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Our lubricants has underwent extensive testing, development, and analysis to arrive at its current state. They fulfill their intended function better than every minor effort taken by our organization to formulate them.  But nevertheless, a number of incidents that occur during storage after delivery can affect its quality. Careless handling, contamination, exposure to extreme / abnormal temperatures, and stock ambiguity are certain problems that can cause wastage, damage to machinery, deterioration of lubricants, increased maintenance costs, and a reduction in productivity. Every day, at-least one machine is either freshly charged or topped-up with new lubricant. Their goal is to improve the equipment's performance and lifespan. But, they frequently add mixed, chemically depleted lubricants that are contaminated with moisture, chemicals, and particulates without realizing it. These incidents are frequently the result of inadequate in-plant storage. Lubrication storage and handling can have a significant impact on your Lubrication regimes and programs to work effectively to provide returns on investments, and if done rightfully, often leads to extensive savings in consumption, prevention of losses in spillages, predictive stocking patterns, proactive maintenance schedules, ensuring personnel health and safety, protection of environment by prevention of pollution, reduced handling time and labor, reduced downtime and cost of repairs, Cleanliness and systematic housekeeping, etc. Let’s take a simple approach to identify what needs to be done.

Causes of degradation of stored Lubricants

Storage of lubricants beyond its shelf life period – However not always exceeding shelf life causes degradation of products. If rightfully stored, the products may be used even after shelf life expectancy. It is always suggested to get the lubricants tested for its efficiency in application. Unclean, dirty and common dispensing equipment for multiple lubricants causing inappropriate mixing or cross contamination. Moisture/water ingress, dust-dirt contamination and extreme temperatures.

Do any of the lubricants you have in store sit unused on your shelves?

The majority of lubricants can be kept for a long time without any problems, but they won't last forever. Even in ideal storage conditions, lubricants can lose their performance potential and finally cease to exist if kept for too long. This issue can be resolved by rotating inventory on a first-in, first-out (FIFO) basis. Set up storage racks and shelves to assist this rotation, putting fresh purchases in the back and allowing older goods to migrate forward to be used before it expires. Segregate new products from the used oil containers. Lubricant containers that are still factory sealed and unopened can be kept for a longer period of time than those that have been partially dispensed. Hence always opt for right pack sizes as per requirement. Implement proper handling and storage of lubricants when containers are being delivered and unloaded at premises. Always maintain safety stocks for refills in case of emergency or breakdowns.

How and where to store your lubricants?

Ideally, lubricants should be stored indoors, in a clean & dry damp-proof environment kept at a stable, moderate temperatures. Ideal storage temperature ranges from 0-40 °C Your barrels breathe, hence exposure to fluctuating temperatures can cause thermo-siphon activities even in a sealed containers causing contamination from moisture, dust, dirt and airborne particles affecting the cleanliness of lubricants. Direct exposure to hot or cold weather, direct sunlight, rains, moisture should be avoided as this may cause chemical degradation or precipitation and can considerably abbreviate the lifespan of the products. In case of outdoors storage, lubricants should be stored in racks and should be protected from direct sunlight using suitable covering medium. Always store the containers on the racks/platforms off the ground.

Product Identification and Use of Clean Dispensers.

Setting up Alpha-numeric/Color-coding system and product identification symbols for all products and components. This will help avoid the disasters caused due to undesirable lubricant mix-up Setting up a small well equipped lube room with clean and dedicated pumps, hoses and transfer containers by product categories. Lube room should be big enough to store sufficient quantity of lubricants for maintenance intervals, but should not be used to store bulk quantities. It should have a limited access to avoid errant use of lubricants. Clean the seals and areas around openings before and after use. Clean and flush the dispensing container thoroughly before use. Lubricants stored over a long period of time may have activity inside causing additives to settle at the base, hence such containers should be agitated rigorously before use so as to ensure uniform circulation of additives across the lubricant.

Ideal Storage and Handling Practices

Always refer to the manufacturer’s recommendations for recommended shelf life of the products in use and Material Safety Data Sheet (MSDS) for Health and Safety related concerns for handling and transport. Maintain a record of product specifications as mentioned on the Certificate of Analysis of the supplied batch so as to compare with the test results of periodically tested used oil to estimate remaining life of lubricants. Discard away any goods that is out of date, not in use, or "not traceable/unidentifiable." Drums are best stored on their sides (horizontally), with bungs at the 3 and 9 o'clock positions, whether kept indoors (preferred) or outside. This inhibits air entry through the bungs and prevents moisture from accumulating on the top (particularly if stored outside). Use drum covers (rain caps) or store drums tilted if they must be kept outside upright to prevent moisture from developing and penetrating through the bungs. Opened, partially used containers should be properly, tightly closed to minimize contamination of the surplus fluid. To help keep contaminants out, cover or cap pails and drums when not in use. You can also think about bung-breather filters for regularly opened drums and filtered breathers for tanks. If used grease tubes are to be reused, keep each one in a separate, washable container that may be sealed. Avoid using galvanized tanks and piping, as some lubricant additives react adversely with zinc and will form sludge/metal soaps Grease containers should be stored upright in cool dry area away from air-borne dust/dirt (Indoors) and under cover away from sunlight, rain and debris (Outdoors). The edges should be wiped off to prevent contamination while the partially emptied grease surfaces in the containers should be smoothened and levelled to avoid oil separation. Cartridges to be stored vertically upright. Diesel Exhaust Fluids (DEF) needs to be stored indoors away from direct sunlight and at temperature ?35°C as per ISO 2241-3 DEF/AUS 32.