Machinery Lubrication magazine published by Noria Corporation
Issue link: http://www.e-digitaleditions.com/i/730290
6 | September - October 2016 | www.machinerylubrication.com isn't anything your oil supplier sold you. BS&W bowls can provide a quick visual inspection. You can also pull a bottle sample if a simple ball valve is installed. Sample Ports — These can be located in return lines, live zones or other strategic locations for quick sampling and at-ma- chine inspections. In addition to visual inspections, you can perform a simple blotter spot test or a crackle test for the presence of free water. Grease Purge Traps — What emerges out of a grease purge port during relubri- cation or during normal operation is an indication of lubricant health in the core of the bearing. Different traps and collection devices can be installed and used to inspect the discharged grease for hard- ness, oil content, particles, color, etc. Inspection Devices Numerous inspection devices are used to quickly assess solid debris concentra- tions and other types of lubricant contamination. These devices include magnetic plugs, debris traps, Y-strainers, last-chance f ilters and corrosion gauges. Instrumentation Today, there is a fairly wide selection of sensors and gauges that can provide effec- tive real-time information on machine conditions. These include vacuum gauges, temperature gauges, proximity probes, flow meters, free-water alarms and load sensors. Most of these instruments can report digital or analog readings at the machine and are viewable by inspectors. Additionally, oil analysis is no longer the exclusive domain of the laboratory. An assortment of instruments can be installed directly on the machine to assess viscosity changes, moisture readings, particle counts, wear debris concentrations and changes in oil chemistry. Vibration acceler- ometers can also be imbedded or affixed to operating machinery for periodic exam- ination by inspectors. Final Thoughts As mentioned previously, there are costs and even a bit of risk associated with getting a machine to the proper state of inspection readiness. Reliability is always an invest- ment. It's monetized later, usually in multiples. Most investments work this way. You are not tr ying to maximize inspec- tion readiness but rather optimize it. You want to get it right, so make the right choices. Be penny wise, not pound foolish. It's false economy to tr y to save money by not investing wisely. It's like education. If you think it is expensive, tr y ignorance. About the Author Jim Fitch has a wealth of "in the trenches" experience in lubrication, oil analysis, tribology and machinery failure investigations. Over the past two decades, he has presented hundreds of courses on these subjects. Jim has published more than 200 technical articles, papers and publications. He serves as a U.S. delegate to the ISO tribology and oil analysis working group. Since 2002, he has been the director and a board member of the International Council for Machinery Lubrication. He is the CEO and a co-founder of Noria Corporation. Contact Jim at jfitch@noria.com. AS I SEE IT