Lassi For Us, Lube For Them: Surviving Summer, Human & Machine Edition
What Indian Summers Can Teach Us About Keeping Equipment Cool
It’s that time of year again—when fans whirl at full speed, ACs groan under pressure, and the only thing hotter than the sun is the debate over whether buttermilk or coconut water is the better coolant. As India heads into peak summer, we’re all trying to cope.
I’m not an engineer, but working closely with reliability professionals through training sessions, interviews, and magazine stories, I’ve picked up a thing or two about how heat doesn’t just test people—it tests machines too.
Figure 1. Lassi to sip, lube for the grip!
And unlike us, machines can’t reach for a cool drink or complain. They just keep running… until they don’t.
Heat Hurts Machines More Than We Think
In almost every training session I’ve coordinated, someone inevitably mentions this: “Our breakdowns go up in summer.”
It makes perfect sense. Higher ambient temperatures cause: • Lubricants to break down faster • Bearings to overheat • Seals to fail • Oil viscosity to drop • Cooling systems to underperform
I once spoke with a maintenance planner from Gujarat who said their gearboxes regularly overheated in May and June—especially those near furnace areas or under tin sheds. “It’s like working out in the sun with no water,” he said. “You can’t blame the machine if it gives up.”
How We Survive vs. How Machines Should
Let’s compare:
| What We Do in Summer | What Machines Need |
|---|---|
| Drink water all day | Proper lubricant levels and top-ups |
| Wear cotton and linen | Heat-resistant seals and synthetic oils |
| Avoid going out at noon | Load reduction and downtime during peak heat |
| Use fans and ACs | Ventilation and cooling systems |
| Take electrolyte drinks | Condition monitoring and oil analysis |
What We Do in Summer What Machines Need Drink water all day Proper lubricant levels and top-ups Wear cotton and linen Heat-resistant seals and synthetic oils Avoid going out at noon Load reduction and downtime during peak heat Use fans and ACs Ventilation and cooling systems Take electrolyte drinks Condition monitoring and oil analysis
At one plant visit I tagged along for, the team was tracking oil temperature in a compressor that kept tripping in the afternoons. Turns out the lube had oxidized and thinned out due to extreme heat. Their fix? A higher viscosity synthetic oil and a dedicated cooler. Since then, no more shutdowns.
Lubrication = Hydration (For Machines)
If machines could talk, they’d ask for:
- Clean, thermally stable lubricants
- Timely oil changes and filter replacements
- Grease reapplication (but not overdoing it!)
- Proper storage of lubricants—no barrels baking under the sun
At one training, a participant joked, “Our oils get more sun than we do.” And honestly, it’s true in many plants. Just moving oil drums indoors or under a shaded area makes a surprising difference in quality.
Cooling Isn’t Luxury—It’s Necessity
Some practical tips shared by maintenance professionals I’ve met:
- Fit exhaust fans or blowers near high-temperature machines
- Don’t ignore clogged vents—dust kills cooling
- Add temperature gauges and alarms — it’s better than guessing
- Use reflective sheets or insulation over outdoor machines
One team in Telangana retrofitted heat shields around a hydraulic unit exposed to the western wall of their building. The oil temp dropped by 12°C almost instantly— and they haven’t faced a shutdown since.
Final Thought: Respect the Heat (For You and Your Machines) Machines don’t ask for much. Just clean oil, good air, and a little monitoring. And in return, they work relentlessly. But summer is brutal—even on steel.
As someone who’s seen the passion reliability engineers have for protecting their equipment, I’ve learned this: a little empathy and preparation go a long way.
So next time you reach for your third coconut water of the day, pause and ask—has the machine had what it needs to stay cool too?
Stay cool. Stay consistent. And don’t let your machines suffer a summer meltdown.
So next time you reach for your third coconut water of the day, pause and ask—has the machine had what it needs to stay cool too?
Stay cool. Stay consistent. And don’t let your machines suffer a summer meltdown.
