20 March - April 2015
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www.machinerylubrication.com
will see with plain abrasive/dirt contamina-
tion is an elevation of the metals that are in
direct contact with the abrasives. In gears,
this will tend to be high iron levels with low
alloy metals (chrome, nickel, manganese,
etc.) and an increase in silicon and possibly
aluminum if there is enough contamination.
Particle counting is another common test
used to monitor contamination. However,
keep in mind that a particle count is not
selective in the particulate it is counting.
Additional testing will be needed to deter-
mine the type of contaminant (water, air,
dirt, fibers, metals, etc.).
Typical recommendations will include
repairing the ingression point and filtering
the lubricant, which are not always feasible.
The protection of the equipment should be
the analyst's first and foremost concern
when making recommendations. If filtra-
tion is not an option, changing the lubricant
may be suggested. This is not as optimal as
filtration, but when you have contamina-
tion, it is likely that the new lubricant will be
OIL ANALySIS
Equipment degradation
Lubricant degradation
