How unplanned downtime costs Indian manufacturers crores
A bearing seizes at 2 AM on the night shift. Production stops. The maintenance team scrambles. Parts are on order. By the time the machine is running again, two shifts have been lost, a customer order is delayed, and the total cost — labour, parts, lost production, penalty clauses — runs into lakhs.
In most cases, this was preventable. Studies of Indian manufacturing plants show that 40 to 60 percent of unplanned mechanical failures are related to improper or neglected lubrication. The equipment was not lubricated at all, or it was lubricated with the wrong oil, or the oil was changed too late.
A preventive lubrication schedule eliminates this. It is a simple, structured plan that ensures every machine in your plant gets the right oil, in the right amount, at the right time — before failure occurs.
What is a preventive lubrication schedule?
A preventive lubrication schedule is a documented maintenance plan that specifies:
- Which machines need lubrication
- What lubricant grade each machine requires (e.g. GS Caltex Delo 15W-40, Caltex Hydraulic Oil VG 46)
- How often each machine should be lubricated or have its oil changed
- How much oil each machine requires
- Who is responsible for each lubrication task
- How to record that the task was completed
It is not complex. A well-run plant can set up a basic lubrication schedule in one day and have it operational within a week. The return on investment is immediate.
Step 1: Create a complete machine inventory
Walk your plant and list every machine that requires lubrication. For each machine, record:
| Machine ID / Name | Unique identifier or tag number for each asset |
| Location | Bay, line, or area in the plant |
| Make and Model | Manufacturer and model number — needed to look up specifications |
| Lubrication points | Number and type: engine sump, gearbox, hydraulic reservoir, bearings, chains |
| Oil capacity | Litres per lubrication point |
| OEM specification | What the manufacturer requires — SAE grade, API standard, viscosity index |
This inventory is the foundation of your schedule. Do not skip it. Assumptions about what oil a machine uses are one of the leading causes of wrong-grade lubrication.
Step 2: Assign the correct GS Caltex grade to each machine
With your inventory complete, match each machine’s OEM specification to the appropriate GS Caltex product. Common assignments:
- Heavy diesel engines (generators, compressors, vehicles): Delo Gold Ultra 15W-40
- Hydraulic systems (presses, forklifts, CNC): Caltex Hydraulic Oil VG 46
- Industrial gearboxes: Caltex Gear Oil ISO VG 220 or 320
- General bearings and joints: Caltex Marfak Grease NLGI 2
- Air compressors: Caltex Compressor Oil (grade per compressor type)
Where you are unsure of the correct grade, contact Imperiea Engineering. We can cross-reference your equipment make and model to the correct GS Caltex product.
Step 3: Set oil change intervals based on operating hours and conditions
Oil change intervals should be based on operating hours, not calendar time. A machine running 20 hours a day degrades oil far faster than one running 8 hours a day. General guidelines for GS Caltex products:
| Diesel engines — standard duty | Every 250 operating hours or as per OEM schedule |
| Diesel engines — severe duty | Every 150–200 operating hours (dusty, high-temperature environments) |
| Hydraulic systems | Every 2,000 operating hours or annually — check oil condition monthly |
| Industrial gearboxes | Every 5,000 operating hours or 2 years for mineral oil; longer for synthetic |
| Bearings (grease) | Re-grease every 500–1,000 hours depending on load and speed |
| Air compressors | Every 2,000 hours for rotary screw; every 500 hours for reciprocating |
Always prioritise OEM-specified intervals over general guidelines. Harsh operating conditions — high dust, extreme heat, continuous duty — require shorter intervals.
Step 4: Assign responsibility to your maintenance team
A lubrication schedule only works if someone owns it. Assign specific tasks to named individuals:
- Designate a Lubrication Coordinator — usually the senior maintenance technician or engineer
- Assign each machine or zone to a specific technician
- Create a daily/weekly/monthly checklist with sign-off fields
- Use a maintenance logbook or simple digital tool to record completions
- Hold a brief monthly review to check compliance and flag any unusual oil conditions
Sample lubrication schedule format
| Machine | Compressor #3 — Ingersoll Rand 37kW |
| Lubrication point | Oil sump |
| GS Caltex product | Caltex Compressor Oil RS 46 |
| Capacity | 12 litres |
| Change interval | Every 2,000 operating hours |
| Last changed | [Date and technician sign-off] |
| Next due | [Date] |
| Responsible technician | [Name] |
Replicate this format for every machine in your inventory. A simple spreadsheet works well for plants up to 50 machines. Larger plants may benefit from a CMMS (Computerised Maintenance Management System).
How GS Caltex’s product consistency simplifies scheduling
One practical advantage of standardising on GS Caltex across your plant is consistency. When all your hydraulic systems use Caltex Hydraulic Oil VG 46 and all your diesel engines use Delo 15W-40, your maintenance team always knows which drum to reach for. There is no confusion between brands, no accidental cross-contamination, and purchasing is simpler because you are buying fewer SKUs in larger quantities.
Imperiea Engineering can set up a standing monthly supply order so your plant never runs short. We deliver in 209-litre barrels and 20-litre cans across Pune and Maharashtra.
Download the free lubrication schedule template and contact Imperiea Engineering to set up your plant’s GS Caltex supply.
