Page 18 - Steel Metallurgy eMagazine Volume September 2026

STEEL MILL MAINTENANCE
REFRACTORY

IMPROVING OEE IN STEEL PRODUCTION

THROUGH BETTER LUBRICATION PRACTICES

teel producers are under constant operation is performing relative to its full
pressure to improve productivity. potential. It comprises availability (how
SWhether the objective is increasing often equipment is running when it is
throughput, reducing maintenance scheduled to run), performance (whether
costs, enhancing product quality, or equipment is operating at its intended
extending asset life, operations teams speed), and quality (how much of the
are continually seeking opportunities to product meets quality standards without
improve operational performance. Much rework or scrap). In heavy industry —
of the industry's attention naturally particularly in steel production — it
focuses on automation, digitalisation serves as a practical frame work for
and advanced process control. Yet some identifying inefficiencies, benchmarking
of the most significant opportunities still performance, and guiding continuous
lie in the fundamentals. One of those improvement initiatives.
fundamentals is lubrication.
LUBRICATION'S
UNDERSTANDING IMPACT ON OEE

OEE
Lubrication is one of the most influential
Overall Equipment Effectiveness (OEE) and controllable factors in maintaining Author: Greg Savernik
is a widely used metric for evaluating reliability within steel mills. Critical
how effectively a manufacturing components such as work roll bearings,
back-up bearings, gearboxes, and drive
systems operate under extreme loads,
elevated temperatures, and constant
exposure to contaminants. Maintaining
a consistent lubricant film is essential to
prevent wear, reduce friction, and protect
equipment from premature failure.

IMPACT ON EQUIPMENT
AVAILABILITY

From an equipment availability
perspective, inadequate lubrication
can quickly lead to costly downtime.
Under-greased work roll bearings may
experience excessive heat and metal-
to-metal contact, resulting in bearing
damage that requires unscheduled
stoppages and replacement. The risks
are even greater for back-up bearings,
which depend on circulating oil systems
to maintain film strength, dissipate heat,
and remove contaminants. A failure in
these heavily loaded components can
cause extended outages and significant
OEE is determined by equipment availability, performance, and quality. Effective lubrication can help disruption to production. Similarly,
minimise losses across each area, supporting improved reliability, productivity, and product quality. lubrication issues in gearboxes and drive

16 STEEL & METALLURGY SEPTEMBER 2026