Articles
Oil Analysis Showcase
What’s in your oil? Contaminants unseen by the human eye can significantly affect a plant’s overall output. Thus, oil analysis is a crucial component in oil and machinery health. Regular oil analysis can reduce downtime and extend equipment life—helping save both money and resources. Sampling products for in-house analysis, as well as outside laboratory services and training, are among the offerings of the companies showcased here.
HYDAC Technology Corporation
HYDAC Technology Corporation offers a Fluid Analysis Set that provides
the tools to determine levels of solid particulate contamination present in
a particular fluid sample. Using the vacuum pump contained in the kit,
the fluid sample is drawn through a membrane patch. The residual dirt left
on the patch is viewed under a microscope and compared to photos of known
contamination levels in the HYDAC Contamination Handbook for visual assessment.
Items included in the kit are a molded carry case, microscope, vampire
pump, funnel, forceps, rubber tubing hose, plastic petri dish, sample bottles, pen
light for microscope, Millipore patches, solvent filters, syringes and the HYDAC
Contamination Handbook.
HYDAC Technology Corp.
Bethlehem, PA
www.hydacusa.com
PdMA Corporation
PdMA’s full service, independent lubricant analysis laboratory offers a wide
range of tests on oil, grease, coolant, fuel and transformer oil. The company’s
laboratory is ISO 9001 Certified, and operates under the 10 CFR50
Appendix B QA Program. It is also licensed to receive radioactive oil samples.
All reports provide accurate data interpretations and recommended actions
coupled with a quick turnaround time, and reports can be generated in various
electronic formats.
PdMA Corporation
Tampa, FL
www.pdma.com
A2 Technologies
A2 Technologies offers a powerful analytical method of lube testing—Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy
(FTIR)—available for the on-site lab. A2’s PAL™ FTIR Spectrometer is capable of measuring water
in oil at levels that are critical to the reliable operation of your turbine equipment. The self-contained
system detects water at the necessary warning levels and alerts users when the water reaches 100 ppm. If it
reaches 200 ppm, the system issues a critical
warning. This convenient, on-site capability
eliminates the issues associated with Karl
Fischer measurements, including the need for
expensive and hazardous consumables and
the time required for the KF measurement,
not to mention dependency on the skill of the
operator and the operating condition of the
KF equipment.
A2 Technologies
Danbury, CT
www.a2technologies.com
Bently Tribology
Services
Bently Tribology Services (BTS) is an independent
laboratory that tests lubricants, fuels (petroleum and
bio-based), synthetic machine fluids and coolants.
The company’s laboratories are certified to ISO 9001 and
compliant with ISO/IEC Guide 25 and 10 CFR 50 App. B
(Nuclear Power Quality Assurance) standards. Testing packages
are designed with several factors in mind. Every sample
receives a set of required tests that may vary depending on
the equipment application. In addition to the required
tests, a set of advisable tests are available to perform on any
sample deemed to be abnormal. This second set of tests
provides two functions: It serves as corroborators to the
initial screen tests and it serves as root cause analysis indicators.
BTS also can also test for machinery wear and/or
contamination problems via its DoublecheckSM technique.
Bently Tribology Services
Peabody, MA
www.bentlytribology.com
Spectro Inc.
Spectro Inc. supplies condition monitoring instrumentation
for oil analysis. The Spectro Industrial Tribology
Laboratory (ITL) is an instrument package that makes
the necessary measurements to effectively monitor all the
oil lubricated equipment in a plant or fleet. The instruments
included in the package are: 1) a Spectro optical emission
spectrometer for analysis of wear metals, additives and
contaminants; 2) a Fourier Transform Infrared (FT-IR) spectrometer
for analysis of organic components; 3) an automatic
viscometer; 4) a particle shape classifier and particle counter;
and 5) a computer network for data storage, processing and
retrieval. Spectro installs and provides training for all instruments.
Since the Industrial Tribology Laboratory is a turnkey
system, supplied and installed by one vendor, the worry
and learning curve errors associated with new methods and
equipment are minimized during the startup process.
Spectro Inc.
Littleton, MA
www.spectroinc.com
Staveley Services Fluids Analysis
Staveley Services Fluids Analysis (Staveley) has been providing oil, fuel,
coolant and metalworking testing procedures since 1961. Today, Staveley
has expanded throughout the United States and Canada, serving a diverse
customer base. As a core business unit of Staveley Services North America Inc., a
provider of testing services including nondestructive examination, Staveley offers
standardized analysis packages and more than 100 specialized ASTM tests that
cover any combination of conditions, fluids and applications to complement all
types of predictive maintenance programs. The company also provides innovative
new test procedures, advanced online data management tools and technical
experts available to consult with clients to develop an effective testing program.
