Best Practices

Abstract

of angst associated with the purchase of high-performance lubricants. This is driven by the combined issues of proof of performance and value vs. the inevitable spike in purchase cost. Proof of performance can be diffi cult. It is impossible to see into the invisible gap between the lubricant surfaces in the machine to judge precisely what the material is doing for its obvious price premium. Much of the proof of improvement is based on evidence such as reduced heat, wear debris, energy consumption and product consumption. Ultimately, the end-user takes the risk up front in the form of added cost of operations on the promise that he or she will earn that premium back and add more value over time in the form of reduced cost of operations. At the same time, the total cost of lubricant purchases is truly irrelevant to the plant’s annual profi tability. The differential cost between the stuff in use vs. the stuff that could be in use can sometimes be signifi cant, but in the end it is still irrelevant. Differences in use cost are a different story. This article explores the general differences in conventional, high-performance and specialty products, as well as the impact of the net lubricant purchases on plant profi ts. Additionally, we’ll present use cost vs. purchase price and consider a few possible drawbacks that could accompany a switch to HP products. F