Proactive and Predictive Strategies For Setting Oil Analysis Alarms

And Limits
In the past, users of oil analysis have relied almost exclusively on the commercial laboratory to set
and enunciate data alarms. This has put an unrealistic burden on the labs to understand
information about user-equipment they have never seen. Likewise, the goals and obectives of the
user with respect to reliability and maintenance may not be fully understood. !sually, this leaves
the lab with no alternative other than to use standard default alarms. "hen these one-si#e-fits-all
alarms are used, many of the opportunities and obectives of a modern condition-based
maintenance program are missed.
In recent years, with the advent of sophisticated user-level oil analysis software, many site oil
analysis technologists are taking responsibility for setting alarms and limits independent of the lab.
The lab, in turn, is being asked to only deliver accurate and timely oil analysis results, leaving
interpretation and exception reporting to the user. "ith the user being familiar with the lubricants,
machines, historical problems, and general reliability goals, the most proper and effective limits can
then be set. $owever, a critical ingredient is a sufficient level of training in oil analysis by the user.
What are Oil Analysis Alarms and Limits?
"hen plant-level oil analysis software is employed, one of the main benefits is the funneling down
%or filtering& of the amount of data actually viewed and analy#ed. This data reduction goal is
essential and relates to the tactical goal of exception reporting, that is, the viewing of only the data
that is out of compliance with acceptable trends or levels. 'll other data is held and managed in a
database for future reference and use. The limits, when properly set, give confidence that
conforming fluids are, in fact, okay and that non-conforming conditions have been caught
proactively.
(I)!*+ , Illustration of Upper and Lower Oil Analysis Limits
-ecause the goals and expectations vary considerably from one organi#ation to another these
limits are best set by those charged with the responsibility of machine reliability and long fluid life.
They are also influenced by machine and application specific considerations. (or instance, where
the gear box loads and duty cycle are low in one application, they may exceed rated levels in
another. The availability of spares and standby equipment may influence the decision with equal
magnitude. 'nd, the age of the machine or lubricant may impact the placement of limits in certain
cases.
-asically, a limit or alarm is a strategically placed .trip wire. that alerts you to an abnormal
condition. /ome data parameters have only upper limits such as particle counts or wear debris
levels. ' few data parameters apply a few lower limits like T-0, additive elements, flash point, and
(TI* %additive&. 1ther data parameters use both upper and lower limits. These might relate to
important chemical and physical properties of the lubricant such its viscosity %see (igure ,&. The
computer trends the data and normally no alarm is reported as long as the limits are not exceeded.
"hen an exception exists the software is designed to alert and direct corrective action in response
to the deleterious result. To insure maximum benefit from oil analysis, careful thought needs to go
into the type of limit used and its setting.
Some Limits are More Proactive
2roactive limits are designed to alert users to abnormal machine conditions associated with root
causes of machine and lubricant degradation. They are keyed to the proactive maintenance
philosophy of setting targets %or standards& and managing the lubricant conditions to within the
targets. ' strategic premise is that these conditions are controlled to levels that are improvements
over past levels and that these become goals. -est results occur when progress towards achieving
these goals are charted conspicuously by the maintenance organi#ation. These types of limits are
referred to as .goal-based,. see (igure 3.
(I)!*+ 3 Goal-Based Limits Are Set For Certain Data Parameters To Proati!ely Impro!e
"a#ine And Lu$riant %elia$ility
In order to set a goal-based limit a level of machine reliability is identified. 'gain, this needs to be
an improvement over previous levels. If, for instance, we use particle count as the parameter then
we need to select a .target cleanliness. which is a marked improvement from before. The target
cleanliness becomes the limit. In the example, if previously contaminant levels were averaging
about I/1 ,45,6 for a hydraulic system, a limit set at ,65,3 would be a goal-based improvement. '
life extension of three times %7T-(& would be expected based on controlled field studies. If, on the
other hand, we set a limit of ,45,6 our effort is downgraded to the detection of maor faults only.
