How Lubrication Affects Machine Reliability • Financial benefits from achieving lubrication excellence • Four equipment maintenance strategies, and when each applies • Important implementation steps to lubrication excellence Lubrication Fundamentals • Six important functions of lubricating oils • How oils and greases are formulated and why it is important • How friction is generated in lubricated machinery • The importance of oil film thickness and critical clearances Understanding Additives, Base Oils and Grease Thickeners • How lubricant properties irreparably change • Seven important physical properties of a base oil • The importance of API's five base oil categories • What causes grease to dry out and 18 ways to prevent it • How to detect the root causes of lubricant oxidation • When to select one of the six most commonly used synthetic base oils • How to use temperature to determine the right base oil for your machine • How to select grease thickeners for your application Lubricant Performance Properties • Key additives that enhance lubricant performance • Viscosity grades, measurement, and reporting • Why Viscosity Index is important • What causes oil viscosity to change and how to set monitoring limits • Lubricant performance tests and reporting - what you need to know • How water contamination generates other contaminants • How to control and eliminate aeration problems Food-grade and Environmentally-friendly Lubricants • Important USDA requirements and government regulations for food-grade lubricants • What you need to know about food-grade additives, base oils and grease thickeners • Guidelines for food-grade lubricants Lubricating Grease Application Methods • How to protect against incompatible grease mixtures • Advantages and disadvantages of centralized lubrication systems • Best practices for greasing motor bearings • How to control pressure when greasing bearings • The unique problems caused by over-greasing - specific steps to eliminate • 3 critical instructions to give your electric motor rebuild shop • Comparing single- and multi-point lubrication options • How to calculate greasing intervals and quantity • Best practices for ultrasonic/sonic-based greasing Lubricating Oil Application Methods • Overview of oil lubrication methods and devices • How to use oil mist and other automatic lubrication methods • Using pressure spray methods for gearboxes • Best practices for the maintenance of grease guns and fittings • How to protect against problems caused by constant-level oilers • Overview of single-point direct lubrication systems Journal Bearing Lubricants • The 8 most common journal bearing lubrication problems • How to select journal bearing viscosity based on speed Rolling-element Bearing Lubricants • The nine critical factors affecting rolling-element bearing lubricant selection • How to convert required operating temperature viscosity to ISO viscosity grades Gear Lubricants • 5 key requirements for gear oil • How to select the best viscosity for a gear lubricant • Best practice guidelines for storing spare gearboxes - lubrication matters! • 10 conditions that may require synthetic gear lubricants • Lubrication best practices for enclosed gears - a 12 point checklist • Mastering the challenges of open gear lubrication Automotive and Mobile Equipment Drive-line Lubricants • How to read a motor oil label: what really matters • The 6 critical objectives a motor oil must accomplish • Understanding API service classifications for engine and gear oils • The #1 reason automatic transmission fluids fail and how to protect against it • Service classifications for automotive greases - how to select • Extending engine life - surprising engine oil filter study results Compressor Lubricants • Steps you can take right now to combat compressor lubricant failure • The most common compressor lubricant stressors • When to use synthetic compressor lubricants and why Steam and Gas Turbine Lubricants • Why turbine/generator lubricants are the #1 contributor to forced outages • Comparing steam and gas turbine oils - how they differ • Checklist for best practice steam turbine lubrication Hydraulic Fluids • How to select the ideal hydraulic fluid viscosity for gear, vane and piston pumps • Nine key hydraulic fluid requirements and why they matter • Specific conditions that may require a synthetic hydraulic fluid • Fire-resistant hydraulic fluids - what you need to know • Hydraulic system maintenance best practices - 21 point checklist Contamination Control • Strategies for building reliability through contamination control • The seven most destructive contaminants and how to control them • Specific steps for managing a proactive lubricant maintenance program • The ISO Solid Contaminant Code - understand it, track it • 10 ways to get more mileage out of portable filter carts • How dirt, metal particles and soot mechanically destroy machine surfaces • Guidelines for controlling machine surface fatigue and extending machine life • The #1 cause of machine wear and how to manage it • How to set realistic cleanliness levels for lubricants • Effective lubricant contamination control strategies for extending machine life • 4 ways water contamination attacks lubricant additives • How to set limits for water-in-oil contamination • Managing the root causes of foam and aeration • Best practices for excluding and removing contaminants • The right way to control contamination in tanks and sumps • How oil filters are rated • Calculating the clean-up rate for portable filters • Best practices for removing water contamination from oil • The unique problems created by varnish - how to remove and stop it Oil Drains, Flushing, and Reservoir Management • How to optimize and extend oil change intervals • Interval vs. condition-based oil changes - pros and cons • Metrics for monitoring lubricant consumption • Best practices for oil changes • Know how and when to perform a flush • The best procedures for oil draining and refilling • How and when to use the bleed-and-feed strategy for extending oil drains • Selecting the right cleaning and flushing procedures Storing, Handling, and Managing Lubricants • How to set up a world-class lube room • How to know when to reject a new oil delivery • How to optimize your lubricant selection and procurement process • How to implement a lubricant consolidation program and select suppliers • Used lubricant storage, handling, and disposal best practices • Bulk lubricant storage do's and don'ts • Guidelines for storing and handling drums • Lubricant dispensing options and what you must avoid • Lubricant coding and identification systems - what works and what doesn't • Portable oil transfer and filter carts selection advice • How and where to store oil transfer and filter carts • Understanding and managing lubricant storage life • Keeping grease fresh - best practices for storage Design and Inspect for Lube Excellence • World-class strategies for accessorizing equipment for lubrication excellence • Seven critical accessories for lubricant inspection and sampling • The right machine accessories for effective contamination control Used Oil Sampling and Analysis Fundamentals • What oil analysis can tell you • Types and categories of oil analysis • Applications for oil analysis • Overview of oil analysis tests • Elements of a successful oil analysis program • How clean should oil sample bottles be? • How to find the best sampling locations • Oil sampling valve and hardware recommendations • A quick method for optimizing sampling intervals • An oil sampling technique that ruins trending • The importance of primary and secondary sampling points • Advice for sampling hard-to-reach machines • How to properly sample circulating systems • Safe, effective high-pressure sampling from hydraulic systems Essential Field Inspections • 12 questions your oil filter will answer about your machine • Visual inspections you can get big results from right now • Quick tips for using scent, sound, and touch to inspect lubricants |