Learn oil/fluid lab analysis & condition monitoring

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Learn Oil Analysis

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Secrets of OCM

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Welcome to the definitive resource on all things oil analysis. Take a look around the site and register for free to get full access to the learn oil analysis book series.

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Latest & Popular Articles

See the latest and most popular articles on oil analysis that have been posted to find out more about how oil analysis works and the benefits it could be doing for you.

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This article will answer the following questions?

How do I know if my fuel is of a good quality?

Why do I need to test my diesel fuel?

What does BS EN590 mean when I see it written on fuel pumps?

How can a laboratory confirm if fuel is of a good quality or become contaminated or adulterated?

What effect does biodiesel have on my vehicle?

Why misfueling is a serious problem and can potentially impact a warranty claim?

The EN590 Specification is the l...

What is the EN590 specification for diesel fuel?

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This summer I was visiting a client in the Middle East to assist them in an oil analysis project they were interested in doing for one of the big shipping companies in the area. The end client had been hesistant in taking up the project as they still were not convinced it was something they could afford to do as they already maintenance the equipment well and so their machines never fail. I had hence been asked to come explain the benefits of the project by my client.
On the day of the meeting, ...

Has your maintenance budget suffered a puncture? Are maintenance costs & machine failures too high then change it with oil analysis.

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Oil analysis has been used in plant machinery (diggers, tractors etc) in the construction, mining, agriculture and forestry industries for almost half a century now. Pretty much every construction OEM has its own analysis programme and both myself, and my father before me were responsible for helping many of the OEMs (Original Equipment manufacturers) setup these programmes.
The problems of being too successfulThe problem in recent years is oil analysis has been so successful in helping keep mac...

Why construction, mining, agriculture & forestry industries use oil analysis?

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Sliding wear is an important failure mechanism of machinery. All machinery wears, but when it occurs too much this is termed sliding wear. This article will give you a brief introduction to what happens when the lubricant film thickness is overwhelmed.

Sliding wear is typically seen with striations, brush like marks across the surface of the wear particles. In the above you can see the grain of the sliding wear goes diagonally from top left to bottom right

To explain what is abnormal wear...

What happens when your oil stops being slippy enough?

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You will get a better service if you describe what you are trying to achieve rather than state the suite of tests and methods you need.
I had an interesting question the other day by another lab looking to subcontract to us in that I was asked could we perform a test by a certain method. In this example it was could we measure 3 elements by XRF (X-ray Fluorescence). I asked them what they were trying to achieve and what range of concentrations were they expecting. The client explained they were...

Which is the better method - don't get fixated on the method and more on what you are trying to achieve?

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I had an interesting question the other day regarding a customer who uses both online field particle counters and sends samples for oil analysis that includes particle count. The question posed was:

"Why do you not always get the same result with field particle counting compared to lab particle counting?"
Answer:

When measuring oil cleanliness particle counts there are many methods that can be used. Assuming you are using a laser particle counter and using the same technology basis as lab part...

Why do particle counters differ in results?

inside ICP Learn used oil analysis sample testing, lubrication reliability maintenance, predictive lab diagnostics to reduce costs & boost profits.

Have you ever wondered what happens to your oil after you’ve sent it to our laboratory? In this blog series, we will be discussing some of the tests your oil may be put through and how they give us an insight into the health of your equipment.
A Day In The Life Of An Oil Sample.
Inductively Coupled Plasma Optical Emission Spectroscopy (ICP-OES).
Big in name and big in nature, the ICP is one of the most important tests a sample will take in the laboratory, producing a wealth of...

A day in a life of an oil sample - Inductively coupled plasma (ICP)

Why Oil Analysis Matters?

Oil Analysis is used by people just like you all over the world to reduce machinery downtime and improve equipment reliability. A small sample of oil from your machinery can provide as much information as a full machine strip down at a fraction of the cost and has been a proven technology for over 60 years to reduce forced shutdowns and failure repair costs. Want to understand how oil and grease analysis works and how it applies to you then watch this short video below.

How Much Can Oil Analysis Save Me?

Oil analysis is a brilliant tool that can save you money each time you sample. The returns on investment vary depending on your machinery type, so feel free to use our sister sites cost saving calculator at the bottom of their FAQ Page.

Read the Book

By registering for free to our quarterly newsletter and logging in you can read the industry leading textbook series on oil analysis “Learn Oil Analysis”

Ask a question

Ask a question on oil analysis directly to the site author. This can also include requests on how and with whom to start fluid sampling. You can also contact the author on linkedin.

See our Training Courses

Register for free and get access to some of our great short oil analysis training training courses. Content is updated regularly and includes explanation of tests, sources of wear, how to take a sample and the benefits of oil Sampling. You can also book a dedicated training day for you and your team too or enquire about our deluxe online training programmes.

Welcome to Learn Oil Analysis

Training Videos

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viscosity preview Learn used oil analysis sample testing, lubrication reliability maintenance, predictive lab diagnostics to reduce costs & boost profits.

PQ preview Learn used oil analysis sample testing, lubrication reliability maintenance, predictive lab diagnostics to reduce costs & boost profits.

interp piston 2 Learn used oil analysis sample testing, lubrication reliability maintenance, predictive lab diagnostics to reduce costs & boost profits.

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Get your oil tested

If you have never had your oil tested before then what are you waiting for and get in contact with a lab today. There are many reputable labs all across the world that offer excellent oil analysis services you can use including our sister lab – Oil Analysis Laboratories, which is the only lab in the world to offer the LubeWear test. LubeWear identifies abnormal wear far earlier than traditional wear metal analysis techniques meaning you can catch faults earlier to keep your machine reliability at its highest. A brief video explanation of the rest can be viewed below.