Optimizing Bearing Lubrication with LUBExpert
800 bearings at a mining and processing plant: 50% greased on a calendar schedule, 25% over-greased. How LUBExpert acoustic lubrication on the SDT340 doubled bearing life and cut grease consumption by 40%.
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Read in RussianIntroduction
A mining and processing plant operates more than 800 large bearings across its conveyors, crushers and mills. Correct lubrication is critical to reliability.
The problem
Before implementation
- 50% of bearings were greased on a fixed schedule regardless of condition
- 25% were over-greased
- 15% were under-greased
- Average bearing life: 18 months
Consequences
- Premature bearing failures
- Grease over-consumption (+40% above optimal)
- Equipment contamination from excess grease
- High bearing replacement costs
The solution: LUBExpert
What is LUBExpert?
SDT's acoustic bearing lubrication system, which:
- Measures the ultrasonic signal during lubrication
- Shows the optimal point to stop
- Prevents both over- and under-greasing
Rollout
Stage 1: Pilot (3 months)
- One LUBExpert + SDT340 kit
- 50 critical bearings
- Staff training
Stage 2: Rollout (6 months)
- Three kits across all areas
- A database of 800+ bearings
- Integration with the existing CMMS
Stage 3: Optimization
- Setting alarm levels
- Creating work orders
- Continuous improvement
Methodology
The lubrication process with LUBExpert
-
Before measurement
- Baseline measurement before lubrication
- Comparison against previous data
- Assessing whether lubrication is needed
-
During lubrication
- Real-time ultrasound monitoring
- Stopping once the optimal level is reached
- Automatic logging
-
After measurement
- Verifying the result
- Trend analysis
- Updating the database
Results
Bearing life
| Period | Average bearing life | Improvement |
|---|---|---|
| Before LUBExpert | 18 months | — |
| After 6 months | 27 months | +50% |
| After 12 months | 36 months | +100% |
Grease consumption
- Before: 120 kg/month
- After: 75 kg/month
- Savings: 45%
Bearing failures
- Before: 8/year
- After: 2/year
- Reduction: 75%
ROI
- Investment: $25,000
- Annual savings: $85,000
- Payback: 3.5 months
Key takeaways
1. Data-driven lubrication
LUBExpert provides objective data for decision-making:
- More than 60% of bearings didn't need lubrication when their scheduled date came around
- Only 25% actually required lubrication
2. Extended bearing life
Correct lubrication doubled service life through:
- Less heat buildup
- Reduced contamination
- Optimal film thickness
3. Reduced costs
Savings came from several fronts:
- Less lubricant consumption
- Fewer bearing replacements
- Reduced labor
- Less downtime
Best practices
Success factors
- Training — proper technique is essential
- Database — track all bearings
- Alarm levels — set appropriate thresholds
- Trends — monitor changes over time
- Integration — connect with the CMMS
Lessons learned
- Start with critical bearings
- Standardize the process
- Document everything
- Keep training continuous
- Secure management support
Next steps
- Extend the program to smaller bearings
- Roll out automatic lubricators
- Integrate with vibration monitoring
- Add remote monitoring capabilities
Testimonial
"LUBExpert revolutionized our approach to lubrication. Now we lubricate based on condition, not calendar. The ROI was phenomenal." — Maintenance Superintendent