Machinery Lubrication magazine published by Noria Corporation
Issue link: https://www.e-digitaleditions.com/i/290460
8 | March - April 2014 | www.machinerylubrication.com toring contamination, wear debris and the oil's chemical and physical properties. Primary sampling locations vary from system to system but are typically located on a single return line prior to entering the sump or reservoir. Secondary Sampling Ports Secondary sampling ports can be placed anywhere on the system to isolate upstream components. This is where contamination and wear debris from individual components will be found. Sampling Procedures Developing and deploying effective sampling procedures may be the most important factor in achieving oil analysis success. Sampling procedures ensure data consistency and instill confidence in the decisions made with oil analysis information. The following steps are considered best practice when creating procedures: • Make the development of sampling procedures a team effort. All the individuals on the team have meaningful experience and viewpoints that should be incorporated in the procedure. • Get necessary help from an expert. Instead of reinventing the wheel, employ someone with the necessary expertise to support your effort. Be careful not to simply "farm out" this important activity. Outside support should provide guidance to the team, not replace it. Ownership is too important to not maintain internal involvement in the process. • Automate the process if possible. Internal "intranet" informa- tion systems are great places to store procedures so they will be available to anyone at the plant who needs them and is authorized to access them. • Routinely update procedures. New and better sampling methods are created every day. Be sure your procedures are evolving to incorporate these improvements. It might be wise to employ an outside expert to help keep you up to date and make necessary revisions. Your objectives also change over time. The impact of these changes on your oil analysis program should be captured in the sampling procedure. Lab Selection Partnering with an external oil analysis lab is a strategic deci- sion. In far too many cases, price is the overall decider. Other aspects of the oil anal- ysis service should be considered, including available tests, interpretation skills and turnaround times. Visit a few labs before making a decision because it is hard to tell a good lab from a poor one by just looking at an output report. Test Slates Most used oil analysis labs offer a list of tests from which users are expected to choose a test slate that will be appropriate for their equipment. If the correct tests are not selected, vital early warning signals and opportunities for main- tenance cost savings can be missed. Recommended test packages for different equipment should include both routine and exception testing for a two-dimensional approach to oil analysis. Alarms and Limits The primary purpose for alarms and limits is to filter data so technicians spend their time managing and correcting excep- tional situations instead of pouring over the data trying to find the exceptions. The alarm ser ves as a filter to tell the analyst that a threshold has been passed and that action is required. Some data parameters have only upper limits such as particle counts or wear debris levels. A few data parameters employ lower limits like base number, additive elements, flash point and oxidation stability. Other data parameters like viscosity use both upper and lower limits. These generally relate to important chemical and physical properties of the lubricant where stability of these prop- erties is desired. Data Analysis To get great results from your oil analysis program, there must be a process in place for analyzing the data. Of course, it is done at the lab, but how much does that analyst really know about your machine? When you combine a good program with an individual who knows the machines as well as how to read and interpret a report, your program has the ability to become great. Remember, if oil analysis is not done correctly, it becomes a waste of time, money and energy. Everything must be done to the highest standard for the true value to be revealed. About the Author Jeremy Wright is vice president of technical ser vices for Noria Corporation. He ser ves as a senior technical consultant for Lubrication Program Development projects and as a senior instructor for Noria's Machiner y Lubrication I and II training courses. He is a cer tif ied main - tenance reliability professional through the Society for Maintenance and Reliability Professionals, and holds Machine Lubricant Analyst Level III and Machine Lubrication Technician Level II cer tif ications through the International Council for Machiner y Lubrication. Contact Jeremy at jwright@noria.com. From the FIeld of lubrication professionals are confident in their oil analysis data, based on a recent poll at machinerylubrication.com 68% Key Takeaway: If oil analysis is not done correctly, it becomes a waste of time, money and energy.