)oal-based limits of this type can be applied to particle counts, moisture levels, glycol levels, fuel
dilution, T'0, and other common failure root cause conditions.
'nother similar type of proactive limit relates to the progressive aging of the lubricant or hydraulic
fluid. (rom the moment the oil is first put into service its physical and chemical properties transition
away from the ideal %i.e., those of the new formulated oil&. (or some properties the transition may
be extremely slow but for others it can be abrupt and dynamic. Limits keyed to the symptoms of
lubricant deterioration are referred to as .aging limits,. see (igure 8. They are designed to signal
the need for a well-timed condition-based oil change and are usually pegged to the depletion of
additives and the thermal5oxidative degradation of the base oil.
(I)!*+ 8 9A&in&-Limits Are 'eyed To De&radin& Additi!e Base-Sto( Properties
In order to properly set aging limits the new lubricant must be analy#ed to reveal its physical and
chemical properties. This will become the oil:s .base signature.. ;are must be taken to insure that
the new oil is analy#ed using the same test procedures and instruments that will be used to
analy#e the used oil. !nder no circumstances should these .base signature. properties be simply
lifted off the lubricant:s spec sheet as provided by the supplier. Instruments and test methods vary
substantially and new oils are approved if their properties fall within a tolerance range.
(or instance, I/1 viscosity grades vary plus5minus ten percent from a nominal center point %grade&.
This means that a <) =4 lubricant would be .in grade. from =, to >6 centistokes %c/t&. This is too
much variance for =4 centistokes to serve as a proper baseline. $owever, if the actual viscosity of
a specific lubricant was measured and found to be =? c/t then a precise baseline is now available
against which the used oil can be trended. 'ging limits can be effectively applied to such
parameters as T'0, T-0, viscosity, *-1T, emission spectroscopy for additive elements, (TI* %for
oxidation, nitration, @ sulphation&, and dielectric constant.
'ging limits often follow trendable data patterns, i.e., they trend steadily in the direction of the limit.
The actual time to limit might be predicted by linear or non-linear regressionA a feature in some oil
analysis software products. (or instance, the following equation might be applied to estimate the
remaining useful life of a turbine oil using *otating -omb 1xidation Test %*-1T&9
Lower aging limits are generally set for additive depletion, *-1T life, and T-0. !pper limits are set
for dielectric constant, T'0, and (TI* for oxidation, sulphation, and nitration trends. 'nd both
upper and lower limits should be set for viscosity. The table in (igure ? shows some example limits
for both goal-based and aging parameters.
(I)!*+ ? )*ample of Goal-Based Limits
Other Limits are More Predictive
2redictive limits are set to signal the presence of machine faults or abnormal wear conditions.
They are aligned with the goals of predictive maintenance, i.e., the early detection of machine
failure symptoms as opposed to failure root causes %proactive maintenance&. In oil analysis, a
proper predictive limit set to the correct parameter has many advantages over other predictive
maintenance technologies. /pecifically, it offers reliable incipient fault detection, spanning a wide
range of machine failure modes. It is seer-like in that it has the ability to forecast a future event. 's
compared to vibration analysis for instance, the time-based detection window using ferrous density
analysis has been demonstrated to exceed ,6 times for common gear boxes failures.
*ate-of-change limits are generally identified as predictive. These are set to a property that is
being progressively introduced to the oil, such as wear debris. The add rate %change& might be
calculated per unit time, for instance ppm iron per ,BB hours on oil. "hen the parameter:s value is
plotting against time the rate-of-change %add rate& equates to the current slope of the curve. 's an
alternative to representing rate-of-change, slope can be quantified by dividing rise by run for a fixed
period of time %see (igure 6&. The linear trends also points to the approximate time interval
remaining before a level-type limit is exceeded. !nlike level limits however, rate-of-change limits
ignore the absolute value of a data parameter, emphasi#ing instead the speed %rate& at which the
level is changing.
