Resources for wear debris analysis

Identifying Root Causes of Machinery Damage with Condition Monitoring

2013-01-02T14:45:13-06:00

Why do some machines fail early, while others operate for many additional years? Generally, eight mechanisms lead to component failures in industrial machinery: abrasion, corrosion, fatigue, boundary lubrication, deposition, erosion, cavitation and electrical discharge. These mechanisms are driven by various forces, reactive agents, the environment, temperature and time. Through monitoring the condition of your machinery and applying appropriate measurement technologies, it is possible to reveal the existence of these damaging mechanisms in order to take proactive or predictive measures and prevent failures.

4 Key Failure Mechanisms

Four wear mechanisms are commonly associated with the majority of root causes that lead to component failures of industrial machinery: abrasion, corrosion, fatigue and boundary lubrication. The latter is related to adhesion and other sliding wear modes.

New Advances in Wear Debris Analysis

2012-08-10T16:45:09-05:00

The harsh work environments in which some industrial equipment is situated can lead to short life cycles and unpredictable failures, such as those found in mining or offshore oil and gas industries. While manufacturers may offer and honor time-based warranties, they cannot predict accurately the lifespan of the equipment. Moreover, replacement of equipment under warranty by the manufacturer does nothing to mitigate the cost of unscheduled downtime and lost revenues.

This Macro-2-Micro one-shot image of an
oxidizedparticle on a filter patch shows
surface detail thatwould not be visible
using a microscopewithout extended
focus capability.

A solution to this problem lies with the various fluid and particle condition monitoring tests that convey information

Testoil Unveils New Filter Analysis Technology

2012-07-10T09:35:33-05:00

Testoil recently announced substantial changes to all aspects of its filter debris analysis testing process, including a new washing instrument, a redesigned washing method and a revamped comprehensive report. The improvements are intended to significantly increase the laboratory’s ability to identify wearing machine components, providing enhanced diagnostic and prognostic information about impending failures.

"Our customers depend on us to provide the most reliable oil analysis testing data to ensure machine performance and reduce risks of failure," said Eric Ambrose, Testoil's director of technical operations. "The filter debris analysis upgrade expands on that commitment as well as stays on top of the latest technological developments."

The first step in the new testing process, and one of the most significant changes, includes a new filter washing instrument.

"The modular design can accommodate more irregular filter

Understanding Oil Analysis Results

2012-06-04T09:50:00-05:00

"Sometimes our oil analysis reports show high particle counts on a hydraulic system (as high as ISO 21/18). If wear metals and silicon are low (less than 4 parts per million), what are these particles?"

To fully understand the composition of the particles, you should perform a spectrographic analysis and a metallurgy assessment of your system components, which will tell you what the particles are and where they are coming from. At 4 parts per million (ppm), the amount of wear metals is insignificant.

Retest the system on a proper frequency and trend the rate of change. A significant change in the overall amount of wear metals is cause for concern. If the value of wear metals hovers around the same ppm over each test, then you are probably looking at a product of normal operat

Analyzing Iron in Oil Samples

2012-05-11T09:37:54-05:00

"What type of relationship can you associate with iron particles when performing a spectrochemical analysis versus a direct-read ferrography?

I believe spectrochemical determines the number of particles less than 8 to 10 microns, and the direct-read ferrography determines the number of iron particles greater than or less than 5 microns.

I would think that if I have a certain value of iron particles from the spectrochemical, I would not see a larger number in the direct read. However, I quite often do. Why is this?"

You are correct that the spectrometric elemental analysis (usually inductively coupled plasma or ICP) has a size limitation. The upper size limit of a particle that the ICP can detect is normally quoted at about 5 to 8 microns. To de

Characterization of Particles from In-Service Lubricants

2012-04-16T14:34:59-05:00

This integrated tester features a filter
patch maker per ASTM D7416.
(Photo courtesy of Emerson
Process Management)

The new ASTM D7684-10 standard guide should be quite useful for microscopic particle analysis of particulate wear and contamination debris extracted from in-service lubricants. It provides consistent format and terminology, facilitates broader use of wear particle analysis with better understanding of analysis results, and documents root cause and problem severity information.

The new guide is intended to be used in conjunction with ASTM D7416 standard for mini-lab filter patch preparation, ASTM D7670 standard for general filter patch prep

Simple Ways to Improve Your Gearbox

2012-04-13T15:46:50-05:00

Many smaller gearboxes have a fill hole and a drain plug. The only way to tell if the gearbox has the proper amount of oil is to unscrew the fill plug and stick your finger in it. To improve this process, replace the drain plug with a sight glass. This makes it easy for anyone walking by the equipment to notice if there is a problem with insufficient oil. 

At the same time, because you no longer need to open the fill cap regularly, replace it with an appropriate breather or quick connects (on both the fill port and drain) to add oil or deploy off-line filtration. 

When to Use Mineral Oils 

The main factor that limits the use of mineral oils in high-temperature applications is their oxidation stability, rather than the viscosity thinning or thermal stability. In the presence of air, it is generally not advisable to use mineral oil

PerkinElmer Introduces OilExpress 4 and OilPrep 4

2012-04-10T09:01:40-05:00

PerkinElmer Inc. recently announced the introduction of its OilExpress 4 and OilPrep 4 systems for faster oil analysis.

