Check the Lubricants with an Oil Analysis Program

2013-05-31   来源：润滑油情报网 网友评论 0 条

Lubricants are the lifeblood of industrial machinery. They protect critical components and help promote enhanced operation, just as blood supports health in the human body. And, while a doctor learns valuable information about a patient’s health through a blood test, you can discover valuable insights about your equipment using routine oil analyses.

Oil Analysis & its Benefits

Oil analysis is based on a slate of tests designed to help evaluate the condition of internal hardware as well as the in-service lubricant. It is a quick and non-invasive way to gauge the health of a machine by looking at what's in the oil. Factors such as a lubricant's properties, suspended contaminants, and wear debris are analyzed by specialists in a laboratory. Regular testing allows personnel to monitor contamination levels and guarantee the optimum lifespan of machines and other critical plant equipment.

When oil analysis sample results are tracked over a period of time, maintenance trends can be identified, helping machine-owners avoid costly repairs and sudden breakdowns. Today, oil analysis is performed in line with routine maintenance programs to provide precise, significant data on lubricant and machine condition. With regular oil analysis and a good maintenance program, machine downtime can be reduced significantly, hence reducing the potential dangers of a repair process and allowing workers to function with improved safety. In addition, oil analysis can also extend oil life especially when used effectively in pinpointing the proper oil drain and filter change intervals of different lubrication systems, thereby reducing waste and supporting environmental awareness. Oil analysis also supports environmental awareness, as in maintains the cleanliness and efficiency of hydraulic oil systems, combustion engines, and other industrial machinery.

Assimilating the Oil Analysis Program into Maintenance Regimes

The importance of a routine oil analysis program is clear, but knowing where to start requires some guidance. Here is a simple seven-step process to get an oil analysis routine started:

·         Step 1: Identify “Mission Critical” Equipment

It is not necessary to perform oil analysis on every single lubricated system in a plant. Identify critical applications that would seriously jeopardize production if they were to shut down unexpectedly.

·         Step 2: Register Your Equipment

It is important to have equipment properly registered with the laboratory. This supports routine trending and plays a key role in early detection of lubricant or equipment problems. There’s no need to decide which tests are appropriate for a particular application because the laboratory has already established test slates for specific applications.

·         Step 3: Establish Best Practices

Establish a consistent “how-to” practice for taking oil samples and train maintenance personnel to use this practice. Correct sampling practices are critical to the value received from the analysis data. This extremely important step rarely gets the attention it needs.

·         Step 4: Retrieve Samples

Retrieve samples in accordance with best practices and send to the lab as soon as possible. Samples that are set aside may deteriorate and give non-representative results.

·         Step 5: Analyze

A thorough analysis, keyed on trends, helps determine the systems’ conditions. General laboratories may have a pretty good idea of what is being measured, but often know little about specific formulations and don’t always understand whether or not differences are significant.

·         Step 6: Interpret

Reviewing the results and determining what, if any, action is required can make or break a successful program. It is important to remember that a sample alert does not necessarily mean imminent failure. Seek consultation on alert samples and re-sample to confirm present data before taking massive corrective action.

·         Step 7: Take Corrective Action and Document, Document, Document!!!

As always, documentation is the key to knowing what has been done and what will be or needs to be done. Historical oil analysis and corrective action documentation will ensure that safety, environmental care and productivity are maximized.

Signum Oil Analysis with Proven Results

Choosing a proper oil analysis program is key to optimizing the reliability of industrial machinery. Backed by 40 years of expertise in oil analysis, ExxonMobil’s Signum is the global brand of in-service oil analysis that brings the expertise and resources of ExxonMobil to clients/customers in a convenient way. It is supported by the full technical rigor of the ExxonMobil team of formulators, scientists and engineers who not only develop the products, but understand their performance and life cycle in your field.

The Signum Oil Analysis program has improved the industrial equipment performance of hundreds of companies around the globe. In China, Tibet Dongga Power Plant, the main electricity supplier for Tibet, has benefited from the program. Its Sulzer 16ZAV40S Engine Dynamotors endures severe working conditions. Therefore, periodic monitoring of engines and lubrication status were vital. ExxonMobil offered Signum oil analysis and PES services when the business was secured in 2008.

Based on the Signum analysis reports, a Mobil Field engineer submitted a Flushing Proposal to clean the company’s lubrication system, and  suggested re-engineering oil purifier program when detected the filter and lubricants status were subdued. As a result, the Tibet Dongga Power Plant was able to save a significant amount of their investment over the span of three years. These savings come from reduced filter consumption as well as reduced labor and lubrication oil analysis costs.