This can be best illustrated by an example. /uppose for a given machine, such as an industrial
gear unit, iron is typically introduced to the oil at roughly 6 ppm per month. The first month after an
oil change the iron shows 6 ppm, the expected level. 'fter the second month the iron shows ,B
ppm, again this is expected %6 C 6&. The same holds for the end of the third month when ,6 ppm is
reported. The add rate of 6 ppm per month remains uninterrupted. $owever, by the end of the
fourth month the unexpected result of 6B ppm is obtained. The computer software shows this as a
critical. The reason is not due to the fact that 6B ppm in a gear lube signals abnormal wear. In fact
this is a rather common iron concentration in gear oils. $owever, the alarm is responding to the
rate at which the iron concentration changed in the last month of service %86 ppm instead of the
expected 6 ppm&. $ad rate-of-change limits not been applied this exception might not have been
reported.
(I)!*+ 6 Usin& %ate-of-C#an&e Limits +rise,run- "ust Be Calulated For T#e Trendin& Data
Parameter
The use of rate-of-change limits is well suited for wear debris analysis but can be used for other
parameters as well. +xamples of where it is commonly applied include particle counts, elemental
wear metals, ferrous density analysis %D*, 2E FB, "ear 2article 'naly#er, ferrous ;ontam-'lert&,
T'0, and *-1T. It should be noted that multiple limit strategies can be used for single test
parameters, i.e., where rate-of-change limits are applied so too are level limits %aging, proactive,
and statistical&.

Statistical Limits are Predictive as Well
(or many years statistical limits have been used successfully in oil analysis. The practice requires
the availability of a certain amount of historical data on the target parameters %see (igure =&. '
population standard deviation is calculated. !pper limits are then set relating to the number of
standard deviations %sigmas& above the sample population average. 7any analysts put a caution at
one or two sigmas and a critical at two or three sigmas. "hen one sigma is exceeded this means
that the value from the test result exceeds =4 percent of historical samples. ' result that alarms at
two sigmas exceeds F6 percent of historical data. Three sigma exceedance corresponds to of FF.>
percent of the database.
7any commercial laboratories have large repositories of data spanning numerous machine types
and models. These data permit the relatively easy calculation of national averages and
corresponding population standard deviations %sigmas&. In some cases the data can be
conveniently sorted according to industry and application. These same databases can be used to
assist in the setting of rate-of-change limits as well. Typical applications of statistical limits include
elemental analysis of wear metals, ferrous density analysis %D*, 2E FB, etc.&, and other common
predictive oil analysis measures.
It is well known that many machines exhibit highly individual characteristics. They might trend high
or low when compared to national averages. Data from a machine that is a low reader might not
alarm early enough when national averages are used as the statistical base %false negative&.
Likewise, when a high reader is encountered %potential false positive&, it may be well advised to
adust the statistical limit accordingly, or simply rely more heavily on rate-of-change limits.
(I)!*+ = Statistial Limits Are 'eyed To .istorial Oil Analysis Trends
Dealing With Data Noise
Data noise can mask or distort the target data parameter %and trend& often making it nearly invisible
to detection. 'nd, when data noise exists it can inhibit the ideal placement of certain alarms and
limits. ' machine that normally has a high level of wear particles in its lubricating oil is a good
example. These particles do not represent current wear activity but are an accumulation of
historical wear, possibly going back many months. This is a common situation when course filters
or no filters are in use. This high concentration of wear particles constitutes noise for an oil analysis
program.
(I)!*+ > Clean Fluids .elp Pro!ide Impro!ed Fault Detetion Sensiti!ity
"hile the target signal %data& is current wear levels, these particles may be extremely difficult if not
impossible to measure when they are mixed indiscriminately with historical wear debris. This
equates to low signal-to-noise ratio. ;rudely stated the fault signal is getting lost in the sauce. This
situation is illustrated in (igure >. "hen particle concentrations are controlled to an I/1 ,F5,= fault
detection is poor. -y comparison, the I/1 ,85,B fluid translates to high-resolution detection, i.e.,
high signal-to-noise ratio. ' similar problem occurs with infrared spectroscopy when weak
absorption signals are lost due to inaccurate reference spectra and the presence of interfering
materials in oil.