The OilExpress 4 system features a high-performance Spectrum Two FTIR spectrometer and multi-tip sampling capabilities with a synchronized multi-tasking autosampler. The system is designed to monitor for contaminants and degradation products in oil, providing early warning and identification of component failures within an engine as well as breakdown of the lubricant material itself. This early warning can help prolong the lifetime of engines by enabling operators to perform the necessary maintenance at optimal intervals.

The system also enables a reduction in cost per sample and a diminished environmental impact by delivering up to 100 samples per hour, as well as an 80-percent reduction in solvent and waste volumes compared to previous models.

“The new OilExpress 4 system joins the power of the Spectrum Two FTIR analytical instrument

Elemental Analysis of Industrial Lubricants

2012-03-29T08:41:16-05:00

As the most fundamental test used in oil analysis today, elemental analysis can detect between 15 and 25 different elements that are related to wear metals, contaminant metals and oil additives. In this 6-minute, 59-second video, you will learn how elemental analysis works through atomic emission spectroscopy (AES), the results you can expect to see, why you want to run elemental analysis on used and new oil, and why you can’t completely rely on elemental analysis to get a true indication of overall machine condition. You will also gain an understanding of parts-per-million values, the two types of AES methods, the various alarms and much more.

The Basics of Ferrous Density in Oil Analysis

2012-03-09T11:03:07-06:00

Ferrous density should be considered a primary test for all machines where ferrous wear material is expected. Correlating ferrous density data along with other oil analysis test information can give you a wide picture and a solid understanding of the internal condition of your machine. In this 5-minute, 51-second video, you will learn about the two general types of ferrous density testing, including what they measure, how they are performed, the results you can expect and the advantages of each, as well as how to calculate wear particle concentration, percent large particles and wear severity index.

Advice for Improved Oil Sampling

2012-03-05T11:39:26-06:00

"We have a 600-liter sump that supplies 150 liters per minute to eight turbine bearings from one reservoir. The oil flows from the reservoir by a single pump and filter, then separates to the eight bearings. We take the oil samples from the return lines before they join for the return to the reservoir. None of the samples show much wear. On the last sampling when there was a sign of bearing failure, the sample for that bearing showed only 4 ppm iron, 2 ppm tin, 1 ppm aluminum, 2 ppm silicon, 2 ppm sodium, 2 ppm magnesium, and everything else 0. Viscosity was 66.7 on Regal 68 at 1,000 hours (6,200 on the unit). Why would samples not show that there was a problem?"

The answer to your question can likely be summed up in one word — dilution! Assuming, as you state, that you are samplin

Condition Monitoring of Tactical Vehicle Engines

2012-01-16T09:22:20-06:00

In 2004, a field trial was initiated over a four-year period with tactical and combat vehicles. The spectrum included armored reconnaissance vehicles (ARV) as well as main battle tanks (MBT). Oil samples removed from the monitoring well were taken every 90 days with an oil sampling kit normally used for aviation components. To avoid cross-contamination with other functional fluids taken from the vehicle, every sample was taken with a new sampling kit.

Among the monitored vehicles were 40 main battle tanks (Figure 1), 25 armored infantry fighting vehicles (AIFV), 16 armored howitzers, 25 armored reconnaissance vehicles (ARV) and 10 mechanized infantry combat vehicles (MICV).

Pall Corporation receives $14 million U.S. military contract

2011-04-14T15:47:41-05:00

A New Technique for Filter Debris Analysis

2010-08-06T15:05:52-05:00

Due to the increasing fineness of filter elements in high-precision machinery lubricating oil systems, monitoring of filter debris analysis (FDA) is gaining increased significance for the early failure detection of moving parts.

Wear Resistance Test for Aluminum and Nylon Roller

2010-06-18T08:19:41-05:00

This video documents a Wear Resistance Accelerate Test.

The purpose of this test:
1. To prove the following statements corrected in general principal and theory of tribology.
a. Metal-to-metal wear, or adhesive wear lead to the following list of surface characteristics and the processes that produce them.
- Micro-rough due to tractive stresses resulting from "ADHESION".
- Macro-rough causes severe "ADHESION", at least as an initiator of damage.
- Shiny, a very thin (or perhaps no surface film) of e.g., oxide, hydroxide, sulfide, chloride, or other species.

Quoted from "Friction, Wear, Lubrication"(see appendix) A Textbook in Tribology by Kenneth C Ludema, Publisher : Boca Raton : CRC Press, c1996.

b. In theory of Tribology, same metal with same crystal lattice type, same atomic plane distance and same electron density. Those materials carry similar characteristics in electrochemistry. Their mutual solubility in same materials becomes greater. They easily bond together and cause wear damage. But metal and non-metal e.g. example nylon, plastic, graphite etc., the mutual solubility is relatively small, the tendency to coherence of two materials is greatly reduced.

Quoted from"Materials in Engineering & Its Applications"(see appendix)
Course Outline of Professional Degree in Mechanical & Automation Engineering Design published by University of Xian Electronic & Technology Publication, c2008.

c. High degree of miscibility between same metals has a high adhesion and bonding capacity. Therefore, we should try to avoid using the same material in composition of sliding friction system. Aluminum and aluminum alloy wear with different loads also have two different mechanisms. At low level of loading, the metal itself induces minor wear or oxidation wear with thickness up to about 2µm on the surface. For the role of friction, this layer oxidative film being ruptured and peeling off with debris and flake.

