ABSTRACT

LLX-FACTOR. NEW RANKING IN LUBRICANTS POSITIONING

Changing our perception of lubricants:; from old fashioned, disposable commodities to strategic components of any industrial assets 

After more than one century of "Cynderella role” inside any industrial facilities, the attitude toward lubricants management became aware of major changes happened worldwide, regarding best practices in storage, handling and conditions monitoring of such neglected fluid assets…Much longer useful life, less turnover in substitution replacement of huge volume of fluids, thanks to awareness/education of appointed staff and availability of new tools for an early detection of impending, stress related, criticalitiesy.

Out of several million tons of oil sold annually in Europe, no more than 50% of the total is properly collected and recycled for another brand new in-service life, through dedicated channels. The most of it becomes a "ghost entity” spilling all over in the environment with - unfortunately - no control by authorities. Maintenance managers should become conscious of such great potential, key factor to adhere to  necessary to comply with stringent Sustainability rules. 

Awareness is the clue to proceed toward a more conscious management of such products; in the beginning of the story, the "lubrication task” has been considered the entry level for any newcomers inside the maintenance team. Few liters of sticky substance (of unknown quality, unknown manufacturer, unknown wise, as well as make, or properties…) oil to reduce the "squeak” or eventual noise coming from a gearbox, occasionally, this is it. From time to time, a major collapse of the process happened, related with a hidden fault inside the chassis of the mechanism. "It’s been an unlucky event” someone from the top management figured out; we get to put together a rescue team to start again production asap. We were still facing the old-fashioned approach; "run to failure” with unforecastable consequences in terms of Risk, Safety, Environment, FinanceEconomic loss… Since the end of the ’80 of previous century, thanks to digital technologies and implementation of tests on paraffinic products, we have been able to transform time (and money) consuming traditional apparatus in lean and fast "user friendly” instruments. The original military (or academic) version of such devices (and related Standards) have become practical units. Those assets are, implemented to detect early stages of wear, suitable for commercial use, also operated by unskilled personnel . Inin the  updated modern laboratories or directly in the field, by unskilled personnel. Exciting results in terms of reliability for the assets involved come along with satisfaction (efficiency and Safety) by stakeholders due to big savings related with conditions’ monitoring procedures introduced by these pioneers. 

BIO

Paolo Piovanelli

Senior Manager with 35 years experience spent in Multinational Companies (General Electric, Baker Hughes, Leonardo), 25 years in Leadership roles, recently moved to smaller environments to see different perspectives of service, maintenance, project management.
Passion to do well what I do | Orientation to target, always thinking about a "B" plan | Plan and optimize resources | Always walk in others' shoes | Believe in teamwork and diversity | Proactively face issues before suffering them | Efforts are to be appreciated, but results count | Never stop being curious