Practicing Oil Analysis March 2008

What is the acceptable reliability of an airplane? Would you board an aircraft if it had only a 70 percent reliability rate? How about if it were 80 or 90 percent, would that make a difference?...

Certain contaminants get special status. Take dirt and water for example. Everybody knows all about them, the damage they cause and the fact that they are bad. Yet other contaminants are out there...

Whether you currently have an oil analysis program in place, or are putting one together, it is imperative to ensure that equipment is properly sampled to meet the goals of a specific mainte…

An improperly lubricated engine may suffer from excessive heat, wear and noise, and will often fail if the issue is not resolved. Upon adding a lubricating fluid to an engine, the very operation of...

In response to changing process requirements in power stations, process control valves need to operate remotely and/or automatically. In the case of large steam and water systems, these are typically...

One of the most important pieces of information in oil analysis is the amount of operating time on the lubricant, which is typically reported in hours or miles/kilometers. The time that the lubricant...

Varnish has emerged as one of the deadliest of oil contaminants in industry. Just like heat, particle and moisture contamination, varnish acts as a so-called soft contaminant that severely impacts...

Limitations in atomic emission spectroscopy can hinder the ability to monitor large wear particles in gearboxes. This article will explore additional test methods used to monitor abnormal wear of...

Consumers have been well trained by vehicle and engine manufacturers and oil companies to maintain periodic oil and oil filter changes. These replacements are necessary because standard full-flow oil...

On January 26, 2001, almost exactly seven years to the day this article is being written, five oil analysis practitioners assembled together in Biloxi, Mississippi with a common objective: to test...