Cement Plant Lubrication Management Overhaul for Heavy Industry in UAE
The Challenge
One of the UAE's prominent cement manufacturing plants, located in Ras Al Khaimah's industrial zone, was struggling with chronic bearing failures across its production line. The plant operated 3 rotary kilns, 4 raw material mills, 2 cement mills, and 28 conveyor systems -- all operating in an environment saturated with abrasive cement dust. The lubrication program had not been updated in over a decade, relying on manual greasing schedules that were inconsistently followed and used generic lubricants not suited for the extreme conditions.
Key Pain Points
The Solution
SMS Bearings implemented a Total Lubrication Management (TLM) program that transformed the plant's approach from reactive manual greasing to a precision-engineered lubrication ecosystem. The program covered lubricant selection optimization, automatic lubrication system installation, contamination control, oil analysis monitoring, and maintenance team upskilling -- all designed specifically for the extreme conditions of UAE cement manufacturing.
SMS lubrication engineers audited every lubrication point in the plant (over 840 grease points and 120 oil sumps). The audit revealed 12 different grease brands in use with no compatibility verification, 30% of grease points receiving incorrect volumes, and 22% being completely missed on manual schedules. The lubricant portfolio was rationalized from 12 greases down to 4 application-specific SKF and Schaeffler lubricants.
SKF Lincoln automatic lubrication systems were installed on all critical assets: progressive systems for kiln support rollers and mill trunnion bearings, single-point lubricators for conveyor idler bearings, and chain lubrication systems for bucket elevators. Automatic systems ensure correct lubricant volumes at precise intervals, eliminating both over-greasing (which causes overheating) and under-greasing (which causes wear).
Cement dust is the number one enemy of bearings in this environment. SMS specified and installed: labyrinth seal upgrades for all kiln and mill bearing housings, breather filters on all oil sumps to prevent airborne dust ingress, sealed grease delivery systems from drum to bearing point, and clean storage protocols for lubricant inventory.
A monthly oil analysis program was established for all oil-lubricated bearings (kilns, mills, gearboxes). Samples are analyzed for wear particle content, moisture levels, viscosity degradation, and contamination. Results are trended over time to predict bearing condition and determine optimal oil change intervals rather than using wasteful calendar-based changes.
For the 200+ grease points not covered by automatic systems, SMS engineers calculated application-specific regreasing intervals and volumes using SKF DialSet methodology. Each point received a metal tag with its specific grease type, volume (in grams), and interval (in operating hours). Mobile-app-based task tracking ensured schedule compliance.
Three-day intensive lubrication training program for 22 maintenance technicians covering: lubricant chemistry and application matching, automatic lubrication system maintenance and troubleshooting, oil sampling techniques for reliable analysis results, contamination control best practices in cement environments, and grease gun calibration for correct volume delivery.
Products Used
Brands Involved
Execution Timeline
Phase 1: Lubrication Audit & Planning
- Comprehensive audit of 840+ grease points and 120 oil sumps
- Lubricant compatibility testing across existing products
- Lubricant rationalization from 12 products to 4
- Automatic lubrication system design for critical assets
- Oil analysis baseline sampling for all oil-lubricated bearings
Phase 2: System Procurement & Preparation
- SKF Lincoln automatic lubrication system procurement
- Labyrinth seal specification and manufacturing for custom housings
- Breather filter selection and procurement
- Mobile task tracking app setup for manual greasing routes
- Precision greasing schedule calculation (SKF DialSet) for each point
Phase 3: Installation & Training
- Automatic lubrication system installation during scheduled kiln shutdowns
- Labyrinth seal upgrades on mill and kiln bearing housings
- Breather filter installation on oil sumps and gearboxes
- Metal identification tags installed at all grease points
- 3-day lubrication training program (2 batches of 11 technicians)
Phase 4: Monitoring & Optimization
- Monthly oil analysis reporting and trend analysis
- Automatic lubrication system performance verification
- Regreasing schedule compliance monitoring via mobile app
- First quarterly lubrication review and interval adjustment
- Performance benchmarking vs pre-program bearing failure rates
The Outcome
Business Impact
"We had been throwing money at bearing replacements for years without addressing the root cause. SMS Bearings showed us that 70% of our bearing failures were lubrication-related, not bearing quality issues. The automatic lubrication systems and precision scheduling have transformed our maintenance culture. Our technicians now understand why they are greasing, not just that they should be greasing."
Key Learnings
Frequently Asked Questions
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