Definition
A lubrication system is the physical hardware that supplies lubricant to a machine's bearings, gears, or other moving parts: reservoir, pump, lines, and distribution points, ranging from a simple manual grease point to an automated centralized system. It is the delivery mechanism itself, distinct from lubrication management, the organizational program that decides what goes through it.
Key facts
- Physical hardware (reservoir, pump, lines, distribution points) not the organizational decision-making around it.
- Ranges from simple manual grease points to automated, centralized, metered delivery systems.
- Common failure symptoms include blocked lines, pump failure, and insufficient or excessive delivery to a point.
- Distinct from lubrication management, the program that decides lubricant type, quantity, and schedule for what the system delivers.
How does Lubrication system work or appear?
A lubrication system stores lubricant in a reservoir, moves it through lines using a pump or gravity feed, and delivers a metered or continuous quantity to specific points (bearings, gears, chains) that require it, ranging from a single manual grease fitting to a fully automated centralized network.
What should technicians inspect for Lubrication system?
Lubrication management decides which lubricant, how much, and how often each point should receive it, and tracks that program across the plant. A lubrication system is the physical hardware that actually carries out the delivery: the equipment side of the equation, which lubrication management governs but does not itself constitute.
FAQ
Frequently asked questions
How does a technical lubrication system supply the lubrication points?
It stores lubricant in a reservoir and moves it through lines to specific points using a pump or gravity, ranging from a simple manual grease fitting to an automated, metered, centralized delivery network.
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