Quoted from "Materials for Wear Resistance in Tribology" (see appendix)
Textbook of Materials in Mechanical Engineering & Its Application published by China Machine Press.

Test Products : Original FMC Aluminum Rollers and New Composite Nylon Roller
- A Loader Platform Simulator should be constructed using the FMC transfer desk as reference. Four FMC roller clusters should be installed in the simulator. Each of the clusters will be fitted with 24 new FMC Aluminum rollers given by Hactl in first round and do the same test with 24 new Composite Nylon Rollers in 2nd round.
- A 70 cm diameter circular steel plate with its bottom fitted with a metal plate, the same type of metal (American Standard # 7050) as per the cargo box bottom plate. This is to simulate the actual metal / roller contact condition. The test is carried out by putting a 450 kg metal weight on the circular plate, i.e. each roller shares a load of 112.5 kg, 2.5 kg more than the standard maximum loading of 110 kg per roller.
- The clusters are recorded as group A to D. They rotate at 160 r.p.m. in same directions which is 4 times of normal rotation rate.
- The test is expected to conduct 10 hours per day, i.e. a total of 100 hours each round of testing.
- Every 20 hours, the rollers are measured to record the wear occurred. The roller diameters at the centre and at both ends are measured (see the arrow pointing locations in Figure 2.11). The smallest diameter over the circumference obtained is recorded.
- After each 10 hour operation and measurement, the device is started again running in reverse direction.

Result & Summary :

The wear on the new composite nylon rollers is much less than on the traditional aluminum roller, while the test on aluminum rollers was only lasting for 2 hours. Its surface started peeling off after 30 minutes and serious deformation and started damaged to housings in 2 hours.
For test of Nylon Rollers, it is discovered that there was no serious loss of material at the surface and two ends after 20-hour test which is 10 times of test hours of Aluminum Rollers. It can even run more than 20 hours but we stopped the test when the machine engine found overload.

The result to compare two kinds of rollers is very obvious to support the theory of tribology in selection of materials in composition of sliding friction system. Metal-to-metal contact is not a good arrangement and easily gets wear & tear of both the aluminum rollers and the aluminum pallet plates as well.

Add Magnets for Cleaner Oil and Handy Visual Inspections

2010-04-14T09:52:55-05:00

Filtering oil with a filter cart has been useful for maintaining target ISO contaminant cleanliness codes. We’ve found that placing a magnet in the filter cart and/or unit, near the inlet before the pump, is also beneficial for removing wear debris and for routine inspections. Place the magnet in a location where it can't interrupt oil flow and ensure the magnet is strong enough to remain in place.

Inspections of the magnet should be compared to the oil sample because oil analysis results may be better due to the magnet capturing metal. If multiple pumps/bearings feed into one lube unit, use a magnet for each return line to determine which one may be wearing out. Consider wearing leather gloves to protect your hands from sharp metal fragments when cleaning the magnet.

The pictures below are from a four roll vertical mill with a 1,000 gallon reservoir. The magnets are in the sight glasses for the return pumps for each of the four rolls. They are about the size o

Looking Through the Eyes of Onsite Contaminant Monitors

2010-02-19T09:24:27-06:00

Contaminant monitoring instruments (and awareness of their importance) have advanced rapidly in the past two decades.

Detecting Wear Metals Using Laser-Induced Breakdown Spectroscopy

2010-02-16T08:50:20-06:00

In order to determine the health of large industrial equipment such as engines or turbines, samples of oil are taken from the equipment and analyzed for wear materials. Currently, the oil is sent to a laboratory where it is analyzed using bulky and expensive inductively coupled plasma equipment. The results tend to come back several days later, a delay that can result in long downtimes, or even equipment failure.

Preliminary research has shown that a q-switched solid state laser can be constructed and is able to produce the desired pulse characteristics required for LIBS. This is possible while still maintaining a sufficiently small size to allow integration with the probe.

With the current design for the spectrometer, the desired resolution and wavelength range has been achieved. Construction of the spectrometer will begin in the near future.

By integrating the probe laser and the spectrometer, it is possible to achieve both goals of on-site, real-time oil analysis while maintaining a relatively low cost.

Access this 3-minute, 2-second video by clicking on the link below.

Oil Filter Analysis Uncovers Hidden Problems

2010-02-14T16:49:03-06:00

With the recent push for better contamination control, maintenance personnel have become familiar with terms such as beta ratio, ISO cleanliness and offline filtration. Oil analysis results show that there is a drive to achieve a higher level of cleanliness in equipment. It has been proven that oil cleanliness is tied to improved machine reliability. This drives interest in contaminant control and removal measures. This column focuses on the contaminant removal measures for a particular gearbox.

The use of portable filtration and the installation of hard piped (kidney-loop) filtering methods is on the rise. When utilizing these practices, it is important to understand that they affect more than just the level of cleanliness. Al

How to Diagnose Machine Failures

2010-02-14T16:45:07-06:00

"The most savage controversies are those about matters as to which there is no good evidence either way."

