Why Lubrication Matters in a Mature Reliability Program

A high-quality lubrication program is a must-have as part of any maturing reliability program. In many plants, when you look at the typical asset technology coverage, lubrication shows up early in the development of a maintenance strategy. But too often, it’s treated as a “check the box” step.

Across industries and decades of field experience, the most reliable programs approach lubrication as a discipline. That means training, assigning capable techs, and using the right tools: labeled containers, clean lube rooms, documented routes, and standardized procedures.

These fundamentals are often overlooked, yet they’re critical. 

Too often, they’re also siloed off. Lubrication gets treated as a standalone task, disconnected from the rest of the reliability strategy. But it’s one of three core technologies that support rotating asset health. When paired with vibration and ultrasound, proper lubrication becomes part of an integrated system that provides a complete picture of machine condition.

Lubrication on the P-F Curve 

The P-F Curve helps reliability teams understand how early different technologies can detect failure. As shown in the diagram above, oil analysis is often one of the first indicators that something’s changed inside a machine, very often before a potential failure (P) is detected, and definitely before a functional failure (F) beings degrading the machine’s performance. While vibration is an important tool, oil analysis must also be considered since it can reveal issues well before vibration increases. 

Over the years, I’ve relied heavily on oil and grease analysis to supplement vibration diagnostics. Once an issue is identified, lubrication becomes a key lever in addressing root causes and slowing progression. But this only works if the technologies aren’t used in silos. 

Think of lubrication, vibration, and ultrasound as a triad.

While each shows different aspects of the same problem, together they give you a more complete picture of machine health. Teams can detect changes earlier on the curve and make more informed decisions. If you listen to what your data is saying, you will never be surprised by a failure.

Right Lubricant. Right Time. Right Amount.

The foundation of any strong lubrication program comes down to a simple principle: use the right lubricant, at the right time, in the right amount. This sounds straightforward in principle, but it’s not always easy in practice.

There are several challenges to getting this right:  

1. Right Lubricant: Purchasing policies or supplier limitations may restrict access to preferred products. Sites may try to consolidate into fewer SKUs, which can compromise precision.
2. Right Time: Some assets are difficult to access or can’t be shut down for fluid checks.
3. Right Amount: Over-greasing is a common issue. Ultrasound-assisted greasing helps prevent this by confirming when a bearing has reached baseline.  

In some cases, the best approach is to get creative. If you know a machine is low because the sight glass is empty but you can’t shut it down, document a safe workaround — and most importantly, follow it consistently.

Case Study: Gearbox Recovery During Outage

Engineers shut down a critical gearbox for an extended area upgrade. During the outage, the fire suppression system accidentally discharged, soaking the area. No water made it into the gearbox, but the unit sat idle in hot, humid summer conditions for nearly a month.

When restarted, vibration readings showed elevated levels in the input bearings. The gearbox had not been rotated during the downtime.

My theory was that while the gearbox sat idle, oil drained off the top bearings. Humidity and condensation led to rust and contamination on the bearing races and rollers. Analysts confirmed this during the teardown.

Despite having no spare on hand and operating in a Class 1 Division 1 (C1D1) zone where safety considerations require additional consideration, we avoided an unplanned shutdown by:

• Increasing vibration monitoring frequency
• Adding oil sampling and ultrasound
• Including IR scans  

We continued to track the gearbox condition using these three technologies and saw only gradual upward trends in vibration. That let the team operate until the next planned outage, at which point the gearbox was replaced on schedule. 

Case Study: Integrating Filtration and Trending to Prevent Failure

At another site, lubrication and vibration technologies worked in tandem to extend the life of critical assets. Most of the site’s high-priority gearboxes were either sealed or fitted with online filtration systems. Oil was added through quick-connect fittings using an external pump.

These systems were never opened once in service, reducing contamination. Filters had built-in gauges so maintenance could track pressure changes and replace elements based on their condition.

Quarterly oil samples were taken and compared with both vibration and ultrasound data. This layered approach delivered a more complete picture:

• Oil samples revealed wear material but couldn’t pinpoint the source.
• Vibration data highlighted gear mesh irregularities.
• Ultrasound helped detect early-stage anomalies and optimize grease volumes.

Together, these insights helped the team distinguish between gear and bearing wear, pinpoint root causes, and validate corrective actions. 

The Value of Integration

Based on my experience, reliability teams should identify defects using at least two technologies. That’s not just good practice, it’s essential. When it comes to reliability, the best programs combine tools that complement each other, giving teams multiple methods to validate what’s happening inside the machine. 

Ultrasound is a key part of that picture. It helps identify early-stage defects and provides direct feedback during grease application. At several sites, ultrasound-driven grease routes helped techs spot developing issues before they escalated. In one case, a bearing needed more grease each time to return to baseline, which was a subtle but important signal. Observations like these often came before vibration data showed any clear trends. 

Gone are the days of relying only on ears, clipboards, and experience to know when a machine doesn’t “sound” right. Modern ultrasound programs can track decibel levels, recommend grease amounts, display waveforms, and log it all for review. But while today’s tools are far more advanced, the principle behind it all remains the same: listen to what the machine is telling you. 

Strong programs don’t operate in silos. They use each technology for what it does best — and they tie those insights together to make confident, informed decisions. 
 

Avoiding the “Just Grease It” Mentality

Too many vibration reports still conclude with “grease the bearing.” But without ultrasound and vibration, that’s risky. Over-greasing is a real threat, especially to motor bearings where applying too much grease can force excess into motor windings. Some organizations don’t yet have ultrasound or vibration tools and must make a decision about when to apply grease, but making a blanket call to add grease without confirming the need can cause more harm than good. 

Final Thoughts

A well-structured lubrication program is foundational to a successful reliability strategy. The examples above show why relying on a single technology can limit decision-making and introduce unnecessary risk.

In the gearbox example, rushing a replacement would’ve cost tens of thousands in parts and lost production. Instead, by using multiple technologies to monitor the machine, the team made decisions based on data, not gut feeling or tribal knowledge.

Had the damage escalated, this critical asset would have to be taken offline. But that wasn’t the case — because we listened to what the machine was telling us.