Lubrication School

Level 1

Lubrication School Level 1 provides the essentials of proper lubricant application while instilling proven industry methods for selecting, storing, filtering and testing lubricants for improved machine reliability. You will move beyond the dated methods of vague, non-specific lubrication procedures to understand what to do and why there is a right way to do it.

Course Outline

2.5 Days

15 Core Modules

Establishing the Importance of Good Lubrication

How lubrication affects machine reliability and life-cycle cost
Direct and indirect financial benefits of lubrication excellence
Equipment maintenance strategies (run-to-failure, preventive, predictive, proactive)

Lubrication Theory

Functions of lubricants in use
Fundamentals of friction, wear, and lubrication regimes (boundary, mixed, hydrodynamic, elastohydrodynamic)
How oil film thickness protects surfaces
Critical clearances in machine components
The Stribeck curve and its applications in machine design and maintenance

Raw Materials (Base Oils, Additives & Thickeners)

Where base oils come from
API’s five base oil groups and their significance
Synthetic base oils, properties and selection in lubricants
The role of base oil viscosity in protection of equipment
Functions of additives
Properties that are affected by additives
Grease thickeners and selection
Simple versus complex greases
NLGI grease grades

Manufacturing Lubricants

Overview of lubricant blending
Quality assurance in blending and additive treat rates
How formulation impacts performance and cost
Setting expectations from suppliers
The importance of product traceability

Lubricant Properties

Key performance properties of lubricanting oils (viscosity, VI, pour point, flash point, demulsibility, air release, foaming tendency)
Key properties of lubricating greases (consistency, dropping point, water resistance)
How properties impact selection

Selection of Lubricants

Selection of lubricants for plain bearings
Selection of lubricants for rolling element bearings
Calculating speed factors and kappa ratios
Choosing between oil and grease for bearing lubrication
Factors impacting lubrication of reciprocating engines
Viscosity selection of engine oils
API and ACEA classifications
How modern engine oil additives impact exhaust aftertreatment systems
Lubricant selection for geared systems, including automotive, industrial and open gears
Lubricating requirements of hydraulic oils
How hydraulic system components affects selection
Mobile versus fixed plant hydraulics
How types of compressors affect selection
How gas type affects compressor oil selection
Turbine oils and their selection criteria
The impact of varnish on turbine systems
Other ancillary lubricants
Lubricant consolidation programs

Storage and Handling

Understanding the impact of contaminants on asset life
Identifying sources of contaminants
Target cleanliness setting
Understanding the journey of lubricants from manufacturing to the customer
World-class lube room design and setup
Bulk oil storage do’s and don’ts
Drum and tote handling guidelines
Grease storage best practices to prevent hardening/drying
Lubricant identification and colour-coding systems
Shelf-life management
Dispensing best practices

Application of Lubricants

Oil application methods (bath, splash, circulation, mist, spray, constant-level oilers)
Understanding the impact of oil level control on the lubrication of the system
Grease application methods (manual, centralised, single-point, multi-point, ultrasonic-assisted)
Consequences of under- or over-greasing
Understanding the health and safety risks of manual and battery-powered grease guns
Calculating grease re-lubrication intervals and quantities
Maintenance requirements for centralised grease systems

Maintenance of Lubricants

How to set up and maintain lube routes and schedules
Visual inspection of lubricant systems
Maintaining constant oil level
Headspace management to reduce lubricant contamination
Selection and maintenance of dessicant breathers
Condition-based vs interval-based oil changes
Bleed-and-feed strategy for extending drains
Best practices for oil changes, flushing, and reservoir cleaning
Metrics for tracking lubricant consumption and efficiency

Contaminant Removal

The seven most destructive contaminants (particles, water, air, fuel, soot, glycol, process chemicals)
Filtration and separation technologies (depth, surface, centrifugal, vacuum dehydration)
How tight can we safely filter oil?
Portable filter cart use and best practices
Exclusion vs removal strategies
Types of water in oil, and measuring water content
Water removal, and selection of water removal equipment
Understanding the different types of air in oil
Consequences of foaming and entrained air in oil
Strategies for reducing entrained air in oil
Measuring air release and foam performance

Degradation of Oil

Causes of oxidation, thermal breakdown, and additive depletion
Understanding degradation accelerators
Identifying applications where oil degradation is a going concern
Varnish formation and its consequences
By-products of degradation (sludge, acids, deposits, viscosity loss through shear)
Recognising degradation through oil analysis tests (RULER, FTIR, MPC, TAN/TBN)

