Bridging the maintenance gap
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Since its establishment in 2002, wear control specialist Filter Focus has been combining the most efficient and cost-effective filtration solutions with the world’s most advanced range of lubricating oils and greases, in order to prevent normally accepted wear and failure in heavy industrial equipment for its customers across Africa.
Filter Focus’ Chief Operations Officer Craig FitzGerald says that Filter Focus, a subsidiary of plant and asset protection company Wear Control Group, was established in response to ineffective maintenance practices in industry, whereby lubrication and filtration has for many years been widely misunderstood or ignored. The notion that general lubricants and filtration systems supplied by the Original Equipment Manufacturer (OEM) will adequately protect machinery is a general misconception.
“We have gone far beyond an era whereby the casual use of lubrication is sufficient to keep machinery at peak operating condition. Research done by Filter Focus found that through improved lubrication quality and greater filtration efficiencies, huge gains in Total Cost of Ownership are achieved,” explains FitzGerald. “At Filter Focus we have bridged this technology gap by designing and manufacturing specialist filtration systems that not only protect machine components from wear and failure, but also enhance equipment reliability, availability and operating profits.”
As the official sub-distributor for lubrication manufacturer, Lubrication Engineers, and with its affiliation to the Wear Control Group subsidiary, Filter Focus is able to provide customers in the mining, manufacturing, power generation, industrial and agricultural sectors with a large range of filtration, lubrication and tribology products and services, that includes: specialist vacuum dehydration plants, offline sub-micron filtration systems, Easylube® RFID automated lubrication, oil analysis, reliability engineering, and predictive and preventative maintenance.
In a report released from the US-based Henniker Conference on National Materials Policy, machine ‘wear and tear’ is listed as one of three major technical areas affecting materials utilisation and cost reductions. FitzGerald says that considering this, it is hard to believe that maintenance is still seen as a cost centre and not an area where profits can be protected. In today’s economic climate, a change in mindset could be the difference between success and failure.
“Machines that fail in service often cost up to ten times as much to repair, than if the repair was anticipated and scheduled. Many industries have reported a 2 - 10 % productivity increase, due to the correct use of predictive maintenance practices - this includes the utilisation of the correct lubrication, filtration and an up-to-date oil analysis program,” explains FitzGerald.
In the mining and manufacturing sectors, Filter Focus’ various products and services has enabled clients to achieve the following success: major reductions in oil consumption and onsite pollution; lower electricity consumption through superior lubrication; and increases in component life with improved plant availability and reduced breakdowns.
Technological breakthroughs in open gear lubrication have been achieved with Pyroshield® gear oil. “The majority of our clients have seen the light and have converted from old asphaltic-based grease products to Pyroshield® gear oil. Benefits include an average reduction in electricity consumption by as much as 12%, lower vibration and noise levels, a 25% reduction in gear operating temperatures and significantly less on-site pollution,” says FitzGerald
FitzGerald points out that filtration systems installed by Filter Focus at the primary and secondary crushers at the Sishen Iron Ore Mine has achieved dramatic results for Kumba Iron Ore. During the first year of implementation, Filter Focus’ filtration systems saved in excess of 40 000 litres of oil; FitzGerald says that this saving increased to 75 000 litres per annum in the following years.
Contamination directly impacts the lifespan of oil, as well as that of the component in which it is operating. FitzGerald says that all oil is to a greater or lesser degree contaminated when purchased. “Storage and handling practices will then determine the actual cleanliness of the oil, until put into operation. Particulate contamination measuring in the millions will be present in your new oil before it even gets to work. During operation, each contaminant has the ability to create up to four metal wear particles, and so the cycle continues and grows exponentially,” he explains.
Filter Focus’ continuous offline filtration successfully removes all solids, semi-solids, free water, dissolved water, depleted additives, varnish and sludge. The successful removal of these contaminants will result in reduced operating temperatures and less propensity for the oil to foam, oxidise or chemically alter. The majority of all oil used in South Africa is unnecessarily discarded due to out-dated filtration and maintenance practices.
Filter Focus’ results in the diesel engine and power generation market speak for itself, says FitzGerald. “Through the strategic use of Filter Focus’ products and services, we have managed to lower harmful engine emissions by up to 60%, while at the same time reduce fuel consumption by 3%. Through the use of Lubrication Engineers’ Monolec engine oil, we can safely increase oil service intervals up to 3 000 operating hours,” he explains.
In 2003, Filter Focus fitted diesel and engine oil filtration systems to telecommunication giant Vodacom’s generators in Mozambique. “The general life expectancy of a generator in Africa is eighteen months. Since fitting the systems in 2003, Vodacom has enjoyed unprecedented performance across its nationwide network, not experiencing a single failure or breakdown on over 620 units. More than eight years later, these engines are still performing like new,” explains FitzGerald.
Overall, FitzGerald says that the company’s main aim is to reduce a client’s operating expenditure and increase equipment reliability, while diligently considering and conserving the environment.
“Looking to the year ahead, Filter Focus aims to grow market awareness of the benefits being achieved through reliability engineering, whilst closing the technology gap previously accepted through out-dated operational and maintenance practices,” concludes FitzGerald.
Ends.
Notes to the Editor
There are numerous photographs specific to this press release. Please visit http://media.ngage.co.za and click on the Filter Focus link.
About Filter Focus
Filter Focus SA (Pty) Ltd was formed in January 2002 with the aim of establishing the concept of combination filtration and eliminating contamination related wear and failures in heavy industrial equipment.
Filter Focus Contact
Craig FitzGerald
Chief Operations Officer
Phone: (011) 315 9939
Email: cfitz [at] filterfocus [dot] co [dot] za
Media Contact
Kelly Farthing
NGAGE Public Relations
Phone: (011) 867-7763
Cell: 079 367 7889
Email: Kelly [at] ngage [dot] co [dot] za
Web: www.ngage.co.za
Browse the Ngage Media Zone for more client press releases and photographs at http://media.ngage.co.za