Lubrication Experts

Erik Mosselaar from Distance and I discuss the digitalisation of expertise - how do you take expert decisions and bake them into algorithms? How do you make secure data available to a network of worldwide experts that can give you advice on maintenance activities? How do you tap into multiple data streams when the sensor technology is made by different OEMs? If you're interested in the Condence platform, check out the website: https://www.distence.fi

Blair Fraser from the Maintenance Disrupted podcast comes to talk about the state of the maintenance industry today, the most exciting technology he has been exposed to, and common threads which seem to enable success in the maintenance industry today. If you're not already already a regular listener, I encourage you to check out the podcast: https://www.maintenancedisrupted.com/podcast

Space... the final frontier. You know the drill. It's Space! It's the most extreme conditions that humankind will ever face - chillingly cold temperatures, violent heat, complete vacuum, zero gravity, atomic oxygen. Dr Juan Flores Preciado from SpaceX kindly sat down to talk through the challenges of lubricating machinery in the space industry. How can you use oil, grease and solid lubricants in these circumstances?

Sanya Mathura of Strategic Reliability Solutions discusses the topic of her new book - "Lubrication Degradation Mechanisms - A Complete Guide". We talk about the nuances of oil ageing, and how characterising deposits can help identify root causes. Book link (use code FLR40 for discount): https://www.routledge.com/Lubrication-Degradation-Mechanisms-A-Complete-Guide/Mathura/p/book/9780367607760 Pre-order the sequel: https://www.routledge.com/Lubrication-Degradation-Getting-into-the-Root-Causes/Mathura-Latino/p/book/9781032171579 SRS website: http://strategicreliabilitysolutions.com/

Can lubricant last forever? What do you need to measure and treat in service oils so that their life can extend to equal that of the equipment they are protecting? Greg Livingstone, Chief Innovation Officer of Fluitec sits down to discuss their approach to reconditioning oil. https://www.fluitec.com/

The lubrication landscape is evolving, but so is the business landscape. Service models abound, whether it's Software as a Service (think Microsoft 365, Salesforce) or Entertainment as a Service (think Netflix, Disney+). Now it's time for industrial service providers to start providing innovative business models. One such company that has been working at this for a number of years is Fluid Intelligence OY. As a provider of lubrication services (flushing, reconditioning etc) they are looking to tie customer payments to customer outcomes. We discussed the challenges of introducing new business models into the market with the CEO of the organisation, Mika Perttula.

Group V esters are interesting, inasmuch as the term "ester" only really refers to a single functional group. The capacity to tailor the "r" alkyl groups around these are infinite, and there are a number of small-batch companies producing highly customised esters for lubricating oils. Biosynthetic Technologies is known for the Estolides - a form of ester that is very resistant to hydrolysis. The other advantage is the capacity to produce sustainable lubricants at scale; this could very well be the future of the industry. Biosynthetic Technologies YouTube Channel: https://youtube.com/channel/UCC-rip-p6HtahQyeQclHBnw Biosynthetic Technologies Website: https://www.biosynthetic.com/005

Naphthenic base oils - they're often seen as the unwanted cousins to paraffin base oils (Groups I - IV), but maybe the industry needs to re-evaluate this view. After all base oils aren't necessarily good or bad, just fit for certain applications.

The food industry has some really unique challenges when it comes to maintenance, reliability and lubrication. Simon Murray is a maintenance coach with extensive experience in the industry and was kind enough to sit down with me to talk about the industry in general, as well as lubrication practices within the industry. Simon's website: https://www.yourmaintenancecoach.com

If you've watched this channel before, you'll understand that I'm passionate about lubrication technologies and believe that they deserve a much more prominent role in conversations about sustainability and machine reliability. This channel is my contribution to putting in the spotlight, but Prof. Ashlie Martini of UC Merced has also been tackling this unique challenge. In this conversation we talk a bit about new technologies, how to make tribology more exciting to undergraduate students, lubricant for space and EVs, and a whole lot more.