Machinery Lubrication magazine published by Noria Corporation
Issue link: https://www.e-digitaleditions.com/i/359954
54 | July - August 2014 | www.machinerylubrication.com It has been said that oil is the lifeblood of a machine. By monitoring contaminants and additive health, you can keep this "blood" healthy and minimize the risk of a failure. But what are the necessary elements for establishing and maintaining a successful oil analysis program? Consider the eight "rights" of oil analysis. Right Lab You must first decide whether to keep your oil analysis in-house or outsource it. Previously, having an onsite laboratory was cost-prohibitive. As technology has advanced and costs have decreased, this has become a viable option. If an in-house lab is the choice, it is important to select the proper test equipment and to have certified personnel performing the tests. Some organiza- tions use an in-house laboratory for basic tests like viscosity, particle counts and moisture content but utilize an outside lab for exception testing. If the decision is made to use an offsite laboratory, there are a couple of options to consider. Most lubricant suppliers will provide oil analysis as part of their service offering. The majority of these suppliers have excellent labs with qualified technicians performing the tests. Just be aware of the possibility of allowing the "fox in the henhouse." Many laboratories also offer excellent oil analysis services. However, as testing equipment becomes less expensive, a number of labs are springing up with technicians who are not certified and with equipment that may not be correctly calibrated. Whichever option you choose, I suggest conducting random spot checks of the laboratory. Use blind samples to verify the lab's accuracy. Send in two samples drawn at the same time from the same reservoir but marked as different pieces of equipment. If the results are not the same, it may indicate that you need a new lab. Right Test Slate Frequently, companies enter into a relationship with a labora- tory without really knowing what they want. They rely on the lab to steer them in the right direction regarding the tests to run. In some cases, the "standard" test slate may not capture the information needed to make the best maintenance decisions. Therefore, it is imperative to work with your laboratory to determine your indi- vidual needs and develop the proper test slate. o i l A n a l y s i s loreN greeN | NorIA CorPorAtIoN Understanding the rights of oIl ANAlYsIs BACk PAge BAsICs Setting Alarms and Limits thE Primary PurPosE for alarms or limits is to filtEr (funnel) data so that the technologist spends his time managing and correcting exceptional situations instead of laboriously perusing the data trying to find the exceptions. the alarm serves as a "trip-wire" 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 properties is desired.