Operational Guide - 3. Daily Operations
This chapter describes the day-to-day execution of lubrication work using the GreaseBoss Head Unit, from preparing for a grease run through to confirming that the day's activity has reached the GreaseBoss Cloud.
It is written primarily for lubrication technicians and operators, and for the supervisors responsible for them.
In this chapter:
- Preparing for a Grease Run
- Finding the Work
- At the Grease Point
- How the Head Unit Responds
- Connection Technique
- Completing the Run
- Synchronising Data
- Reviewing Completed Work
- Key Operating Habits
Preparing for a Grease Run
Before starting a run:
- Collect the Head Unit and its dedicated grease gun from the charger.
- Confirm the Head Unit is charged and has synchronised recently, so it holds the current schedule and task list.
- Confirm the grease gun contains the grease type assigned to that Head Unit.
- Confirm the grease gun is in good condition, with no leaks or damaged fittings.
Each Head Unit is paired with one grease gun and one grease type.
The Head Unit cannot sense what is physically in the gun. It knows only the consumable assigned to it in the GreaseBoss Cloud, and it compares that assignment against what each point requires. Keeping the gun's actual contents matching its assigned consumable is therefore a matter of site discipline, not something the system can check.
If a gun is filled with a grease other than the one assigned to its Head Unit, the system has no way of detecting it. The wrong grease will be delivered and recorded as correct, and compliance will report as normal. This is why guns are dedicated to a single grease type, and why any change to the grease used in a gun must be matched by a change to that Head Unit's assigned consumable in the configuration.
Finding the Work
The Head Unit holds and displays the tasks that are currently due. Operators do not need a printed list to know what needs doing.
There are three ways to work through those tasks, and they can be mixed freely within a single run:
| APPROACH | HOW IT WORKS | BEST FOR |
|---|---|---|
| Follow the guided route | The Head Unit directs the operator to the next point in the route order | Completing a full route efficiently |
| Scroll the task list | The operator browses the due tasks on the Head Unit screen and chooses what to do next | Partial runs, restricted access, or working an area out of sequence |
| Go straight to a point | The operator connects to any point directly. If lubrication is due, the Head Unit recognises the point and displays the task | Ad-hoc work, opportunistic greasing during other maintenance |
The third approach is worth understanding clearly: a point does not have to be reached in route order, or selected on screen beforehand, to be greased and recorded correctly. The Head Unit identifies the point from its GreaseTag at the moment of connection, and applies the same checks regardless of how the operator arrived there.
Where a printed reference is still wanted — for planning, for a second pair of hands, or for verifying what the system expects — the Pending Task Report can be generated and taken into the field. It lists the tasks due in a chosen window.
At the Grease Point
At each point:
- Connect the coupler to the grease fitting.
- Read the screen and the nozzle LED before pumping.
- Grease only when the Head Unit indicates that a task is due.
- Deliver grease toward the displayed target volume and stop when the target is reached.
- Move to the next point.
Operators should not grease a point that the Head Unit reports as having no task due. If this appears incorrect, it should be raised with the supervisor rather than worked around, as it usually indicates a configuration issue.
How the Head Unit Responds
| SITUATION | NOZZLE LED | SCREEN | OPERATOR ACTION |
|---|---|---|---|
| Standby, not near a tag | Off | — | Continue to the point |
| Tag read, no lubrication currently due | Red | No task found | Do not grease. Advise supervisor if this appears incorrect |
| Tag read, lubrication due | Blue | Task found, with point name and target volume. As grease is delivered, a live volume count in cc and a horizontal bar track progress toward the target | Grease toward the target volume, watching the bar fill |
| Target volume reached | Green | Target reached | Stop greasing and move to the next point |
| Delivered volume exceeds the configured over-delivery threshold | Red | Over-delivery warning, showing the threshold that was exceeded | Stop greasing and move on |
| The consumable assigned to this Head Unit does not match the point requirement | Red | Wrong grease | Stop. Notify the supervisor if any grease was delivered |
| Tag read but point not recognised | Red | QR code displayed | The point is not mapped. Report for mapping |
The Head Unit warns the operator. It does not physically stop delivery. Training should reinforce checking the screen before pumping.
Connection Technique
The RFID antenna is housed inside the coupler.
A hand wrapped over the metal coupler or dog-leg, or a thumb resting on the quick-release lever, will block the antenna and prevent the tag from being read. The delivery is still metered, but it is recorded as an untracked grease event and is excluded from compliance.
To read reliably:
- Latch the coupler onto the grease nipple.
- Hold the nozzle by its handle.
- Keep hands clear of the metal components of the coupler.
- Confirm the point name appears on screen before pumping.
Poor connection technique is one of the most common causes of unexplained low compliance, and it is correctable through training.
Completing the Run
Continue until the Head Unit shows no further tasks due. The task list is the measure of a completed run, whether the operator followed the guided route, worked from the list on screen, or moved between points as access allowed.
Where a point cannot be greased — for example due to access restrictions, an isolation requirement, a missing tag or a damaged fitting — note the point and report it. The system will record that the task was not completed, and the reason will not be captured unless it is reported separately.
Synchronising Data
Return the Head Unit to its charger at the end of every run.
While on the charger and within range of the Gateway, the Head Unit will:
- Upload the activity recorded during the run
- Download the current task list, including tasks that have newly fallen due
- Download any changes to grease points, schedules, volumes, grease types or route order
- Receive firmware updates
- Remain available for remote support
Synchronising is what loads the next run's work onto the Head Unit. A unit that has not synchronised is still carrying the task list it held last time, so it will show work that has already been completed and will not show tasks that have since fallen due. Greasing from a stale list means both doing work that is not required and missing work that is.
Connecting the charge plug initiates a synchronisation immediately. While the Head Unit remains on charge and in range, it will continue to synchronise every 2 hours.
A Head Unit that is left off its charger but still within range of the Gateway will synchronise once, usually around 1:00 am. Work completed during the day will not appear in reporting until then, which is why charging at the end of the run matters for anyone reviewing the day's activity.
A Head Unit that is out of range of the Gateway cannot upload activity at all, cannot receive schedule changes and cannot be remotely supported.
The screen icons indicate the current synchronisation state, nozzle connection, charging state and battery level. Operators should be familiar with these during training.
Reviewing Completed Work
After synchronisation, the day's activity is available in the GreaseBoss Cloud under Activity.
A short review after each run allows issues to be caught while the detail is still fresh:
- Did the expected number of events arrive?
- Do the occurred and uploaded timestamps look correct?
- Were there any untracked grease events?
- Were there any wrong grease or over-delivery events?
- Are there points that remain outstanding?
Anything unexpected should be followed up using the process described in Chapter 6.
Key Operating Habits
- Charge and synchronise between every run.
- Keep each Head Unit with its dedicated grease gun and grease type.
- Read the screen before pumping.
- Keep hands clear of the coupler while greasing.
- Report points that cannot be greased, rather than leaving them unexplained.
- Report points that display a QR code or an unexpected "No task found" result.