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was pulled, the analysis of the additives and the particle count. Other
documents, such as a record of the last time the blending plant or
supplier was audited, might also be requested.
Visual Inspection — Ensure the correct lubricant is
being delivered in the right container/size. Check the
container's bungs, caps or seals to make sure there are
no points for possible contamination. Check the label
to make sure the correct lubricant is being received, that
the lubricant is not out of date, and that it falls in line with the shelf
life of the Q.C. program. If bulk lubricants are being delivered and
offloaded via a pump, all lubricant transfer equipment should be
inspected to ensure that it was properly stored and to make sure you
will not be introducing contaminants into the lubricant. All transfer
equipment should also be flushed before they deliver lubricants to the
bulk tank. Bulk deliveries should always have a sample taken to
confirm properties with lab testing.
Oil Analysis — Depending on the volume of lubri-
cants and overall machine criticality, a site may
want to perform oil analysis on all incoming lubri-
cants. Testing may be done on-site or sent to a
laboratory for more in-depth testing. A couple of
on-site tests that can be performed are:
• Viscosity — An easy test that can be done on-site with a relatively
inexpensive tool called a visgauge. Viscosity is the single most
important property of a lubricant; if the delivered lubricant is not
the correct viscosity, it should be returned.
• Particle Count — On-site particle counters are becoming a
common tool for lubrication programs these days. Within a couple
of minutes, you can get a report on how clean or dirty the tested
lubricant is. Remember, just because the oil is new doesn't mean
the oil is clean.
What to do with lubricants that fail
Listing actions that should be taken when lubricants fail any of
the tests you put them through is important to close the circle of the
quality process. ese steps should be created in collaboration with
your vendor and should be clearly defined based on the test that the
lubricant failed. Commonly, once a lubricant is rejected, we should
receive a replacement lubricant within a specified timeframe to help
avoid using the failed product. ML
About the Author
Travis Richardson is a technical consultant for Noria
Corporation. He holds a Level II Machine Lubrication
Technician (MLT) certification and a Level III Machine
Lubricant Analyst (MLA) certification through the
International Council for Machinery Lubrication (ICML). Contact Travis
at trichardson@noria.com.
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