Efficient Plant May 2021 - 19

feature | lubrication solutions
BUILD LUBRICATION COMPETENCY

Like most areas of reliability, responsibility for lubrication
Lube Tech Training Requirements
success requires that everyone understands how his or her
Introductory
Three-day
Job function
actions and decisions influence the outcome. This includes
Three-day
R = Required
course
machinery
senior leaders who need to understand the return on the
oil analysis
O = Optional
(1/2 to 1 day)
lubrication
investment they need to make, purchasing people who need
R
R
O
Mechanics
to focus on life-cycle costing, and mechanics and technicians
R
R
R
Lube techs
who will perform maintenance work. For those companies
R
O
R
PdM techs
that also practice Total Productive Maintenance (TPM),
operators who may be empowered to perform minor tasks
Reliability
R
R
R
engineers
such as level checks and re-lubrication also need to be
included.
Maintenance
The best way to achieve this is to develop a training matrix
R
O
O
managers/
based on job function. By " modularizing " training, specific
supervisors
functional groups can be included in training modules that
R
O
N/A
Operators
involve their influence on outcomes without wasting valuOperations
R
N/A
N/A
able time on unnecessary classes.
managers
For lubrication technicians specifically, thought should be
Engineering
R
O
N/A
given to certifying individuals in the field of lubrication. We
managers
would never dream of letting technicians weld pressure vessels or perform high-voltage electrical maintenance without
To assure proper certification throughout your organization, use this table to
appropriate licensure. Yet we give a grease gun capable of
determine who should receive what type of training.
generating 15,000 psi of pressure to an untrained lube tech,
only to wonder why over greasing of motor bearings kills our
electric motors.
or someone on reduced work duties should be past.
Fortunately, good lubrication-certification tracks exist. ICML
Of course, training and appropriate pay scales will only get you so
(International Council for Machinery Lubrication, Broken Arrow,
far. Every lubrication success story needs a champion. Part cheerOK, icmlonline.com) is a not-for-profit organization with a mandate
leader, part project manager, part subject-matter expert, the lubrito promote lubrication and the related field of oil analysis as a technication project lead can be a lead mechanic or lube tech but is more
cal profession. ICML offers two parallel tracks for plant technicians:
likely to be a reliability or maintenance engineer.
Machinery Lubrication Technician (MLT Level I and II) and
Note, this is no part-time job. He or she needs to be motivated,
Machinery Lubricant Analyst (MLA Level, I, II, and III).
driven, and a relentless champion of all things lubrication, willing
The value of certification cannot be overstated. Recognition as a
to stand side-by-side with the lube techs as a change agent. Like the
professional in the field builds the esteem of lubrication technicians
technicians, having certification either in MLT, MLA, or the recently
and directs focus from the whole organization on the importance
launched MLE (Machinery Lubrication Engineer) certification track
of precision lubrication to overall asset reliability. This change in
from ICML ensures that the project champion has the knowledge
mindset and lubrication culture is good for the individual and the
and organizational respect to get the job done.
organization. I have personally witnessed lube techs obtain ICML
In the June 2021 issue, I'll discuss building quality lubrication
certification and build a career, with several promotions along the
practices and processes-System Quality. For now, take a look at
way, based on the recognition that lubrication certification represents
what lubrication training has to offer and how you can start to build
and the impact it has on plant reliability.
People Quality to take your organization to the next level of precision
Along with certification, pay scales need to be commensurate with
lubrication. EP
skills. Like other maintenance disciplines, being able to provide the
required lubrication is a skill that should be recognized with approMark Barnes, CMRP, is Senior Vice President at Des-Case Corp.,
priate compensation when done consistently and correctly. The days
Goodlettsville, TN (descase.com). He has 21 years of experience in
of lubrication being the domain of the mechanic closest to retirement
lubrication management, oil analysis, and contamination control.

MAY 2021

EP2105flube.indd 19

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4/26/21 9:28 AM

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Efficient Plant May 2021

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of Efficient Plant May 2021