Every company that relies on industrial equipment must perform periodic maintenance. Industries such as waste water treatment, metal and chemical processing, mining, oil refining and paper and pulp manufacturing, require large machinery to operate. In most operations, machinery such as pumps, turbines, gearboxes, and conveyors work continuously. When maintenance is required, machinery must be shut off and production time is lost. There is a way to determine when that maintenance is needed and schedule it in a timely manner.
An investigation by an oil analysis laboratory provides answers to the inside condition of the machinery. The analysis gives company managers information in three main areas:
1. The oil analysis allows the machine oil to be inspected for wear and tear while the machine is running. Tests will show the amount of wear by measuring metal fragments shed by the gears, bearings, turbines, and pumps, contaminants such as dust and water, and the consistency and performance of the oil. By knowing the physical composition of the oil and the contaminants, an expert can prepare a report showing if the oil is in a marginal or critical condition. Knowing the conditions allows a company to plan more extensive maintenance of the machine. Planning maintenance avoids unexpected and expensive breakdowns and allows for scheduling personnel vacations to coincide with routine maintenance.
An investigation by an oil analysis laboratory provides answers to the inside condition of the machinery. The analysis gives company managers information in three main areas:
1. The oil analysis allows the machine oil to be inspected for wear and tear while the machine is running. Tests will show the amount of wear by measuring metal fragments shed by the gears, bearings, turbines, and pumps, contaminants such as dust and water, and the consistency and performance of the oil. By knowing the physical composition of the oil and the contaminants, an expert can prepare a report showing if the oil is in a marginal or critical condition. Knowing the conditions allows a company to plan more extensive maintenance of the machine. Planning maintenance avoids unexpected and expensive breakdowns and allows for scheduling personnel vacations to coincide with routine maintenance.
2. The condition of the oil also tells the operator when more oil or a complete replacement of the oil is necessary. If an oil product is breaking down too quickly, the company may need to find a more stable oil. Over time and several tests, the oil analysis laboratory report will show a baseline and the continuing trend to know if the products in use are effective.
3. Knowing what contaminants are in a machine’s oil demonstrates when other measures must be taken. For example, if a lot of dust or water is showing up in the analysis, steps should be performed to limit the exposure to these elements. If more than normal amounts of metal particles are present, the machinery may need replacement gears, bearings, and other metallic parts.
Whatever kind of machinery your company is running, you need a look inside to gauge the condition of your equipment. An oil analysis laboratory can provide that look and give you ideas for fixing the problems before they cause a breakdown and expensive loss of production time. The report from the oil analysis gives you time to plan routine maintenance only when it is needed and it is valuable information that your company needs.
TricoCorp - Is one of the leading oil analysis service provider in a USA, We have a Oil Analysis Laboratory where we perform tests such as Oil Sample Testing, coolants, lubricants, fuels testing etc. for more information please visit:- http://www.tricocorp.com
