Learn used oil analysis sample testing, lubrication reliability maintenance, predictive lab diagnostics to reduce costs & boost profits.
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.
We all know cleaner oil is good, but did you know there is such a thing as too clean to the point it prevents the oil working properly, strips it of its protective properties, hides impending problems and to top it all off makes it potentially at risk of explosions in certain situations. Wow, who would have thought a bit of filtration could cause all that?
So before you go hiring a bomb disposal unit to change your oil filters going forward, we need to explain why all these things can occur a...
All machines wear, that's a fact. It doesn't matter how great your lubricant is, nothing can stop wear taking place entirely when there are moving parts.
So why does wear happen in the first place?Wear is a normal part of your machinery health. No surface is perfectly smooth and even when you look at metal surfaces with a mirror smooth finish, at the microscopic scale the surface looks like a mountain range. These microscopic surface imperfections are called asperities. When a new machine starts...
What's the difference between normal and abnormal wear?
Foam in a lubricated system can be a real problem. That is because foam is a poor lubricant and can cause significant wear within a lubricated system if the lubricant film is replaced with foam. However, most foam people talk about in lubricated systems is cosmetic foam. This is foam that can spill over the side of machines during operation and although there is a slip hazard from the oil spilling over, most of this foam never reaches the parts of the system where it could cause da...
Detecting Lubricant Foaming. What it means and is there a better way to test?
My young son made a great comparison the other day to why you shouldn't let your engine oil level go low. He explained if it gets dry it's like when your throat gets sore and that's why it starts coughing (knocking).
One common symptom of low oil levels is engine knocking, also known as detonation or pinging. This is a metallic sound that occurs when the air/fuel mixture in the engine detonates prematurely, causing a knocking or pinging noise. This can be caused by a variety of factors, such...
Let's face it, lubricating oil management can be a headache for many reasons.
The price of your lubricating oil seems to keep going up. When it comes to the time of changing there is conflicting advice ranging from always to never changing.
To cap things off there is information overload on what lubricant you should be using to get the best value and machinery protection - is it mineral, semi synthetic, synthetic, PAO, PAG, PE to name but a few. If you read the spec sheets all the oils seem to s...
Demystifying lubricants. What is the secret to making your lubricating oil last much longer?
An interesting question the other day on linkedin. Interestingly, from a competitor lab which I always take as a compliment. So I thought in the gesture of knowledge sharing for the greater good I thought I would write an article to explain.
The question was:
When we test engine oils for customers that are sludged we often comment the reason for this is poor combustion, but I am not quite sure as to how exactly the two are linked. Can you help? Your website is brilliant by the way - love it! I...
It's January and we are all trying to make small changes to our lives to improve ourselves and the world around us. But the same can be done for a business too. Being in the oil industry many assume that being green is not a priority and often many businesses in this sector have to go the extra mile to prove their green credentials.
"Oil analysis actually helps the environment"You may find it surprising to know that oil analysis is actually very good for environnement as it helps:
Identify eq...
New Years Resolution Greener on Plastic usage in Oil Analysis
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.
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.
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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.
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.
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.