Summary
"ith the current trend of users taking control of the their oil analysis programs there has been a
surge of interest in education. This has recently lead to an /TL+ %/ociety of Tribologist and
Lubrication +ngineers& committee being formed to offer oil analysis certification levels. "hile oil
analysis education is often aimed at data interpretation it is no less important in the area of limit
setting. In fact, limit setting and data interpretation are co-mingled activities. "hen oil analysis
limits are properly set and the correct tests are performed at the right frequency, data interpretation
is easy and efficient.
The strategic use of goal-based and aging limits enables proactive maintenance to be carried out
at the highest level. Likewise, when rate-of-change and statistical limits are deployed, the benefits
of early fault detection are achieved. The combination of these limit-setting strategies affords the
broadest and most effective protection for the plant equipment and its lubrication assets.
Clean Oil Sampling
How to Sample Oil Without Opening the Bottle
2roper oil sampling does not have to be a difficult or unpleasant experience. In fact, when the best
sampling methods %and hardware& are employed the experience should be ust the opposite. There
are many important lessons to learn when it comes to pulling a sample. 7any run contrary to
intuition. 7ost of them have to do with insuring that what enters the bottle is both rich in information
and remains undisturbed by the sampling process itself. It is this later concern that is addressed by
this article.
7odern oil analysis programs typically include some tests that can be influenced by environmental
contaminants entering the oil %bottle& during the sampling process. Tests of greatest risk include
particle counting, elemental spectroscopy, and total acid number. In situations where there is
considerable dust in the environment at the time the sample is pulled, a concerted effort needs to
be made to insure that this dust does not contaminate the oil. +xamples of high-risk
situations5environments include mine sites, construction sites, primary metals industries, foundries,
windy outdoor conditions, and sample points close to the ground.
+xperiments on the influence of environmental dust on particle counts have shown a marked
effect. It is not unusual for an oilGs I/1 code to increase 3-8 range numbers when a bottle is left
open ust a few minutes. (or instance, the actual oil sampled might be a rather clean I/1 ,85,B but
after exposing the sample bottle to atmosphere it can show an I/1 ,=5,8. The amount of dirt
needed to accomplish an I/1 ,=5,8 is only about , ppm.
*ecently, a new method called Hclean oil samplingI has emerged that greatly simplifies the process
and minimi#es the risk of dirt entering the bottle. It involves the use of common #ip-lock sandwich
bags and sampling hardware such as vacuum pumps and probe devices. -elow is an outline
description of this procedure9
Step One
1btaining a good oil sample begins with a bottle of the correct si#e and cleanliness. The topic of
bottle cleanliness will be discussed in greater detail in a future issue of 2racticing 1il 'nalysis.
$owever, it is understandable that the bottle must be at a known level of cleanliness and that this
level should be sufficiently high so as not to interfere with expected particle counts.
/ome people relate this to a signal-to-noise ratio, i.e., the target cleanliness level of the oil %signal&
should be several times the expected particle contamination of the bottle %noise&. (or more
information on bottle cleanliness refer to I/1 8>33.
StepTo
-efore going out into the plant with the sample bottles place the capped bottles
into very thin #ip-lock sandwich bagsA one per bag. Jip each of the bags such that air is sealed into
the bag along with the bottles. This should be done in a clean-air indoor environment in order to
avoid the risk of particles entering the bags along with the bottles. 'fter all of the bottles have been
bagged, put these small bags %with the bottles& into a large #ip-lock bag for transporting them to the
plant or field. /ampling hardware such as vacuum pumps and probe devices should be placed in
the large bag as well.
Step Three
'fter the sampling port or valve has been properly flushed %including the sampling pump or probe if
used& remove one of the bags holding a single sample bottle. "ithout opening the bag, twist the
bottle cap off and let the cap fall to the side within the bag. Then move the mouth of the bottle so
that it is away from the #ip-lock seal. Do not un#ip the bag.
