Maintenance Lubrication Fundamentals

Maintenance Strategy

• Why machines fail
• The impact of poor maintenance on company profits
• The role of effective lubrication in failure avoidance

Lubrication Theory

• Fundamentals of tribology
• Functions of a lubricant
• Hydrodynamic lubrication (sliding friction)
• Elasto-hydrodynamic lubrication (rolling friction)
• Mixed-film lubrication

Lubricants

• Base-oils
• Additives and their functions
• Oil lubricant physical, chemical and performance properties and classifications
• Grease lubrication
  • How grease is made
  • Thickener types
  • Thickener compatibility
  • Grease lubricant physical, chemical and performance properties and classifications

Lubricant Selection

• Viscosity selection
• Base-oil type selection
• Additive system selection
• Machine specific lubricant requirements
  • Hydraulic systems
  • Rolling element bearings
  • Journal bearings
  • Reciprocating engines
  • Gearing and gearboxes
• Application and environment related adjustments

Lubricant Application

• Basic calculations for determining required lubricant volume
• Basic calculations to determine re-lube and change frequencies
• When to select oil, when to select grease
• Effective use of manual delivery techniques
• Automatic delivery systems
  • Automated deliver options
    • Automated grease systems
    • Oil mist systems
    • Drip and wick lubricators
  • Deciding when to employ automated lubricators
  • Maintenance of automated lubrication systems

Preventive and Predictive Maintenance

• Lube routes and scheduling
• Oil analysis and technologies to assure lubrication effectiveness
• Equipment tagging and identification

Lube Condition Control

• Filtration and separation technologies
• Filter rating
• Filtration system design and filter selection

Lube Storage and Management

• Lubricant receiving procedures
• Proper storage and inventory management
• Lube storage containers
• Proper storage of grease-guns and other lube application devices
• Maintenance of automatic grease systems
• Health and safety assurance

Registration Date/Time:
10/13/2026 07:30am Central Time

Event Dates/Times:

• 10/13/2026  8:00am - 4:30pm Central Time
• 10/14/2026  8:00am - 4:30pm Central Time

This is a HyFlex (in-person and online) taught course. Your registration is for one teaching platform only. Please be prepared to attend all days either in-person or online. Contact us if you have any questions before registering. 

This course uses the Canvas course management and Zoom platforms. A UW NetID is required to access Canvas and digital course materials. Both in-person and online students need a NetID. Your registration confirmation email will walk you through the NetID process and how to access Canvas.

All materials for this course are digital and will be available on the Canvas course website. Access to the course materials and the webinar platform will be provided a few days before the course. Please watch the email address you provided during registration for release dates and pre-course information. Check your spam file if you do not see emails from the "wisc.edu" addresses.

• Instructor

  Paul Dufresne

  Chief Reliability Officer for 'Reliability Playbook'

  Paul Dufresne has been president and CEO of Reliability Playbook since 2017, following 31 years of experience in maintenance and reliability roles in the U.S. Military and at Georgia Pacific, Trico Corporation and Koch Industries. After the military, he spent the next several years in the corporate world designing and implementing reliability and maintenance programs focusing on industry best practices and achieving superior results while serving in a variety of roles in maintenance management and reliability leadership. In 2013, he received the Senior VP Award for Reliability from Georgia Pacific.

  Since starting his company, Paul has worked with his customers to help them set in place and improve a culture of excellence as it pertains to plant lubrication, and maintenance and reliability best practices. Through training, coaching and mentoring plant personnel at all levels in the organization, Paul works to create an atmosphere where everyone succeeds.

  Incorporating knowledge from his military and business careers, Paul uses a hands-on approach to help customers across the globe develop and implement world class maintenance and reliability programs. Paul has experienced many successful results throughout his career. Throughout that time, he has also been a featured speaker and keynote presenter at multiple national and international conferences.

  Paul is the past chairman of the Society of Maintenance and Reliability Professionals Best Practices Committee. In 2017, Paul was recognized as SMRP’s Volunteer of the Year. He is a member of the Society of Tribologists and Lubrication Engineers and the Industry Council for Machinery Lubrication where he is very active in subcommittee work.

  He holds credentials through STLE as Certified Lubrication Specialist; through ICML as a Certified Machinery Lubrication Engineer and Maintenance Lubrication Technician Level I; through Mobius Institute as a Asset Reliability Practitioner; through SMRP as Certified Maintenance and Reliability Professional and Technician; through the Association for Facilities Engineering as Certified Plant Maintenance Manager; and through the Association of Asset Management Professionals as Certified Reliability Leader. Paul is certified in predictive maintenance technologies such as vibration analysis and thermography. He has written several articles and technical white papers, and is a frequent presenter and workshop facilitator at industry conferences. Paul is a Distinguished Military Graduate, and has a bachelor’s degree in history with a minor in military science from the University of Central Florida. He and his wife, April, have four children.

• Program Director

  Jon Wellik

This course is part of the Maintenance and Reliability Management Certificate. Enhance your maintenance skills while earning a recognized credential.