Concepts

A GUIDE TO BETTER L U B R I C AT I O N V O L U M E 2 0 , N O. 2

Automated Lubrication Looks Good On Paper

The problem: Champion
International Corporation’s paper
mill at Lufkin, TX, had too
much unplanned downtime and
lost production.

The plant’s four massive paper

machines churn out new product
around the clock. Lufkin’s
maintenance crews kept
everything running as efficiently
as possible. They consistently
followed an exact manual
lubrication timetable for more
than 100 critical bearings on
each machine. But despite
everyone’s best efforts, problems
persisted. “Grease breaks” on one
machine and a couch roll bearing
that failed regularly on another
led to costly repairs and lost
production. There were also safety
concerns, because workers had to
lubricate high-speed machines
while they were operating.

The solution: Champion solved

its problems with one automated “We’ve had significant
product—custom-designed
Lincoln Industrial Centro-Matic savings with each of the
lubrication systems. “We’ve had Centro-Matic® systems
TOM BERRY, WILL COX, GLENN COOK AND PAUL MACHAC WITH
significant savings with each of
the Centro-Matic systems we’ve
CHAMPION’S MILL IN LUFKIN, TX, STAND BY THE LINCOLN we’ve had installed.”
INDUSTRIAL CENTO-MATIC® SYSTEM.
had installed,” says Will Cox,
Lufkin’s Mechanical Supervisor. “And the savings have been across The bottom line: The Centro-
the board—an increase in Matic system that solved Lufkin’s
production, a decrease in grease break problem paid for
maintenance costs, plus improved itself in just over a year. The
safety conditions. We’ve even Centro-Matic that’s kept the
seen savings from reduced troublesome couch roll bearing
lubricant use.” in perfect condition for over two
years returned its investment in
less than six months.
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Concepts
A G U I D E T O B E T T E R L U B R I C AT I O N

How grease breaks and downtime were

tearing into Champion’s paper production
Champion’s Lufkin mill produces
OVER LUBRICATION RESULTS IN EXCESS
approximately 1,300 tons of catalog GREASE ESCAPING FROM THE BEARING.
AFTER TIME, THIS GREASE CAN FALL
paper, newsprint and recycled paper
ONTO THE PAPER MACHINE, CAUSING A
every day in an environment that’s “GREASE BREAK.”

gritty and caustic. Operating

temperatures exceed 120°F and a

constant cloud of corrosive moisture

rises from the wet-end of each

machine. But with hundreds of

millions of dollars invested in

machinery, Champion can’t afford

to let harsh conditions lead to

unplanned downtime— and a serious impact

on production levels. LINCOLN INDUSTRIAL’S

CENTRO-MATIC® HANDLES
Before Centro-Matic, the plant’s “oilers” manually THE PULP AND PAPER
INDUSTRY’S DEMANDING
lubricated hundreds of points on its four paper
ENVIRONMENT.
machines, greasing each bearing as often as three

times a week. Because oilers worked in close quarters

with machines making up to 4,000 feet of paper

per minute, safety was also a concern. But Lufkin’s

immediate problems were grease breaks and a balky

couch roll bearing.

Manual lubrication of high-speed machines leads

inevitably to an ongoing cycle of under- and over-

lubrication—and premature bearing wear in both

cases. And because bearings squeeze out excess

lubricant, it can fall onto paper as it’s formed, causing

2 Information Provided by Lincoln Industrial

CONTENTS
 “Every time the bearing went
out, it cost us thousands.”

“grease breaks.” The breaks not completely redesign

only mean lost production, they the couch roll or

require workers to remove paper improve its grease

from machines while they’re lubrication method.”

running. Lufkin was expending

Machac, Cox
considerable resources to correct
and Champion
a long-term grease break problem
Maintenance
on the company’s nearly
Superintendent
60-year-old light-weight
Glenn Cook began
catalog paper machine.
looking at automated

Champion’s crew was also having lubrication to solve

a problem with the couch roll their problems.

bearing on a newer machine.

“Every time the bearing went

out,” says Maintenance Engineer

THE NUMBER ONE PAPER
Paul Machac, “it cost us MACHINE HAS BEEN IN
CONSTANT SERVICE AT THE
thousands. Our options were to
LUFKIN MILL SINCE 1939—
ALMOST 60 YEARS.