Step Four
Thread the bottle into the cavity of the sampling device %vacuum pump or probe&. The plastic tube
will puncture the bag during this process, however, try to avoid other tears or damage to the bag
%turn the bottle, not the probe or pump, while tightening&. If a probe device is used, it is advisable to
break a small hole in the bag below the vent hole with a pocket knife. This permits air to escape
during sampling.
Step Five
The sample is then obtained in the usual fashion until the correct quantity of oil has entered the
bottle. 0ext, by gripping the bottle, unscrew it from the cavity of the pump or probe device. "ith the
bottle free and still in the bag, fish the cap from the bottom of the bag onto the mouth of the bottle
and tighten.
Step Si!
"ith the bottle capped it is safe to un#ip the bag and remove the bottle. ;onfirm that the bottle is
capped tightly. The bottle label should be attached and the bottle placed in the appropriate
container for transport to the lab. Do not reuse the #ip-lock bags.
"ene#its o# $lean Oil Sampling
This simple procedure effectively permits samples to be obtained without exposing the fluid or the
bottle to the atmosphere or surface contamination. ' clean sample can even be obtained with dirty
hands. There are no expensive materials to purchase and the technique can be applied to a large
number of sampling situations. (or best results practice a few times with a spare bottle until the
technique is perfected.
What Particles Mean and Why They Need to
be Monitored and Controlled
With the idespread use o# plant%level particle counters& maintenance organi'ations are
increasingly more sophisticated and s(illed in the management and control o# oil
cleanliness) This has led to the discovery o# a host o# ne tactics and practices in
com*ining the particle counter ith other important onsite oil analysis tools and methods+
many unheard o# ,ust a #e years ago)
;ontamination can be defined as any unwanted substance or
energy that enters or contacts the oil. ;ontaminants can come in a
great many forms, some are highly destructive to the oil, its
additives, and machine surfaces. It is often overlooked as a source
of failure because its impact is usually slow and imperceptible yet,
given time, the damage is analogous to eating the machine up from
the inside out. "hile it is not practical to attempt to totally eradicate
contamination from in-service lubricants, control of contaminant levels within acceptable limits is
accomplishable and vitally important.
2articles, moisture, soot, heat, air, glycol, fuel, detergents, and process fluids are all contaminants
commonly found in industrial lubricants and hydraulic fluids. $owever, itGs particle contamination
that is widely recogni#ed as the most destructive to the oil and machine. This explains why the
particle counter is the most widely used instrument in oil analysis today. 'nd, the central strategy to
its success in reducing maintenance costs and increasing machine reliability is proactive
maintenance.
Proactive Maintenance) "hile the benefits of detecting abnormal machine wear or an aging
lubricant condition are important and frequently achieved with oil analysis programs, they should
be regarded as low on the scale of importance compared to the more rewarding obective of failure
avoidance. This is achieved by treating the causes of failure, not simply the symptoms. 'nd,is is
the foundation of the popular practice known as proactive maintenance. In fact, the only effective
way to obtain simple solutions to complex machine maintenance problems is through proactive
maintenance.
"henever a proactive maintenance strategy is applied, three steps are necessary to insure that its
benefits are achieved. /ince proactive maintenance, by definition, involves continuous monitoring
and controlling of machine failure root causes, the first step is simply to set a target, or standard,
associated with each root cause. In oil analysis, root causes of greatest importance relate to fluid
contamination %particles, moisture, heat, coolant, etc.&.
$owever, the process of defining precise and challenging targets %e.g., high cleanliness& is only the
first step. ;ontrol of the fluid:s conditions within these targets must then be achieved and
sustained. This is the second step and often includes an audit of how fluids become contaminated
and then systematically eliminating these entry points. 1ften better filtration and the use of
separators are required.
The third step is the vital action element of providing the feedback loop of an oil analysis program.
"hen exceptions occur %e.g., over target results& remedial actions can then be immediately
commissioned. !sing the proactive maintenance strategy, contamination control becomes a
disciplined activity of monitoring and controlling high fluid cleanliness, not a crude activity of
trending dirt levels.