Machine Wear

Common wear mechanisms: adhesive, abrasive, corrosive, fatigue, erosive
Debris generation and secondary wear
Surface fatigue from contamination
Wear particles as indicators of machine condition
Most common wear mechanisms in engine bearings, rolling bearings, gears and hydraulic pumps

Used Oil Sampling

Sampling theory and why it matters
“Getting a representative sample”
What information should be recorded at time of sampling
Primary and secondary sampling points
Sampling methods for circulating, splash, and hydraulic systems
High-pressure hydraulic sampling safety
Common sampling errors and how to avoid them
Optimising sampling frequency

Testing of Used Lubricants

Core oil analysis tests (viscosity, water, particle count, elemental spectroscopy)
Differences in spectrometric methods and how it impacts results
Specialised tests for degradation (FTIR, RULER, MPC)
Understanding the different way to measure iron in oil
Grease analysis methods and applications
Choosing the right tests for the machine/application
Program justification

Analysis of Used Lubricants

Trending data vs single-point interpretation
Setting alarms and limits
Interpreting results for wear, contamination, and degradation
Integrating oil analysis into reliability programs
Application-specific trends
Case studies of failure prevention through oil analysis

Overview

Certification

Snapshot

Establishing the Importance of Good Lubrication

Lubrication Theory

Raw materials (Base Oils, Additives & Thickeners)

Manufacturing Lubricants

Lubricant Properties

Selection of Lubricants

Storage and Handling

Application of Lubricants

Maintenance of Lubricants

Contaminant Removal

Degradation of Oil

Machine Wear

Used Oil Sampling

Testing of Used Lubricants

Analysis of Used Lubricants

Your Instructors

Shane Scriven

Practical Lubrication Specialist, Data Scientist, Reliability Engineer, AI/ML

Asset Management Consultant

With 20 years of practical, hands-on experience, Shane combines his knowledge of lubrication with cutting edge technology and holistic asset management approaches to deliver well-rounded solutions.

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Michael Hooper

Tutor, Analyst and Technical Author

Noria Corporation

40 years lubrication & oil analysis expert across multiple continents. Noria Services Training Consultant. Managed labs & LIMS development. Author & presenter on lubrication & analysis.

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Rafe Britton

Technical Director

Lubrication Expert

Independent lubrication specialist and founder of Lubrication Expert. 15+ years across mining, power generation, and transport. ICML Machinery Lubrication Engineer, Chartered Professional Engineer.

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Sanya Mathura

Founder & CEO

Strategic Reliability Solutions

Registered Engineer with dual engineering degrees. First Caribbean ICML Machinery Lubrication Engineer. First woman globally with ICML Varnish Badges. International tribology board member championing maintenance education access.

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Enquiries &

Booking

Lubrication School Level 1

Perth WA

Instructor-led, classroom learning

2026-04-27

Apr 27

–

29 Apr

2026

3195

$3195 +GST

Enquire Book Now

Auckland NZ

Instructor-led, classroom learning

2026-05-18

May 18

–

20 May

2026

3195

$3195 +GST

Enquire Book Now

Perth WA

Instructor-led, classroom learning

2026-07-27

Jul 27

–

29 Jul

2026

3195

$3195 +GST

Enquire Book Now

Newcastle NSW

Instructor-led, classroom learning

2026-09-14

Sep 14

–

16 Sep

2026

3195

$3195 +GST

Enquire Book Now

Brisbane QLD

Instructor-led, classroom learning

2026-10-12

Oct 12

–

14 Oct

2026

3195

$3195 +GST

Enquire Book Now

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Private Courses

Whether you have 15 or 1500 people to train, our schools can be offered at a time and location most convenient for your company.

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Your Learning

Pathway

Asset Schools training courses can be completed individually at any time, but have you considered planning a Learning Pathway? For example:

Lubrication Awareness

Lubrication Fundamentals

Lubrication School

Level 1

Lubrication School

Level 2

Still unsure about something?

Our Clients

The knowledge and practical steps imparted during Asset Schools have proven to be invaluable for the overall improvement across the business in greater availability and reduced unit lifecycle costs. Attendance at the Asset Schools portfolio of courses is now a foundation requirement for our team of planners due to the business and personal development benefits.

Ash Davis

OAM, Senior Mines Systems Planner

FMG

Asset Schools give peace of mind that the investment in our Maintenance and Reliability professionals will provide a great return to both them and the business.

Gwyn Garland

Senior Manager

Asset Health Newmont

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