-Bertrand Russell

When a machine fails, evidence of the failure is often destroyed along with the component. The initial evidence is so mangled by the actual failure itself, it becomes indistinguishable from other elements. As Rick Adler so capably described in

Virgin Particles and Weak Signals: Finding Meaning in Wear Debris

2010-01-01T00:00:00-06:00

I often mention the wear debris universe when I lecture on oil analysis topics. This refers to the extensive array of wear particle technologies and tactics that can help reveal the true tribological condition of a machine. Individually, these tools are often inconclusive when it comes to identifying the source, cause and severity of abnormal wear conditions. They may not even be able to identify the problem at all. Yet when used in combination, they can expose a vivid image of a current or impending failure condition.

A skilled analyst should be well aware of the strengths and weaknesses of these technologies and tactics. Not all of these tools need to be at your fingertips, but nonetheless should be available when called upon. Too often, an inexperienced technician will attempt to draw a premature conclusion from little more than a sliver of information in the wear debris universe. Examples might be a muted iron trend from elemental data or stabilized ISO codes from particle coun

Filter Analysis Describes the History of Wear

2010-01-01T00:00:00-06:00

Across-bar cooler is one of the main pieces of equipment in cement production. It is used for the transport and cooling of clinker, one of the ingredients of cement. Cement kilns operate with a cross-bar cooler which consists of four grates driven by a hydraulic station.

Any pump failures cause downtime and stop cement production. Therefore, it is important for the pump to operate smoothly on continuous basis.

Hydraulic Circuit

Pilot Pump
The pilot pump provides oil flow to the proportional valve which controls the position of the swash plate. It also controls the oil flow from the main pump (axial piston pump) at 22 liters per minute.

Boost Pump
The boost pump refills the main pump with the same amount of oil removed by the shuttle valve to cool the oil. Oil flow is 50 liters per minute.

Main Pump
The main pump consists of an axial piston pump with variable

Tactics For Identifying Wear Metal and Solid-particle Suspensions

2010-01-01T00:00:00-06:00

The most widely used laboratory methods for initial detection of abnormal levels of wear debris in used oils include elemental analysis, ferrous density analysis (DR, etc.), particle counting and patch testing. For some users, because of the criticality of their machines, all of these screening tests for wear metals are integrated into the routine test slate. In such cases, when sampling is done correctly, it would be rare for the abnormal production of wear metals to go undetected. However, when only one or two of these methods are routinely deployed, there is a distinct risk that an incipient (early stage) failure condition may be overlooked or dismissed as inconsequential.

For instance, most people familiar with used oil analysis understand the limitations of elemental spectroscopy (ICP, rotating disc electrode, etc.) with respect to quantifying actual levels of particulate suspensions in used oils. Regardless of the type of spectrometer, particles larger than 10 microns are generall

The Benefits of Utilizing Wear Debris Analysis in Industrial Machinery

2010-01-01T00:00:00-06:00

The analysis of powertrain lubricants for the purpose of detecting faults and abnormal wear patterns is a useful practice in mobile equipment applications. Unfortunately for many users, these techniques don't always transfer successfully into stationary equipment applications. In recent years, new approaches and techniques have been advanced to improve the detection of incipient and developing faults in bearings and gear units using wear debris analysis.

As opposed to the application of any singular new or emerging technology, these new methods are more systematic and functional. It begins with improvements in the sampling process to enrich the data and proceeds through the use of specific strategies and tactics. After detection is confirmed, the final analytical phase involves wear particle identification using both classic and advanced techniques.

Like so many endeavors, success depends more on the quality of execution than the strength of the underlying technologies. This idea

Advancements in On-site and Laboratory Ferrous Wear Debris Testing

2010-01-01T00:00:00-06:00

Condition monitoring of machinery lubricants is an established method of predicting and avoiding impending machinery breakdown. With Kittiwake's ferrous debris monitoring technology, laboratories and on-site maintenance engineers identify and detect worn machinery parts before serious damage occurs.

Development of the Monitors
The ANALEX range of ferrous debris monitors from Kittiwake provides an accurate means of detecting and measuring ferrous wear debris in lubricating oils, hydraulic oils and greases regardless of particle size. Used by oil analysis laboratories worldwide, the ANALEXpq technology has been developed and enhanced by Kittiwake since the acquisition of ANALEX in 2002 and is now part of a full suite of ferrous debris products on- and off-line.

The rugged, compact and stable monitors deliver retrievable data quickly and simply, ensuring fast, accurate and consistent management of oil condition samples. The range i

Understanding Ferrous Density

2010-01-01T00:00:00-06:00

As part of my job, I regularly present oil analysis training seminars. One of the tests we discuss is ferrous density. I find that this test is seldom well understood, and, probably as a result, is seldom used.

Explanation of the Test
Ferrous density is the density of ferrous, or more correctly, of ferromagnetic particles distributed in the oil. The other ferromagnetic elements that one might encounter in lubricated components are nickel and cobalt, but in practice, these elements are likely to be present only in comparatively small quantities. Therefore, we are effectively measuring the concentration of magnetic steel alloys.

There is no single way to conduct a ferrous density analysis. There are many ways of performing this rather essential test. Perhaps the two most common are the direct-reading ferrography, a technique which uses light blockage analysis of material deposited on a glass slide; and electromagnetic in

Monitoring Large Particles in Gear Oils

2010-01-01T00:00:00-06:00

Limitations in atomic emission spectroscopy can hinder the ability to monitor large wear particles in gearboxes. This article will explore additional test methods used to monitor abnormal wear of gearboxes. These test methods include direct reading ferrography, the particle quantifier, particle counting and analytical ferrography.