(inally, when the life extension benefits of proactive maintenance are flanked by the early warning
benefits of predictive maintenance, a comprehensive condition-based maintenance program
results. "hile proactive maintenance stresses root-cause control, predictive maintenance targets
the detection of incipient failure of both the fluid:s properties and machine components like
bearings and gears. It is this unique, early detection of machine faults and abnormal wear that is
frequently referred to as the exclusive domain of oil analysis in the maintenance field.
Managing Particle $ontamination) There is no single property of lubricating oil that challenges
the reliability of machinery more than suspended particles. It would not be an exaggeration to refer
to them as a microscopic wrecking crew. /mall particles can ride in oil almost indefinitely and
because they are not as friable %easily crumbled& as their larger brothers, the destruction can be
continuous. 7any studies have shown, with convincing evidence, the greater damage associated
with small particles. /till, most maintenance professionals have misconceptions about the si#e of
particles and the associated harm caused.
These misconceptions relate to the definition people apply to what is clean oil and what is dirty oil.
'nd, it is this definition that influences the setting of appropriate target cleanliness levels for
lubricating oils and hydraulic fluids. The process is not unlike a black box circuit. If we want a
change to the output %longer and more reliable machine life& then there must be a change to the
input %a lifestyle change, i.e., improved cleanliness&. (or instance, itGs not the monitoring of
cholesterol that saves us from heart decease, instead it:s the things we do to lower the cholesterol.
Therefore the best target cleanliness level is one that is a marked improvement from historic levels.
"hile there are numerous different methods used to arrive at target cleanliness levels for oils in
different applications, most combine the importance of machine reliability with the general
contaminant sensitivity of the machine to set the target. The *eliability 2enalty (actor and the
;ontaminant /everity (actor are arrived at by a special scoring system that is included with the
Target ;leanliness )rid.
There are many expensive ways to achieve clean oil but experience has taught us the wisdom of
contaminant exclusionKtreating the cause not ust the symptom. -y effectively excluding the entry
of contaminants and promptly removing contaminants when they do enter, the new cleanliness
targets are frequently achieved. ;oncerns that filtration costs will increase are not often reali#ed
due to the greater overall control, especially from the standpoint of particle ingression.
Particle $ounting-The ./nvisi*le. Filter) +ngineers learn that .controlled systems. are those
that have feedback loops. In proactive maintenance this is the monitoring step, i.e., particle
counting. If this is done on a frequent enough basis, not only is proactive maintenance achieved
but also a large assortment of common problems can be routinely detected. 's such, particle
counting is an important .catch all. type test. -ecause of the obvious value, it is not uncommon to
find organi#ations testing the cleanliness of their oils as frequently as weekly.
The activity of routine particle counting has a surprising impact on achieving cleaner oils. "hen the
cleanliness of oil:s are checked and verified on a frequent basis a phenomena known as the
.invisible filter. occurs, which is analogous to the saying, .what gets measured gets done..
-ecause a great deal of dirt and contamination that enters oils often come from the careless
practices of operators and craftsmen, the combined effect of monitoring with a modicum of training
can go a long way toward achieving cleanliness goals.
The following are common proactive and predictive maintenance uses of an onsite particle counter9
Proactive Maintenance0
,. *outinely verify that in-service oils are within targeted cleanliness levels.
3. ;heck the cleanliness of new oil deliveries.
8. Euickly identify failed or defective filters.
?. ;onfirm that seals and breathers are keeping contaminants out.
6. ;onfirm that systems are properly cleaned and flushed after repair.
=. ;onfirm that new machines are cleaned and flushed before use.
>. Identify the use of dirty top-up containers and poor maintenance practices.
4. Identify the timing for filter cart use.
Predictive Maintenance0
,. Identify early-stage abnormal machine wear with quick confirmation by repeating.
