Hi Guys
I was wondering if any of you use a route based lub program...and how much does the software cost. Something like lub-it

Stephen,

Once upon a time we tried Lube-It, but never got it off the ground. Chevron provided it with the lube contract. I think if you want to incorporate a lube program into SKF Merlin basic care program, they use Lube-It. Since we have opted to expand the lube inspection program into a maintenance basic care program, we have purchased Intelli-Trend from DMSI. This program allows us to perform many inspections and record them on PDAs then download it where reports are generated. It uses barcode scanners to identify equipment and the inspector is prompted through the inspection. As for the cost, I am not sure, but it is not cheap!!

Hope this helps,
Gary B

What Eqpt Basic care program elements are included in the DMSI's Intelli-Trend? Only vibration & Lubrication?

Hello Guys

Just thought I would jump in here and let everyone know hat the name of DMSI's basic care / lubrication management / predictive maintenance system is called MAINTelligence, not IntelliTrend. You can get info on it through the DMSI web site
Steve Reilly
DMSI

Thanks for your replys sor far

You could contact PredictUSA as a help but probably free to track, pay for analyses.

Also, ask your insurance carrier.

Personally: problem machine, monthly, establish the problem, trend, solution - move to quarterly and after three quarters of no problem and no trending upward, move to a semi-annual monitoring program.

All this is based on proper PM and approved maintenance procedures. Oil contanminated? New oil will be contaminated at day one if procedures aren't followed.

Sorry Steve,

I tried thinking again and it doesn't work sometimes. I am not at work this week to verify my ramblings. We have been using it for visual inspections and lube routes and have just added temperature monitoring to the inspection routes. I know we have the temp guns, but don't know if any routes have been run.

No problem, Gary. You have a nice warm Christmas down there in sunny Florida!

Steve

I would like to hear success stories, and how those programs got off the ground. I know once they are up and running, they are a self-fulfilling prophecy.

Has anyone had a large cultural change along with their lube scheduling software? I am interested in not just lube scheduling, but PM scheduling with the same software, and also for back door input into our CMMS for WO generation...

I have heard both good and bad about both DMSI and SKF. They are both leaders in slightly different areas. I know someone who told us that in his other mill prior to coming to this mill, they could not get the SKF Marlin software to work, and since then they moved to DMSI, and the company has signed a corporate agreement for all of their mills.

What I'm curious about is if anyone here has used DMSI to it's fullest potential, and any stories they'd like to tell???

Anyone have any ideas?

Will implementing a lube software improve lubrication practices?

Josh:

What would be your use for a lube software program. How have you seen it used?

Nope yet and thus the question.

Any software program is only as good as the data that is inputted by the users. In my experience, the site champion of Lube software needs to be the users that use the software. If you have a Reliability Engineer or whomever be that person, then as soon as they leave, the program gets dropped.

Thus any program if used according to the needs of the organization will be successful. None of the software packages I've used with the places I've been have been totally successful for various reasons. As mentioned before, the problem is mainly data. If the equipment data is incorrect, then the program will not be used. If the equipment info is correct, and the users are required to fat finger (type) in their data for lube routes from sheets of paper, it will have limited success.

I have seen places that have an up and running program with handhelds - and successful. I tend to see it this way: Just as the vibration program had a tremendous paradigm shift by the utilization of data loggers (data collection boxes), the field of Lubrication will have a paradigm shift by handheld route computers. This way the data is entered only once, and not on paper that can get smudged, lost, burned, etc. The handheld then updates the database for tracking and trending of routes. The ownership of a vibration program, database and reporting is typically by the user. The same ownership needs to be there for the lubrication group except that the level of training for lubrication is very disastrous in most places I've been. Training on software, tech tools, and driving ownership of their work is needed.

Also, an accurate equipment database in the software will have a great way for shift people to find out what lubricant goes into a gearbox, or pump/whatever. Just go to the database, and it has accurate, up to date information.

Overall, a software program is great if used effectively, and management supports its very difficult early days of database setup and tweaking over the first year. Once you get past that date, it should be smooth sailing.

In answer to your original question of improving lube practices, think if it this way. If lubricators are not very skilled in their jobs, having poor practices, will just giving them software change that? In my opinion, no. You must focus on the basics of lubrication and CBP, set standards and hold them accountable. Software will not do any of that for you. It will help you track how successful you are in setting standards, your training program and holding them accountable. All it does is produce KPI's for you, and trending. KPI's only tell you how effective your management and standard setting is.

Yes, I agree it is just one of enabling tools like CMMS. One striking comment from an old timer was "We can do maintenance without CMMS before."