Before these methods can be understood, focus should be placed on the various types of gearboxes while comparing their similarities and differences.

A gearbox is defined as a metal casing that contains a train of gears. They are available in a range of sizes, capacities and speed ratios. Their job is to convert the input provided by a prime mover into an output of lower RPM and, correspondingly, higher torque.

Types of Gearsets
There are multiple gearset configurations that can be utilized depending on application. Some common configurations include spur, helical, bevel, hypoid and worm gears.

Observing Precipitated Wear Debris Particles Technological Advances For Particle Counting

2010-01-01T00:00:00-06:00

Wear debris particle analysis is an established equipment health monitoring technique for oil-wetted components. Particle sizing and counting establishes a cleanliness level for an oil sample expressed as an ISO or NAS code. Most equipment manufacturers specify the optimum cleanliness level required for their components and will not honor their guarantee (warranty) if the machinery is operated with oil that is outside of the prescribed cleanliness limits. This is because dirty oil is potentially disastrous for hydraulic machinery and lubricated equipment and is the reason why it is also important to analyze the morphology of wear debris particles in order to identify possible incipient failure modes. Solid particle counts in oil can be determined using optical instruments. These have changed over time according to advances in technology. This article compares the various methods, their advantages and disadvantages and ends with the latest advances in technology in this area.

Wear Debris Analysis

2010-01-01T00:00:00-06:00

The clinker hammer crusher is one of the main pieces of equipment in cement production and is used for the crushing of clinker, the main product of cement kilns, into smaller parts for the preparation of grinding. At CEMEX Egypt, the bearings used in the clinker crusher are spherical roller bearings. These bearings are lubricated with a lithium complex thickened grease with a synthetic base oil designed for high-temperature applications.

Clinker Hammer Crusher

At the CEMEX plant, bearing failures can lead to a halt in cement production. To maintain continuous operation, it is critical for the bearings to operate smoothly. As part of the predictive maintenance program, vibration analysis is used to monitor the condition of the crusher.

A grease sample to analyze wear debris was taken at the first shutdown of the clinker cr

Reducing Wear Particle Generation

2010-01-01T00:00:00-06:00

A coal-fired power plant operating in the western United States was experiencing short gearbox life in its coal pulverizing operation. The AGMA 6EP (ISO 320) gear oil recommended by the original equipment manufacturer (OEM) failed to provide adequate lubrication and protection based on oil analysis results and gearbox inspection after one year of operation. This was confirmed by excessive wear metals and lower viscosity in the used oil reports. Further analysis of the used extreme pressure (EP) gear oil indicated excessive buildup of particulate contaminants in the lubricant and depletion of the EP additive package.

The particulate contamination consisted primarily of dirt/coal dust and metallic particulates being generated by bearing and gear tooth wear, and a chain reaction of excessive wear was taking place.

Wear Limits Vs. Trends

2010-01-01T00:00:00-06:00

Common questions asked by users of oil analysis include "What wear limits do you use?" and "What levels are normal and abnormal?"

These questions are not unreasonable. A number of original equipment manufacturers (OEMs) specify wear limits for their equipment; unfortunately, they are generally not an effective means of determining the health of a component. The levels of contamination and wear debris in an oil sample depend on too many factors for an equipment manufacturer to sort through; for example wear tables that say 0 to 50 is OK, 50 to 100 indicates a problem and over 100 is serious. This runs the risk of saying that 49 "whatevers" is acceptable and 51 is not when, in this case, there is a difference of only four percent.
Limits and Trends
The wear limit tables produced by OEMs are based on extensive research and testing by manufacturers. These people understand the equipment but, at the end of the day, the tables reflect average situations and

Particle Counting or Ferrous Density … or Both?

2010-01-01T00:00:00-06:00

It has been said that there is a time and a place for everything. Unfortunately, in the case of particle counting and ferrous density testing, there seems to be a bit of confusion on the proper time and application (place) to perform these tests.

Direct Reading Ferrography
Direct reading (DR) ferrography measures the amount of ferromagnetic wear debris in an oil sample, commonly referred to as the ferrous density reading. The results of DR ferrography are generally given in terms of DL for particles greater than five microns in size and DS for particles less than five microns.

DR ferrography works by running the sample through a precipator tube over a high-powered magnet. Larger ferromagnetic particles attract to the magnet allowing them to gather at one end, while the smaller particles gather over the exit end. Light is then transmitted through the sample. Photo detectors measure the amount of light passing through the sample, res

New Rotrode Filter Spectroscopy Method

2010-01-01T00:00:00-06:00

For more than 40 years, spectrometric oil analysis has been applied as a routine and cost-effective condition monitoring technique. It is used to determine the elemental concentration in parts per million of wear metals, contaminants and additives in a used oil sample. With the knowledge of the wear metal and contaminant concentrations of the machine or engine being monitored, this technique may be used to determine if a sampled machine is operating properly.

It is a fact that spectrometric oil analysis detection efficiency decreases as the wear particle size increases. This partial limitation is not a significant issue with reciprocating engines that produce mostly small particles, but can be a problem in fatigue failures of rolling element bearings, such as those in military gas turbines that generate large particles at the outset of failure without generating small particles.