3. Identify the location5source of abnormal wear by multi-point isolating methods.
8. <erify the effectiveness of corrective maintenance and botched repair obs.
?. 7onitor machine break-in wear generation.
6. Identify abnormal rust and corrosion products in the oil.
=. 'ssist in confirming machines are balanced and aligned.
>. 2ermit more .on-condition. laboratory oil analysis.
4. /erve as an effective screen for wear debris analysis.
There are many different types of automatic particle counters used by oil analysis laboratories.
There are also a number of different portable particle counters on the market. The performance of
these instruments can vary considerably depending on the design and operating principle. 2article
counters employing laser or white light are widely used because of their ability to count particles
across a wide range of si#es. 2ore-blockage type particle counters have a more narrow si#e range
sensitivityA however, they:re also popular because of their ability to discriminate between hard
particles of other impurities in the oil. "hen good procedures and practices are followed, both
types of particle counters provide value and effectiveness in maintenance applications.
(igure 3 shows how particle count trends vary depending on the machine
application and the presence of an onboard filter. -ecause particle counters
monitor particles in the general si#e range controlled by filters, equilibrium is
usually achieved, i.e., particles entering the oil from ingression minus
particles exiting from filtration will leave behind a steady-state concentration.
"hen filters are properly specified and ingression is under control this
steady-state concentration will be well within the cleanliness target. /ystems
with no continuous filtration, e.g., a splash-fed gearbox, the equilibrium is
not effectively established %there is no continuous particle removal&. This
causes the particle concentration to be continuously rising. /till, contamination control can be
achieved by periodic use of portable filtration systems like a filter cart.
-y combining the use of a particle counter with other onsite oil analysis tools, particle count trends
can be more effectively interpreted. (igure 8 shows how particle count trends from a circulating
industrial gearbox can be monitored and interpreted when ferrous density analysis is added as an
exception test.
(errous density analysis instruments are sold by several suppliers and include D* ferrograph,
2article Euantifier, and (errous 2article ;ounter. (igure ? shows how particle trends can be
compared to viscosity trends to reveal a host of crankcase lubrication problems.
Training-1ey to Success) Like most activities in oil analysis and maintenance technology,
success in particle counting and contamination control requires education and skill development.
!nless maintenance professionals have an understanding of the purpose and goals of oil analysis
and are literate in the language of oil analysis, they cannot be expected to carry out its mission.
This is accomplished through a liberal amount of training and education. 'nd, this should not
simply be concentrated on a single individual but should be spread about to all those that benefit
from and contribute to machine reliability. In fact, training and education should occur at several
different levels including craftsmen, operators, engineering, and management. -elow are a few
subects for which seminars and training classes are generally available9
(igure 3
(igure 8
(igure ?
,. Lubrication fundamentals and their use
3. 7echanical failure analysis
8. 2roactive maintenance and root cause analysis
?. Troubleshooting hydraulic systems
6. Lubrication and maintenance of bearings and gear units
=. 1il analysis fundamentals
>. 1il analysis data interpretation
4. (iltration and contamination control
F. "ear particle analysis machine fault detection
1nce these fundamentals are in place, oil analysis can move forward enthusiastically, beginning
with the development of its mission and goals. 'nd, instead of indifference to oil analysis
exceptions, rapid-fire corrections are carried out and measures are taken to preempt their
reoccurrence. In time, unscheduled maintenance becomes rare and oil analysis exceptions are few
as the ideali#ed machine operating environment becomes controlled.
(inally, as the many elements of oil analysis and proactive maintenance merge together into a
cohesive maintenance activity, the benefits should not be allowed to go unnoticed. !nlike many
applications of new technology, proactive maintenance seeks non-events as its goal and reward.
These non-events include oil that continues to be fit-for-service, machines that don:t break down,
and inspections that don:t need to be performed. This quiet existence is the product of a highly
disciplined activity but, at times, can be misunderstood by the casual observer as unneeded.
Therefore, the close association of the activities of proactive maintenance with the benefits of
proactive maintenance must be measured, monitored, and displayed for all to view.