These days an increasing number of companies are trying to achieve a state of lubrication called “lubrication excellence.” Others might call this “world-class” lubrication. Most understand the reliability benefit gained when excellence in lubrication is attained, yet even those who are professionals in reliability and maintenance too often have vague ideas of what defines lubrication excellence.

We all know that machines used in plant production processes are designed and built to engineering specifications intended to achieve a desired level of performance, efficiency and productivity. Using this same concept, it is reasonable to write an engineering specification for machine reliability and lubrication excellence. In the specification would be an itemized list of critical attributes needed to achieve the desired state of reliability. It should be noted that only part of the specification relates to the design and modification of the machine.

In the past, these critical attributes have sometimes been called “best practice” or the “rights of lubrication,” but what exactly defines best practice and these so-called rights? A true engineering specification must be precisely defined and purposeful. It needs to not only permit the desired level of reliability to be achieved but also be within reach of most reliability and lubrication teams.

I would like to introduce a new term called the Optimum Reference State related to the integrated and collective use of these critical attributes. Let me define this important term:

“The Optimum Reference State (ORS) is the prescribed state of machine configuration, operating conditions and maintenance activities required to achieve and sustain specific reliability objectives.”

Note the definition for the ORS does not state a requirement to “maximize” reliability. This is because a point can be reached where the incremental cost of reliability exceeds the incremental benefit (point of diminishing return). Such overspending on lubrication is seen, for example, when synthetics are used in marginal applications or when lubricants are changed too frequently. Like many things in engineering and reliability, there is a “precision” component to good decisions.

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One of the best examples of courage is the man who asks to hear what he doesn’t want to hear. While it’s human nature to fear or dread bad news, the wisest among us will frequently ask for it. Why? Because winners change what losers want to leave the same.

Change starts by asking or investigating what’s wrong. This quest begins the assessment stage of programmatic transformations in reliability. Assessments are also referred to as audits, surveys, benchmarking and gap analysis. It can’t stop there. The next step is equally difficult and perhaps moves you out of your comfort zone. You must accept or acknowledge what is wrong. Many people instinctively want to play defense. You’ve seen how they respond during a substance-abuse intervention. Denial may even lead to lashing out at others to shift focus. Tunnel vision and denial impair real progress.

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For any given machine, how critical is its reliability? What if it failed suddenly and catastrophically?

What would be the consequences – lost production, expensive repairs, fatality? Criticality is the logical starting point for all reliability initiatives.

There are many different ways to enhance reliability and improve the quality of maintenance. The best options should be risk-based. After all, if it doesn’t reduce risk, why do it? Why spend an incremental dollar to enhance a machine’s reliability if it doesn’t yield multiple dollars in return?

There’s also priority. What should be done first, second and third, and what should not be done at all? How do you know which machines return big dollars for enhanced reliability, which machines return marginal dollars and which machines return nothing at all?

Once you understand machine criticality and a machine’s risk profile, you can work smarter to customize improvements. For guidance, look to the Pareto principle, which states that 20 percent of the machines cause 80 percent of the reliability problems. Which machines are these?

In addition, consider that 20 percent of the causes of failure are responsible for 80 percent of the occurrences of failure. Which causes are these? It’s about precision – precision maintenance and precision lubrication. It’s also knowing how to make wise, risk-informed choices.

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This past year I’ve been spending a lot of time studying the possibilities of ISO 55000, especially its long-term impact on the lubrication field. I was a bit skeptical at first. Now I view it as a game-changer to machinery asset management and the field of reliability in general. If you haven’t heard of ISO 55000, this might be a great time to get acquainted – very acquainted.

ISO 55000 is an international standard published by the International Organization for Standardization (ISO), created and approved by representatives from 10 countries, 50 organizations and 15 different industries. The foundational elements of ISO 55000 originate from the British Standards Institution (BSI) standard PAS 55. It provides an overarching framework for using modern principles of asset management to achieve a wide range of precisely defined organizational objectives.

An asset, by definition, is anything that has future value. Plant machinery and equipment are most commonly referred to as assets. However, people are assets too, as is software, intellectual property (e.g., patents and trademarks), knowledge/skills, goodwill and so much more. In a nutshell, asset management can probably be best summed up by the following sentences excerpted from ISO 55000. Certain words are italicized to emphasize concepts and themes that I will further develop in this and future columns.

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