What the Tests Tell Us

2010-01-01T00:00:00-06:00

Powerful ICP Spectrometer Developed from the Latest Technology

2010-01-01T00:00:00-06:00

Technology
Teledyne Leeman Labs has raised the bar in inductively coupled plasma (ICP) technology with the introduction of the Prodigy High Dispersion ICP. Combining a highly advanced Echelle optical system with the latest in solid-state detection, the Prodigy ICP is ideal for laboratories requiring analytical performance and versatility.

The Prodigy ICP with its L-PAD solid-state detector provides easy-to-use navigation between applications, network readiness, access security and regulatory compliance tools.
Design

Classifying Wear Debris Particles with Automatic Image Analysis

2010-01-01T00:00:00-06:00

Wear debris particle analysis is an equipment health monitoring technique used to identify possible failure modes in various machine components such as those found in engines. One of the first stages of analysis often involves the microscopic examination of particles from the component’s magnetic drain plugs or filters within the lubrication system. However, the diagnosis may not be consistent between technicians due to the subjectivity of their judgment. A software tool capable of automatically classifying the images of wear debris particles has been tested using a database of 800 images. It has shown that using automatic image analysis classification of wear debris particle images is more consistent, accurate and informative when compared to manual classifications performed by wear debris experts.

Attempts have been made to use image processing techniques to classify wear debr

Applications and Benefits of Magnetic Filtration

2010-01-01T00:00:00-06:00

Oil filtration in automotive and industrial machinery is essential to achieving optimum performance, reliability and longevity. Lubricant cleanliness is highly important and lubrication practitioners are provided with numerous options for filtering and controlling contamination, including disposable filters, cleanable filters, strainers and centrifugal separators. This article discusses the mechanism of particle separation and reviews the many applications of magnetic filters and separators in the lubrication industry today. A brief guide to commercial filtration products is also presented.

From its origin in the beneficiation of iron ores, the magnet has played a prominent role in the separation of ferrous solids from fluid streams. Even in the control of contamination from in-service lubricants and h

Integrated Wear Particle Analysis Scheme for Trunnion Bearing Oil

2010-01-01T00:00:00-06:00

A converter is one of the main pieces of equipment used in making steel. The bearings in the converter trunnion are characterized by low speeds, heavy loads and large bearing dimensions and revolve slowly when molten steel is added or emptied. Their life expectancy is 20 years. Their failure reduces the output of the converter, incurring losses in the entire product line. Therefore, it is important for the bearings to operate smoothly.

Vibration and oil analysis are two techniques used to monitor the condition of rotary machines. But normal vibration analysis cannot be performed on converter trunnions because of the limitation of their sensors in collecting signals for the rotary frequencies of the bearings; the signals are too low.

What do Canaries and Ferrous Density Meters Have in Common?

2010-01-01T00:00:00-06:00

Origin of Spherical Particles in Lubricants

2010-01-01T00:00:00-06:00

Spherical wear particles discovered
in microscopic fatigue cracks in the
balls of ball bearings
(3,500x magnification).

Spherical particles have been found in microscopic analysis in many different machines. The phenomenon of perfectly round spheres has been a topic of interest since their discovery and a number of theories have been formulated for their origin.

While more than one theory exists, their source can be narrowed down by considering certain factors such as particle size and texture, equipment type, surrounding debris, stage of equipment life and environmental conditions. Table 1 summarizes the predominant theor

Condition Monitoring and Predictive Analysis of Tribosystems by Wear Debris

2010-01-01T00:00:00-06:00

Wear debris generation in a tribosystem is a result of various interrelated factors. Debris formed from surface interaction is a valuable source of information on wear mechanism and mode. Particle shape, texture and color can be used for wear analysis. Image recognition is used to solve the problem of debris analysis and classification for further use as a database of an integrated monitoring service. Wear monitoring is considered for providing long-term operation, with no failures, at optimum friction performance of a tribosystem. Wear monitoring tools based on an analysis of debris accumulation in lubricated machinery are reviewed in the following discussion.

Origin of Wear Debris
A typical curve of wear in a

Fretting Wear in Lubricated Systems

2010-01-01T00:00:00-06:00

Fretting wear is surface damage that occurs between two contacting surfaces experiencing cyclic motion (oscillatory tangential displacement) of small amplitude. At the contact areas, lubricant is squeezed out, resulting in metal-to-metal contact. Because the low amplitude motion does not permit the contact area to be relubricated, serious localized wear can occur. This type of wear further promotes two-body abrasion, adhesion and/or fretting fatigue (a form of surface fatigue) wear.

When fretting wear occurs in a corrosive environment, both the rubbing-off of oxide films and the increased abrasiveness of the harder oxidized wear debris tend to greatly accelerate wear. When corrosion activity is distinctly evident, as denoted by the color of the debris particles, the process is referred to as fretting corrosion.

