Efficient Plant January 2018 - 34

feature | lubrication strategies

Bannister on
Lubrication

Along with the
online version of this
article, visitors to
efficientplantmag.com will
find a link to a podcast with
Ken Bannister in which he
further explores greasegun techniques and how
to consistently deliver the
proper amount of grease to
a bearing.

An effective manual-greasing
program must be built on consolidation, standardization, cleanliness, and restraint.

end of the grease-gun nozzle.
S Wipe clean the end of the grease-gun nozzle
with a clean lint-free cloth.
For a lever-style grease gun:
S Collapse lever to the barrel causing grease to
discharge from the nozzle.
S If the lever is already collapsed, open lever and
collapse, discharging a shot of grease from the
grease nozzle.
S Wipe clean the end of the grease-gun nozzle
with a clean lint-free cloth.
The gun is now ready. Continue to Step 4 immediately. If the gun is dropped or placed down,
nozzle contamination of the grease-gun nozzle is
likely and Step 3 must be repeated.
Step 4. Connect nozzle to the grease nipple:
To connect to a zerk-style grease fitting, align
the grease gun nozzle with the fitting and push
the nozzle firmly on to the fitting. Ensure that the
nozzle is securely connected by slowly rocking the
nozzle side to side and trying to gently pull the
grease gun away. If resistance is felt, the
grease nozzle is connected.
To connect with a DIN-button-head-style fitting, slide the
grease-gun nozzle's location slot
across the button-shaped head
of the grease fitting until it
comes to a firm stop
Step 5. Deliver lubricant:
If the bearing grease calculation or grease-gun shotsize output is unknown, it
is difficult-to- impossible
to know exactly how much
grease is required to achieve a
40% to 50% cavity fill. If this is
the case, the best tactic is to "feel"
the grease into the bearing cavity
until slight resistance or back pressure
is felt against the trigger, or lever, signaling
the bearing cavity is now full. Warning! Pumping
beyond this point will almost certainly blow the
bearing seal and create an open channel for contamination to get into the bearing cavity and cause
premature failure.

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For a trigger-style grease gun:
S Gently squeeze the trigger (use only the finger
tips) toward the grease-gun barrel and "feel"
grease into the bearing until resistance or back
pressure is felt.
S Relax hand and allow the trigger-return spring
to reset the trigger back to the loaded position.
S Repeat if more lubricant is required.
For a lever-style grease gun:
S Gently push the lever toward the grease-gun
barrel using the palm of the hand and "feel"
grease into the bearing until resistance or back
pressure is felt.
S Pull lever back to the fully extended position
and repeat if more lubricant is required.
Note: One squeeze action of a trigger-style
grease gun and one lever action of a lever-style
grease gun equals one shot of grease.
Step 6. Disconnect grease gun:
For a zerk-style fitting, rock the grease gun nozzle side to side and firmly pull the gun away from
the fitting. When using a DIN button-head-style
fitting, slide the grease-gun nozzle's location slot
across the button-shaped head of the grease fitting
in a reverse manner until disengaged.
Step 7. Post-clean:
Wipe residual grease from the grease nozzle and
grease fitting using a lint-free cloth.
S Good grease-gun hygiene automatically makes
you part of the solution. Remember that greasing
is a blind act requiring a gentle touch and active
restraint. EP

Contributing editor Ken Bannister is coauthor, with Heinz Bloch, of the book Practical
Lubrication for Industrial Facilities, 3rd
Edition (The Fairmont Press, Lilburn, GA). As
managing partner and principal consultant for
Engtech Industries Inc. (Innerkip, Ontario), he
specializes in the implementation of lubricationeffectiveness reviews to ISO 55001 standards,
asset-management systems, and training.
Contact kbannister@engtechindustries.com, or
telephone 519-469-9173.

JANUARY 2018

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Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of Efficient Plant January 2018