TLT: What specifically did you do as a lubricant engineer? Can you describe some of your day-to-day activities?
Duncanson: I have to smile at this question. One of the best things about lubrication engineering is that there is no typical day. In a week, engineers who work for lubricant suppliers can visit steel mills, paper mills, mines, power plants, refineries, construction sites, food processing plants or any other kind of manufacturing facility. Almost all equipment that has moving parts needs lubrication, so there are ample opportunities for variety and stimulating challenges.
In my career, I have measured bearing temperatures in steel mills near molten metal and red-hot billets. I rode a trolley underground into the bowels of a mountain to troubleshoot a long-wall miner. I checked for oil leaks under a paper machine with the paper whizzing overhead. I obtained oil samples from construction equipment with tires twice as high as my head. I inspected gears on towers that were so tall it seemed like you could see the world.
The field lubrication engineer position is the world’s best kept secret. Think about what constitutes the ideal job. Flexibility. Check. Variety. Check. Not sitting behind a desk all day. Check. Making a difference. Check. Challenging. Check. Decent pay. Check. And the list goes on. What’s not to love?
Other than lubrication recommendations, lubrication engineers conduct bearing, gear and engine inspections as part of routine or root cause failure analysis. They may perform thermography, leakage control, condition monitoring, energy efficiency studies, compatibility, lubricant storage and handling, contamination control and equipment preservation studies. They assist with equipment and program design. They conduct training and help establish lubricator roles and responsibilities. And this is only a partial list.
Have you ever seen the old TV shows “Modern Marvels” or “How It’s Made?” They take viewers into factories or massive equipment. I got to do that “for real,” and it’s absolutely fascinating. In more than 40 years, it never grew old.
TLT: How have you seen lubrication engineering change in 40 years?
Duncanson: Forty years ago, synthetic lubricants were in their infancy. They were almost exclusively used to address specific operating conditions, such as extreme temperatures. We have come to have a much deeper understanding of the benefits of synthetic oils and grease in terms of energy efficiency and extended life. Synthetic lubricants improve safety, equipment reliability and have a positive effect on the environment. Extending oil change intervals reduces waste oil. Longer equipment life means fewer spare parts and scrap metal. Energy efficiency reduces carbon footprint.
From an engineering standpoint, we have a much better understanding of lubricant chemistry and the actual mechanism of lubrication. Lubrication engineers work hand in hand with mechanical design engineers. Equipment is now lighter, faster and can operate at higher temperatures, largely in part to improved lubrication.
TLT: What tools do you have now that you didn’t have back then?
Duncanson: Flash point and viscosity calculations were done on nomographs. We used slide rules for calculations. For millennials, that’s a stick the size of a wide ruler with a bar that slides down the middle. By lining up markings on either side of the bar, a really talented user could multiply, divide and do logarithmics as fast as a computer.
I remember the chatter in the office that, “Within five years, everyone will have a computer on their desk.” Our response was, “No way!” It happened within two years. The first computers had white characters, green blinking cursors and the blue screen of death.
To send a letter, we hand wrote it on a triplicate form; a page picked it up and delivered it to the word processing center where typists transformed our hen scratches to a presentable format. Two days later, the page delivered it back to our inboxes. If there were any revisions, the process would start over again. Finally, the letter was suitable for mailing. Information that is now sent instantaneously by email took at least a week to get to the recipient.
Thermography, vibration analysis and advanced lubrication analysis were only glimmers in the eyes of scientists and engineers.
TLT: How have leaner organizations affected lubrication practices?
Duncanson: Operating with fewer people is getting to be a real challenge, and proper lubrication can help ease the pain. We found applications, American National Standards Institute (ANSI) pumps, for example, where synthetic lubricants can be sealed for life. Where personnel had to change oil every six months to a year, they now change oil only when it’s time to replace a seal.
Industry is relying more heavily on lubricant suppliers to provide engineering services. Mills that formerly had “lubrication engineers” now incorporate the position as an incidental responsibility of the mechanical or reliability engineer. The position of “lubricator” is going the way of the dodo. Lubrication tasks that were conducted by dedicated professionals are now done by operators. It is up to lubricant suppliers to impress the importance of good lubrication practices on people who never gave it a second thought.
TLT: What advice would you give to new lubrication engineers starting in the field?
Duncanson: The venerable Heinz P. Bloch gives a great piece of advice—Read! Read publications such as TLT. Many articles might not apply to your job, but you’ll find gems in almost every issue.
Another good practice is to network. Attend STLE local section meetings where you can absorb knowledge from people in your field and keep abreast of new innovations in the field. Participate with other industry groups such as the Vibration Institute and ASME to get different perspectives on equipment reliability. Get advice from experienced mechanics at local repair shops. Don’t be afraid to call on manufacturers for guidance on how to lubricate their equipment. Most companies welcome the opportunity to work with lubrication engineers so that their customers use the best maintenance techniques.
Finally, when troubleshooting, get as much information on the application and operating conditions as possible before jumping to conclusions.
TLT: To what do you attribute your ability to get lubrication concepts across so well to the newest lubrication engineers?
Duncanson: I truly believe that there are few jobs that give such a broad exposure to rotating equipment, especially for new engineers. The best lubrication engineers are not stuck behind a desk. They are out in the field checking oil levels, observing fluid color and clarity, looking for sources of contamination and integrating monitoring techniques such as thermography and vibration. They continuously look for ways to improve equipment reliability through good lubrication practices. My passion and enthusiasm for lubrication has inspired many engineers, technicians, operators and lubricators to look at equipment reliability in a whole new way—to consider the lubricant as much of a part of the equipment as a bearing or gear—and to treat lubrication as an integral part of a world-class reliability program.
You can reach Marianne Duncanson at mpdunca@earthlink.net.