COMPARISON MANUAL/AUTOMATIC LUBRICATION

Manual Lubrication Automatic Lubrication Automatic centralized lubrication offers:

Increased profits
Lubricant in bearings (quantity)

Good lubrication, Longer maintenance intervals

Good protection
Lower repair/spare part costs

Minimum quantity Improved operating/readiness times

Decreased lubricant consumption

Wear due to friction,
little protection Significant contributions to the environment
Positive lubrication
Lubrication intervals Lubrication intervals

Information Provided by Lincoln Industrial 3

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Concepts
A G U I D E T O B E T T E R L U B R I C AT I O N
DOUG BELL SETS THE SYSTEM SENTRY II
CONTROLLER FOR PAPER MACHINE #2.

Teamwork leads to
lubrication solutions
The solutions to Champion’s Energy (Lincoln’s distributor to

lubrication problems involved Champion) had been calling us

more than the right system. for a long time. He was servicing

Solutions emerged from the the filtration system for the oil

value-added “team approach” lubrication system on the dry Manager, to work on the team

Lincoln Industrial and end of our machines when he with Champion’s people. “The

its distributors believe in started working with us to Lincoln Industrial team helped us

and practice. come up with solutions for our look at all of the options available

wet-end problems.” to us,” Paul says. “They truly

“It’s interesting how the whole
became partners in the process,
thing came together,” Machac Bell called in Ray Dolan, a
with the primary objective of
observes. “Doug Bell of Applied Lincoln Industrial District Sales
finding how they could help

Champion save money and

RAY DOLAN LENDS A HAND WITH INSPECTION.
increase productivity.”

The clincher for Champion

was seeing Matti Lopponen,

Lincoln Industrial’s Specialist

for the Pulp and Paper Industry,

give a presentation at a

maintenance conference in

Atlanta. “We knew then just how

committed Lincoln Industrial

was to working with our

industry,” Cook explains.

“We knew then just how committed

Lincoln Industrial was to working
with the pulp and paper industry.”

4 Information Provided by Lincoln Industrial

CONTENTS
Custom designed
Centro-Matic®
systems are installed
Once Champion decided to try machine #1—a pumping station,

the Centro-Matic grease controller, injectors and piping—

lubrication system, Lincoln’s team lubricates each bearing once every

helped set up an installation hour. Machine #2 has a state-of-

timetable for Lufkin. The priority the-art System Sentry II

was machine #1, the plant’s controller servicing two zones,

oldest and most critical. “By the couch roll bearing every 15 “The Lincoln
installing Centro-Matic on minutes and the machine’s other Industrial
number one,” explains Cook, bearings once each hour. team helped
us look at
“we figured we could check it After seeing Centro-Matic’s
all of the
out, see its effects on grease performance on #1 and #2,
options
breaks, and make a final Champion will complete available
determination on a schedule for installation of systems on to us.”
the rest of the machines.” machines #3 and #4 in 1998.

But #2’s couch roll bearing

JUST A FEW OTHERS USING CENTRO-MATIC® AND
became a much more pressing
OTHER LINCOLN INDUSTRIAL LUBRICATING SYSTEMS
problem. “In terms of potential

cost savings,” says Machac, “we • KIMBERLY-CLARK INTERNATIONAL:

began looking at a system for
• MACMILLAN PACKAGING • HAINDL PAPIER, GERMANY
number two. It’s our fastest
• WILLAMETTE INDUSTRIES • SCA, SWEDEN
machine, nearly twice the speed

of number one. So we decided to • GEORGIA-PACIFIC • ENSO, FINLAND

move on it, too.” • FRASER PAPER • BALAKHNA PULP & PAPERBOARD

COMBINE, RUSSIA
Lincoln’s experienced installers • FORT JAMES
• ITC BHADRACHALAM, INDIA
had no problem taking on the • SOMERSET FIBER
• GENTING SANYEN INDUSTRIAL,
additional machine, installing • SONOCO PRODUCTS MALAYSIA
both Centro-Matic systems in
• BEAR ISLAND PAPER
May, 1996. The system on

Information Provided by Lincoln Industrial 5

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Concepts
A G U I D E T O B E T T E R L U B R I C AT I O N
MAIN LUBRICANT LINES
ARE EQUIPPED WITH QUICK
DISCONNECT FITTINGS TO
ALLOW FOR EASIER
MACHINE MAINTENANCE.

