WHAT IS OIL ANALYSIS
Oil analysis involves sampling and analyzing
oil for various properties and materials that indicate wear
and contamination in an engine, transmission or hydraulic system.
Sampling and analyzing on a regular basis establishes a baseline
of normal wear and can indicate when abnormal wear or contamination
occurs.
Oil analysis tells you a lot about how the equipment was used
and what condition it's in. Oil that has been inside any moving
mechanical apparatus for some time reflects the exact condition
of that assembly. As moving parts make contact, wear occurs
and introduces minute metal particles to the oil. These particles
are so small that they remain in suspension. Many products of
the combustion process also become trapped in the circulating
oil. In addition, the oil may be exposed to external contamination.
Identifying and measuring these impurities indicates the rate
of wear and level of contamination. Thus, the oil becomes a
working history of the machine. Oil analysis also suggests methods
to reduce accelerated wear and contamination.
A typical oil analysis can indicate the presence of contaminants
and tell you if you've been using the appropriate lubricants.
Oil analysis detects:
- Fuel dilution of lubrication oil
- Dirt contamination in the oil
- Antifreeze in the oil
- Excessive bearing wear
- Misapplication of lubricants
Some wear is normal. However, abnormal levels of a particular
material can give an early warning of impending problems, prevent
a breakdown and allow for corrective action such as repairing
an air-intake leak before major damage occurs. One major advantage
of an oil-analysis program is being able to anticipate problems
and schedule repair work to avoid downtime during a critical
time of use. Early detection can:
- Reduce repair bills
- Prevent catastrophic failures
- Increase machinery life
- Reduce non-scheduled downtime
