Training Lubrication Technicians in Ultrasound: Competencies, ISO 18436 Certification and the Role of LUBExpert

The lubrication technician is one of the most underrated roles in maintenance. It is often seen as a low-skill position: "take the grease gun, walk the points". Yet the lubrication technician spends more time next to running equipment than anyone else, and their decisions directly affect bearing life. SDT Ultrasound estimates that more than a third of bearing failures are linked to lubrication.

An ultrasonic instrument such as LUBExpert turns the lubrication technician into the first line of diagnostics, but only if the person is trained. Below: what knowledge is needed, how to structure training levels and what international certification schemes exist.

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Competency matrix for an ultrasound-equipped lubrication technician

Working the instrument is only part of the skill set. A competent lubrication specialist covers four areas.

Area	Know	Be able to
Lubricants	Base oil, thickener, NLGI grade, viscosity, compatibility	Choose grease from the map, avoid mixing incompatible greases
Bearings and assemblies	Bearing types, seals, labyrinths, grease delivery methods	Find the grease point, understand where the grease goes
Ultrasound	Nature of friction signal, dBµV, background, measurement point	Place the sensor correctly, tell a lubrication response from interference
Process and data	Route, trends, handover rules to diagnostics	Download the route, flag an anomaly, raise a signal

Many implementation mistakes (see the article on 7 ultrasonic lubrication mistakes) are gaps in one of these areas rather than in handling the instrument.

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Three training levels

Level 1. Route operator

Works a ready-made route in Guided mode: the instrument leads step by step, calculates stabilisation time and indicates when to stop. The task is to follow the procedure precisely and record deviations.

Minimum training: 1–2 days of theory and practice on site, then several rounds with a mentor.

Readiness criterion: completes the route independently, places the sensor correctly, knows the rule "if the signal does not drop after two or three shots, stop and report".

Level 2. Lead lubrication specialist

Configures routes in UAS3, calibrates guns, analyses trends, resolves disputed cases, trains operators. Uses Free mode in SDT340 LUBExpert when manual control is needed.

Minimum training: a course in ultrasonic inspection and lubrication backed by a certificate, plus six months of practice.

Level 3. Reliability engineer

Owns the programme as a whole: KPIs, round intervals, grease selection, links with condition monitoring and vibration analysis. Makes decisions on defect signals.

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International certification: what exists

ISO 18436-8: ultrasound personnel

The ISO 18436 series, "Condition monitoring and diagnostics of machines — Requirements for qualification and assessment of personnel", sets requirements for ultrasound practitioners in Part 8. It defines qualification categories, body of knowledge, and minimum training and experience. SDT Ultrasound runs training aligned with the requirements of this standard, and the applied lubrication programme is part of the manufacturer's courses.

For a Level 2 lubrication specialist and a reliability engineer, an ultrasound certificate is proof of qualification that auditors and customers understand.

ICML: lubrication certification

The International Council for Machinery Lubrication (ICML) runs certification programmes for lubrication professionals, including MLT (Machinery Lubrication Technician) for lubrication technicians. The programme covers lubricants, storage, delivery methods and contamination control, which an ultrasound course does not cover.

How to combine them

Role	Ultrasound	Lubrication
Route operator	Instrument manufacturer training	In-house training based on the lubrication map
Lead specialist	ISO 18436-8 certificate, Category I	ICML MLT I
Reliability engineer	ISO 18436-8, Category I–II	ICML MLT / MLA as relevant

Certification is not a goal in itself. For most plants it is enough to certify 1–2 key specialists and train operators on site with an in-house programme.

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What an on-site training programme looks like

Experience shows that classroom training without practice on your own equipment is forgotten within a month. A combined format works better:

1. Theory (half a day). Why bearings fail from lubrication, what friction ultrasound is, how to read the readings. No formulas or unnecessary physics.
2. Practice on a test rig or one asset (half a day). Sensor placement, readings before and after greasing, Guided mode, an over-greasing example.
3. Pilot route with a mentor (1–2 weeks). Real plant points, discussion of every disputed case.
4. Review of first trends (after a month). Download to UAS3, points with rising levels, first signals to diagnostics.
5. Assessment and consolidation. Skills check, update of job descriptions, a mentor assigned for new staff.

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How to keep competencies despite staff turnover

The most common problem: a trained technician leaves and the programme degrades. Safeguards:

• At least two trained people per area;
• A written procedure for ultrasonic lubrication with photos of measurement points;
• The point map in UAS3, not in a technician's head;
• Mentoring: a new employee walks the route with an experienced one before working alone;
• Annual refresher training, especially after an instrument or software update.

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Summary

An ultrasonic instrument gives the lubrication technician a tool but not a qualification. The effect of LUBExpert depends directly on whether the person understands what they are measuring and what to do with the result. A competency matrix, three training levels and certification of key specialists turn lubrication from routine into part of the reliability programme.

KEG TRK provides on-site training for SDT instruments at customer sites, from ultrasound theory to a pilot route and review of the first trends. More on the training page.