Staveley Services Fluids Analysis
Glendale Heights, IL
www.staveleyfa.com
Emerson Process Management
Emerson Process Management offers a number of CSI oil analysis options to help customers achieve an up to 500% return on their investment in this technology. Emerson offers an on site minilab for industrial oil analysis. Accurate measurement of wear, contamination and chemistry can be accomplished in less than seven minutes using the CSI 5200 Machinery Health® Analyzer. Oilview® software modules are fully integrated with each other and with other technologies through AMS® Suite: Machinery Health Manager software. These modules are also effective as standalone programs. The CSI Oil Lab delivers easy-to-interpret oil analysis reports in both PDF format and as an electronic file, which is easily imported into AMS Machinery Manager.
Emerson Process Management
Knoxville, TN
www.assetweb.com/mhm
POLARIS
POLARIS—Performance Oil Analysis Laboratories and
Reliable Information Services—specializes in testing oils,
fuels and coolants for the mining, construction, industrial,
oil and gas, power generation and marine industries.
The company’s
testing facilities
are all ISO 17025
A2LA accredited,
and more than
80% of the fluid
samples tested
on a daily basis
are returned to
the customers
within 24 hours.
POLARIS also
offers extensive
field services and
practical training
with nine classes
available annually
in five cities
across the country. Headquartered in Indianapolis, POLARIS
also has laboratories in Houston and Salt Lake City, all of
which are within 48 hours ground transit from anywhere in
the continental United States.
POLARIS
Indianapolis, IN
www.polarislabs.com
Insight Services
Insight Services has guaranteed same-day oil analysis
services to its industrial customers for more than 18
years. Insight’s Web-based reporting tool gives customers
complete control of their program management and tracks
actions taken on abnormal samples. The tool provides
monthly management reports that monitor the overall
success of a customer’s program. The company’s expertise
in the power industry has led to its varnish potential
report, EHC fluid report and turbine analysis report.
Insight Services is in the process of developing technology
in filter debris analysis. Insight also offers a free book on
the fundamentals of oil analysis on its Website.
Insight Services
Cleveland, OH
www.testoil.com
The Timken Company
The Timken Company’s knowledge in tribology, friction management and lubrication
provides a foundation for oil analysis. Timken field engineers collect oil samples and
analyze particles in lubricants to identify the type and amount of contamination
reaching internal machine components. Analysis of these particles can determine the
operating condition of the lubricant, as well as reveal the source of any contamination,
such as dirt, coolant, moisture, improper usage and overloading. Oil and wear particle
analysis often detects worn or defective bearings, cutting and rubbing wear, excessive gear
wear and excessive contamination. Monitoring and trending wear particles in lubricant
are two ways to detect abnormal component wear, and results from field testing can help
determine whether a machine teardown is necessary to prevent further damage.
The Timken Company
Canton, OH
www.timken.com
Vectron International
The ViSmart™ viscosity sensor
from Vectron International’s
SenGenuity division correlates
to data acquired from lab instrumentation
for real-time, in-line oil
condition monitoring applications.
According to the company, the
product will save time and money
while providing lab quality viscosity
sensing data in a mechanically active
environment. The sensor requires
no customer calibration and only
100 micro-liters of fluid are needed
for measurement. The unit is unaffected
by shock, orientation, flow or
vibration conditions.
Vectron International
SenGenuity
Hudson, NY
www.sengenuity.com
Trico Corporation
Trico offers the latest sampling
supplies and accessories—
including sample ports and
collection devices—designed to
extract system and component
specific samples that are both
representative and repeatable from
the best diagnostic locations in the
most effective ways possible. Access
to systems is done through the use
of a mating sample port adapter.
The sample port adapter screws
onto the sample port. Oil samples
can then be drawn from the system
and placed into a clean sampling
bottle for analysis. To guard against contaminating the sample and for superior
leak protection, Trico sampling ports all feature a check valve and viton o-ring
seal cap. Trico sample ports are available in several types and sizes to match the
varying requirements of manufacturers.
Trico Corporation
Pewaukee, WI
www.tricocorp.com