Lubricant Condition Monitoring Using Filter Debris Analysis

2010-01-01T00:00:00-06:00

In fluid systems, the fluid acts as a repository for component wear debris, fluid break down products and contaminant ingressed from outside the system. Thus, evaluating debris in hydraulic, lubrication and other fluid systems can provide valuable information about abnormal contaminant ingression, accelerated component wear, impending component failure and/or fluid break down. While a number of techniques have been developed over the years for monitoring debris in aircraft engine lubrication systems¹ and aircraft hydraulic systems, filter debris monitoring has gained increasing acceptance over the last decade or so. Numerous studies evaluating aircraft engine lube system filter debris, including debris morphology and chemical composition, via energy dispersive X-ray fluorescence (EDXRF) spectroscopy or energy dispersive X-ray (EDX) emission spectroscopy, have been reported.^{2, 3, 4, 5,}

A Tribute to Vernon C. Westcott, Inventor of the Ferrograph

2010-01-01T00:00:00-06:00

Determining Fatigue Wear Using Wear Particle Analysis Tools

2010-01-01T00:00:00-06:00

Wear particle analysis, using tools such as ferrous density and ferrographic analysis, can play a valuable role in determining the root cause of active machine wear. However, unlike many common oil analysis tests that are quantitative in nature, successfully interpreting information on wear particles requires a fundamental understanding of tribology.

Tribology is defined by ASTM as “the science and technology concerned with interacting surfaces in relative motion including friction, lubrication, wear and erosion.” Developing a fundamental understanding of tribology and the role it plays in diagnosing lubrication- related problems can be a daunting task for those new to the area of oil analysis. However, help is on the way! In a new book written by Dr. Jian Ding, one of the world’s foremost experts in the field of tribology and wear d

On-line and In-line Wear Debris Detectors: What's Out There?

2010-01-01T00:00:00-06:00

Fundamental Principles in Setting Alarms and Limits in Wear Debris Analysis

2010-01-01T00:00:00-06:00

Discussion of appropriate wear metal alarms and limits must occur within the context of the tests used for determining wear metal concentrations in used oil analysis. Tests commonly used to prescreen for abnormal wear metal production in a mechanical or hydraulic system include particle counts by ISO 4406:99, elemental analysis and ferrous density analysis. Each test is the most powerful and accurate when used in combination with the others.

Particle Counting
Wear debris, the solid particles produced from the breakdown of machine surfaces, are particulates, and therefore contribute to the overall system particle count. Except in extreme (and often dire) circumstances, their quantity is relatively low compared to the amount of particulate dirt in the system. When monitoring for contami

Wear Rates Impact Maintenance Priorities

2010-01-01T00:00:00-06:00

A lubrication program is a critical aspect of machinery health management. No one questions the direct relationship between good lubrication practices and long machine life. This fact is universally understood. It is intuitive. Lubrication provides low friction and enables long machine life.

What are the maintenance priorities at your facility? We all have too much to do with too few resources. If you can perform only a few maintenance tasks, which ones will provide the greatest value?

The first step in solving a problem is to identify the biggest challenges. Then maintenance and manag

Filter Element Examination

2010-01-01T00:00:00-06:00

LaserNet Fines - A New Tool for the Oil Analysis Toolbox

2010-01-01T00:00:00-06:00

Most professionals require tools in the practice of their trade. For a doctor it may be a stethoscope, for the baseball player a glove, or for the carpenter a hammer and saw. The one thing that they have in common is that as a professional, the quality of the tool is important to the ability to practice the trade. To cut costs at the expense of quality or capability is seldom an option if success is to be met.

The same is true for the professional predictive maintenance engineer. In this case, the tools are analytical instruments used to gather information that reflects the mechanical health of a system. However, no single tool provides all the information necessary for an effective predictive maintenance program. Just like a carpenter with a big toolbox, full of different tools, the professional reliability engineer c

Wear Analysis

2010-01-01T00:00:00-06:00

Not Wanted: Large Metal Particle in Propulsion Ship Cylinder

2010-01-01T00:00:00-06:00

This massive metal particle was found clunking around in the cylinder of a large propulsion ship engine in port in the Persian Gulf. Apparently a valve rod seized up in its guide. This locked the valve to the “open” position. As the piston traveled down in the exhaust stroke, it hit the valve and knocked it off. As the engine continued to run, the valve bounced around in the cylinder rounding it into the fist-shaped particle seen in the picture. Sure wouldn’t want to see anything like this plop into my sample bottle!

Submitted by Jim Fitch, Noria Corporation

The Mysterious Red Fibers

2010-01-01T00:00:00-06:00

One cold, gray, Canadian-winter day, a gearbox sample was sent to a lab for ferrographic analysis. The ferrogram showed a series of strange and rather unusual red fibers not commonly found in a gearbox. These fibers were not immediately identifiable, but appeared to be somehow related to the inexplicable gearbox failure. The lab contacted the maintenance superintendent directly to share the findings and inquired about possible causes. Baffled, the superintendent decided to pay a visit to the lube technicians and headed off to the lubrication department. Along the way, he passed Joe, the head lube tech and stopped for a friendly chat. After a few minutes, the superintendent noticed that despite the cold conditions, Joe was wearing only one red wool glove . . .

Believe It or Not!

Lead Particles Predict Bearing Failure

2010-01-01T00:00:00-06:00

History:
R.J. Reynolds Tobacco Company had been performing lubricant condition monitoring on its equipment for 20 years.
A few years ago, the Predictive Maintenance Group in the Utilities Division implemented a routine oil analysis program to not only monitor the condition of the lubricant, but also to monitor the condition of its machinery.
This program was implemented to detect possible impending problems before a failure occurred. The goals were to increase reliability, minimize unexpected failures and decrease downtime.
Laboratory Lubricant Analysis:

Use Statistical Analysis to Create Wear Debris Alarm Limits

2010-01-01T00:00:00-06:00

Learn an approach to setting wear metal alarms used by commercial oil analysis labs and equipment manufacturers that's easily adapted for setting your own limits.

