refinery or
contamination can be introduced during the transportation process.
Most end-users do not ask their vendors what type of cleanliness
levels they will be receiving and most vendors do not automatically
provide this information. New oil is one of the most important areas
to consider as a source of potential contamination. Most likely the
new oil should be filtered before being introduced into the
equipment.
4) What solutions does PdMA
offer?
PdMA Corporation is pleased to be a
U.S. distributor for the Oil Safe product line. Utilizing containers
from the Oil Safe product line will help reduce the introduction of
contamination while storing, handling and dispensing lubricants. The
robust and durable drums that are available in 2, 3, 5, and 10 liter
sizes feature a wide opening for rapid, no spill filling, easy
cleaning, and will accept any Oil Safe lid. Additionally, there is a
wide variety of lids to accommodate various applications. For
example, there is a Utility Lid that allows for rapid pouring of
oils. The Stumpy Spout Lid is ideal topping off equipment where a
high flow is required. The Stretch Spout Lid is ideal for use with
lower viscosity oils or where precise pouring is required. The Oil
Safe Pump is ideal for those awkward hard to reach applications. The
Storage Lid allows pre-filled drums to be easily transported or
stored. Furthermore, all of the product lids and drums are
interchangeable. This allows you the opportunity to create the
combination that best fits your individual needs.
5) What are some of the
features of the Oil Safe product line?
These products are made of High
Density Polyethylene (HDPE) which is a very chemicals-resistant
plastic. They have a service temperature range of -40 degrees C to
80 degrees C. They are also manufactured with anti-static additives
and state of the art UV radiation stabilizers. This protects the
products from the ravages of UV degradation and the accumulation of
static electricity, resulting in a product that will perform well
under even the harshest of environmental conditions.
6) Are these solutions
expensive to implement?
The products are very cost-effective.
In fact when properly implemented, these products will start saving
maintenance dollars instantaneously. As mentioned earlier, it is
always cheaper to keep contamination out of the equipment than to
remove it once it has entered a system. These products are
specifically designed to keep contamination out during the oil
handling and transportation process.
7) What type of improvements
can a plant expect when it implements an Oil Safe program?
By utilizing the Oil Safe products,
many plants have reduced lube related failures through improving the
cleanliness of oils being introduced into machines. Furthermore,
productivity has also increased by reducing the oil refill time.
Click
here for more information about Oil Safe
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