Eliminating grease breaks

and reducing downtime
Champion is very satisfied with its “At Champion, the Lincoln Industrial

Lincoln Industrial Centro-Matic® Centro-Matic systems have already

systems. There’s less downtime now paid for themselves,” notes Machac.

because the grease breaks that plagued “Based on how often we had to change

machine #1 have been virtually the couch roll bearing before, the

eliminated. And #2’s couch roll bearing Centro-Matic system on machine

continues to work smoothly. Before number two paid for itself in less than

Centro-Matic, inspections of wet-end six months. We’ve had substantial

bearings found traces of water. There’s savings, dropping from the major costs

no water present now because Centro- we had each year to a couple of barrels

Matic’s optimum-level lubrication of grease.”

keeps water and contaminants out. RAY DOLAN AND DOUG BELL LOOK OVER THE
#2 COUCH ROLL BEARING AFTER INSPECTION.

6 Information Provided by Lincoln Industrial

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“At Champion, the Centro-Matic®
systems have already paid
for themselves.”
After 18 months with no problems, was great! Properly lubricated, water-

the Champion people decided to free, looking good. We just put the

inspect the couch roll bearing to darned thing back together and it’s

check on Centro-Matic’s performance already been running another six

for themselves. “There was nothing months without incident.”

CENTRO-MATIC® INJECTORS CONTINUE TO

wrong,” says Machac. “The bearing OPERATE IN HARSH CONDITIONS.

“We’ve had substantial

savings, dropping from the
major costs we had each
TOM BARRY (LEFT), A STRONG SUPPORTER OF AUTOMATED LUBRICATION,
year to a couple of barrels
RECEIVES A TRAINING REVIEW. of grease.”

Information Provided by Lincoln Industrial 7

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Concepts
A G U I D E T O B E T T E R L U B R I C AT I O N

Just one more satisfied After this publication was

Lincoln Industrial customer produced, the Lufkin mill

was acquired by Donohue
“Centro-Matic® never gets tired,” says Industries, Inc.
Champion Maintenance Engineer Paul
Machac. “If it’s hot, it doesn’t mind. If
it’s cold, it doesn’t mind. If there’s water
coming down everywhere, it doesn’t
mind. Centro-Matic doesn’t get sick.
It’s always on time. It’s always going to
get the grease to the bearing. It’s the
wave of the future. I’m convinced of it.”

Centro-Matic is the wave of the future

because Lincoln Industrial has a long CHAMPION PERSONNEL INSTALLED SYSTEMS FOR MACHINES #3 AND #4 IN 1998.

tradition of providing innovative Lincoln Industrial’s lubrication strong commitment to R&D,

lubrication solutions like the one solutions range from general ISO 9001-manufacturing, and an

detailed in the preceding pages. It’s a lubrication equipment to a complete industry-leading global network

tradition that not only helps the pulp line of automated systems (Centro- of distributors.

and paper industry, but many more, Matic®, Helios®, Duo-Matic™,

From the first free
Modular Lube®, Quicklub®), from Concepts
including:
audit, when is a magazine for
• construction • steel • cement pumps (PileDriver® III, PowerMaster®
Lincoln Industrial Lincoln Industrial customers
• chemical • glass • trucking
III) that can handle the toughest
• agriculture • utilities • mining shows customers Please Direct Ideas,
• food and beverage applications to precision oil lubrication
how to save money Comments or Questions
• auto manufacturing systems (ORSCO)—and more. In fact, to:
with improved Lincoln Industrial
many OEMs insist on building
lubrication practices, Marketing Communications
Lincoln Industrial systems into their and Research
to creating a team Tel: (314) 679-4255 or 4256
products at the factory. Lincoln
that custom-designs Fax: (314) 679-4359
Industrial backs everything with a www.lincolnindustrial.com
the right system

CHAMPION IS CONSIDERING ADDITIONAL

(and trains maintenance personnel in
LINCOLN INDUSTRIAL APPLICATIONS AT its proper care), Lincoln Industrial
LUFKIN, INCLUDING VEHICLE AND MACHINERY
creates one thing—satisfied customers.
SYSTEMS FOR THE PLANT’S WOOD YARD
AND PULP AREA.

One Lincoln Way Lincoln Industrial is a registered trademark Form 442859

St. Louis, MO 63120-1578 of Lincoln Industrial (USA) Company Printed in U.S.A. (6/98)
(314) 679-4200 © Copyright 1998 by Lincoln Industrial
www.lincolnindustrial.com
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 TYPICAL APPLICATION OF A LINCOLN INDUSTRIAL
CENTRO-MATIC® AUTOMATED LUBRICATION SYSTEM
ON THE WET END OF A FOURDRINIER PAPER MACHINE

LINCOLN INDUSTRIAL CENTRO-MATIC LUBRICATION SYSTEM

ON FOURDRINIER AND PRESS SECTION DRIVE SIDE
RLB 07-08-98

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