Level I

How Lubrication Affects Machine Reliability
•Financial benefits from achieving lubrication excellence
•Don’t attempt reliability-centered maintenance (RCM) without the 5–I lubrication method
•Five equipment maintenance strategies, and when each applies
•Important implementation steps to lubrication excellence
•10 roadblocks to achieving lubrication excellence

Lubrication Fundamentals
•Six important functions of lubricating oils
•How oils and greases are formulated and why it is important
•How friction is generated in lubricated machinery
•The importance of oil film thickness and critical clearances

Understanding Additives, Base Oils and Grease Thickeners
•How lubricant properties irreparably change
•Seven important physical properties of a base oil
•The importance of API’s five base oil categories
•When to select one of the six most commonly used synthetic base oils
•How to use temperature to determine the right base oil for your machine
•How to select grease thickeners for your application

Lubricant Performance Properties
•14 key additives that enhance lubricant performance
•Understanding viscosity grades, measurement, and reporting
•Why Viscosity Index is important and how it improves your work
•Lubricant performance tests and reporting – what you need to know
•How water contamination generates other contaminants
•How to control and eliminate aeration problems

Food-grade and Environmentally-friendly Lubricants
•Important USDA requirements and government regulations for food-grade lubricants
•What you need to know about food-grade additives, base oils and grease thickeners
•Advantages and disadvantages of food-grade lubricants

Lubricating Grease Application Methods
•Seven tips for avoiding incompatible grease mixtures
•Advantages and disadvantages of centralized lubrication systems
•Best practices for greasing motor bearings
•How to calculate greasing intervals and quantity
•Best practices for ultrasonic/sonic-based greasing
•Important tips for working with your motor rebuild shop

Lubricating Oil Application Methods
•Overview of oil lubrication methods and devices
•How to use oil mist and other automatic lubrication methods
•Using pressure spray methods for gearboxes
•Best practices for the maintenance of grease guns and fittings
•Overview of single-point direct lubrication systems

Selecting Lubricants
•Journal and rolling-element bearings
•Open and closed gears
•Gas engine and gas compressors
•Air compressors
•Hydraulic fluids
•Steam and gas turbines
•Process pumps
•Multipurpose grease
•Oil mist lubricants

Contamination Control
•Building reliability through contamination control
•Seven most destructive contaminants and how to control them
•Three steps to proactive maintenance
•Understanding the ISO Solid Contaminant Code
•10 ways to maximize filter cart usage

Oil Drains, Flushing, and Reservoir Management
•How to optimize and extend oil change intervals
•Interval vs. condition-based oil change
•How to monitor lubricant consumption
•Best practices for oil changes
•How and when to perform a flush
•Selecting appropriate cleaning and flushing procedures

Storage, Handling, and Managing Lubricants
•How to set up a world-class lube room
•How to optimize lubricant selection/procurement
•How to implement a lubricant consolidation program and select suppliers
•Best practices for inspecting/testing new lubricants
•Used lubricant storage, handling, and disposal best practices

Design and Inspect for Lube Excellence
•World-class strategies for accessorizing equipment for lubrication excellence
•Seven critical accessories for inspection and sampling
•Seven critical accessories for contamination control prevention
•Eight essential lubrication accessories
•What your breather is telling you about your machine

Used Oil Analysis Basics
•When to use 11 common used oil analysis tests
•Oil sampling best practices
•Oil analysis for condition-based oil changes
•Detecting and analyzing machine wear debris
•Easy field tests for quick inspections

Essential Field Inspections
•12 questions your filter will answer about your machine
•Which visual inspections can provide big results
•Quick tips for using scent, sound, and touch to inspect lubricants

Level II

The Role of Lubrication in Machine Reliability
•The journey to world-class maintenance
•The importance of spending time and money on your machines
•Creating a cultural change for machinery lubrication
•How to benchmark your lubrication program

Lubrication Fundamentals
•Five types of friction and the role friction plays in the health of your machine
•Three ways lubrication affects energy consumption
•How to find the lubrication “sweet spot” for energy conservation

The Value of Base Oils and Grease Thickeners
•Understanding mineral oil and base oil properties
•Compatibility - how synthetics match up with seals and mineral oils
•Base oils that offer extended drain intervals
•How to select grease thickeners for your applications

Lubricant Performance Properties
•The role of base oils and additives
•Six key items that influence viscosity
•The importance of Viscosity Index
•Effects of oxidation on the oil, grease, and machine life
•Four ways to measure oxidation stability
•What you must know about thermal stability, varnish, and sludge
•Four critical techniques to reduce corrosion
•Eight ways aeration affects the life of your lubricants
•Nine dominant causes of poor demulsification and how it affects your critical machines
•Four main triggers of grease dry out

Food-grade and Environmentally Friendly Lubricants
•Government regulations regarding food-grade lubricants
•NSF food-grade lubrication classifications
•Advantages and disadvantages of food-grade lubricants

Lubricant Degradation
•How and why lubricant performance properties are irreparably changed
•10 influencing factors that affect stored lubricants
•Understanding the remaining useful life of lubricants

Accessorizing New Equipment for Lubrication Excellence
•How to design for maintainability
•31 simple ways to improve your overall lubrication program
•The value of new equipment documentation and the 10 top conditions to document

Oil Drains, Flushing, and Reservoir Management
•Top 10 reasons to change your oil
•Two approaches to oil drain scheduling
•How to extend oil change intervals
•Best practices for draining and refilling

New Lubricants
•The four phases of lubricant consolidation
•Six essential reasons to create lubricant standards
•The most important variables when selecting a vendor
•Five considerations for testing new lubricants

Lubrication PM Optimization and Design
•The Five ‘Rs’ of a proper lubrication procedure
•How to conduct lubrication audits and surveys
•How to write a proper PM procedure
•Setting effective lubrication PM intervals and schedules
•How to conduct lubrication audits and surveys

Leakage Stability
•How to identify and classify leaks
•Strategies for locating and correcting leaks
•Leakage management strategies for lubrication excellence

Advanced Lubricant Selection and Application
•Selection and Use of Automotive and Crankcase Lubricants
•Journal Bearing Lubricants
•Rolling Element Bearing Lubricants
•Lubricating Grease Application
•Gear Lubricants
•Mechanical Coupling Lubricants
•Compressor Lubricants
•Refrigeration Compressor Lubricants
•Steam and Gas Turbine Lubricants
•Hydraulic Fluids
•Miscellaneous Lubricants
•Wire Rope and Chain Lubrication

Troubleshooting Lubrication Problems
•Gearbox lubrication problems
•Journal bearing problems
•Rolling element bearing problems
•Diesel engine problems
•Compressor problems
•Hydraulic system problems

Lubrication and Oil Analysis Metrics
•Lubrication performance charting
•Using the Overall Lubrication Effectiveness (OLE) metric
•Tracking return on net assets for your program
•How to use software and the Internet for program metrics