Many organizations aspire to achieve a state of lubrication excellence. What defines lubrication excellence was unclear until Noria gave rise to the Ascend™ method. It has become a powerful tool and metric to test, design, implement, and control the essence of the lubrication excellence transformation.

Identifying the beginning point for the route to lubrication excellence usually necessitates comparing current practices to lubrication best practices, which Noria refers to as the Optimum Reference State (ORS). Once the gap is identified, it is necessary to establish an optimal road map that ensures that resources, effort, and time are allocated to targeted initiatives that produce the highest return on investment.

Prioritization must be based on lubricant lifecycle logic and the impact of improvements on machine reliability and other organizational goals. Once the process has begun, it is vital to track progress, carry out the transformation plan, discover deviations, and guarantee that the changes are long-term.

Ascend™ is a necessary evolutionary advancement over the conventional radar chart that was considered a standard to test the lubrication process for years. It meets the business goals of many users who wish to create a lubrication program that ensures excellent plant dependability.

Years of proven field experience, consideration of industry demands, alignment with lubrication practices, and international asset management standards all support the Ascend™ technique. Finally, our DNA of innovation and constant improvement drives execution.

Lubrication Lifecycle Stages

Ascend™ uses six lifecycle stages in chronological order: (1) Selection, (2) Reception, (3) Application, (4) Management, (5) analysis, and (6) disposal. It integrates the importance of these stages and their impact on lubrication excellence, machine reliability, and asset management.

Following the lubricant life cycle allows users to correlate their day-to-day activities with fundamental business objectives and how each stage functions as a part of the whole in executing correct lubrication principles.

Factors and Management Levels

Lubrication activities are categorized into 40 Factors in the Ascend™ technique over the lifespan of the lubrication process. But, it should be emphasized that not all of these 40 factors are weighted in the design and implementation of the lubrication plan. Thus, the factors are arranged into three levels to emphasize and clarify these differences.

Platform (P)

Platform factors are considered the program's foundation and aim at controlling risks, ensuring performance, and sustaining the program over a long time. These factors are tactical and, as such, need to be implemented first.

Management and Training (M)

Management and training factors are activities that enable the needed resources, provide planning and scheduling, and deliver condition monitoring of lubricants and machines. Staff education and skill development activities are offered at this level. These lubricating operations occur daily and are supported by all platform factors.

Performance Indicators (K)

The Key Performance Indicators (KPIs) level enables evaluating the efficiency and efficacy of the actions in a lubrication program and later continual improvement.

For ease of identification, each factor has been allocated an alphanumeric code. The code consists of three digits: the first identifies the Lubrication Lifecycle Stage, the second the factor number within the stage, and the third the Management level.

ASCEND™ to Lubrication Excellence

The Ascend™ method uses Six Sigma's DMAIC (Define, Measure, Analyze, Improve, and Control) tool to assess the maturity of the lubrication program from an established starting point through the transformation plan. The Optimum Reference State (ORS) compliance is evaluated through inspections, measurement, verification, and interviews.

The Ascend™ method analyzes differences between required ORS performance and current performance to focus on the implementation plan based on the impact on business objectives and reliability. Ascend™ not only offers the maturity of each factor based on the degree of compliance during the assessment phase, but it also provides a list of specific improvements targeted at complying with the ORS in each of the 40 factors of the lubrication process. It identifies the critical actions needed to implement the process with appropriate controls.

Ascend™ Global Compliance Level (ACL) is a comprehensive measure of the maturity of the lubrication program. The ACL is a complex calculation based on a proprietary mathematical formula that incorporates a Balanced Score Card (BSC) of the lubrication process and the maturity of each of the 40 factors. The active ACL value is shown in the Ascend™ Chart's center.

Lubrication Program Development

Some organizations aware of the importance of lubrication of excellence may elect to embrace a lubrication program development and achieve benefits. If this is the case, years of proven experience allow us to support the industry in implementing lubrication excellence through an entire lubrication program that provides a detailed plan that addresses all lubrication-related work processes and procedures from purchasing down to the required re-grease volume for every bearing in the plant.

With CRE Philippines’ experience, partnership with Noria, and a focused team of engineering professionals, it will only take man-weeks or months to design and implement world-class lubrication. Connect with us to help you determine what poor lubrication practices are costing your plant each year and help you implement one vision for lubrication excellence.

Source:

Trujillo, G., & Fitch, J. (n.d.). ASCEND™ to Lubrication Excellence. MachineryLubrication. Retrieved from https://www.machinerylubrication.com/Read/31946/ascend-lubrication-program-excellence