On-Site Debris Monitors Add Value to PdM Programs

2010-01-01T00:00:00-06:00

Machinery maintenance programs based on lube oil condition-monitoring techniques offer rapid payback on investment by reducing equipment downtime and maintenance costs. Wear progression in many types of operating machinery may now be monitored on-site in seconds by untrained staff.

Swansea Tribology Centre introduced the first PQ™ Ferrous Debris Monitor in 1985. PQ™ technology has progressed to become an essential component of oil condition-monitoring programs in almost 400 laboratories worldwide. PQ™ data is interchanged routinely between laboratories, equipment manufacturers and users alike, all use this numerical index as a measure of wear condition. One oil analysis laboratory has established a

Collect and Analyze Particles With WearTrap

2010-01-01T00:00:00-06:00

Spectroscopy for Large Particle Measurement

2010-01-01T00:00:00-06:00

For the last forty years or so, spectrometric analysis of lubricating oils has been used to determine the concentration of wear metals, contaminants and additives present in oil samples. This type of analysis is sensitive to low levels of particles and dissolved materials, it has good repeatability, and it is fast and economical. Most commercial oil analysis labs provide spectrometric oil analysis for as little as $5-7 per sample in large quantities.
What is often not understood, however, is that the ability to detect and quantify wear, additive and contamination particles is directly related to the size of the particle. All spectrometers suffer from the inability to detect large particles, typically larger than 10 micrometers.
The failure to adequately detect larger particl

X-Ray Fluorescence Spectroscopy - The Next Generation of Wear Debris Analysis

2010-01-01T00:00:00-06:00

Advanced warning of abnormal wear in high value, high mission critical assets, provides important options otherwise unavailable to decision-makers. With advanced warning of failure, a better understanding of the nature of the problem can be obtained, reducing uncertainty about maintenance decisions and enabling the scheduling of maintenance actions. Secondary damage may be avoidable by identifying and removing the worn parts.
To gain an understanding about the failure, the tribologist analyzes the wear particles generated during the wear process. Oil samples drawn from critical assets equipped with 3 micron absolute filtration (fine filtration) are not useful for wear particle analysis, because the particles have been removed by the fine filter. While fine filters effectively extend the life of assets, they leave little evidence for the anal

Maximizing Fault Detection in Rotating Equipment Using Wear Debris Analysis

2010-01-01T00:00:00-06:00

Secondary Oil Sampling Pinpoints Wear Problems

2010-01-01T00:00:00-06:00

Wear debris analysis is tricky business. Done properly, however, it is perhaps the most effective non-destructive/non-intrusive testing technique available to the reliability professional for determining the nature and root cause of mechanical wear. On one hand, wear debris represents the mirror image of the component from which it was released. Its analysis reveals details about the surface of your machine components without intrusive inspection. On the contrary, the process of wear debris analysis is plagued with problems related to poor sample quality and the inability of the method to localize where the problems exist.

These limitations challenge the maintenance organization's ability to make effective decisions and implement appropriate corrective actions. For instance, suppose an oil analyst advises the maintenance manager of a steel mill that a 35 circuit hydrauli

Scanning Electron Microscopy for Wear Particle Identification

2010-01-01T00:00:00-06:00

The Tornado is the Royal Air Force's (RAF) front line combat aircraft and is powered by two Rolls-Royce RB199 engines. The engine is a highly complex triple spool system generating up to 16,000 lbf of thrust. As a consequence of high g-loads, high end-thrust, and high cyclic loads, rolling contact fatigue wear is a natural bearing failure mode.

The buried location and hostile operating environment of the bearing chambers and poor signal transmission paths preclude vibration analysis as an effective condition monitoring tool. As such, wear debris monitoring (WDM) is the principal method used to detect the onset of bearing failure. However, in the past the techniques employed proved both technically undiscerning and unresponsive to operational demands. To protect its aero-engine assets and eliminate wasteful maintenance costs the RAF rece

A Quick Test for Wear Debris in Oil

2010-01-01T00:00:00-06:00

Sometimes it is necessary to quickly determine if a machine is generating an unusual amount of wear debris. One way to accomplish this is to simply pull a patch and look at the particles with a simple top-light microscope. Wear particles tend to be shiny because they reflect light, especially freshly generated particles that have not had a chance to oxidize.

Sometimes, however, one needs to separate the wear particles from the dirt particles to get a clearer view. Here is an easy on-site method for separating magnetic debris (e.g., iron and steel) that is quick and inexpensive. Once separated, the particles can be viewed under an inexpensive field microscope for evaluation.

1. Mix a measured amount of oil with kerosene (or other suitable solvent) about 50/50 in a flat- bottomed flask or beaker. Be sure the kerosene is dispensed through a filte

Put ZIP in Your Oil Analysis Program with Tribometric's VIP Analyzer

2010-01-01T00:00:00-06:00

Economic and environmental considerations, coupled with advances in technology, are leading to increased use of oil analysis to monitor and maintain equipment. In particular, organizations are looking to on-site oil analysis to help them achieve their goals for machine condition monitoring and equipment reliability. Managers and technicians alike desire an easy-to-use on-site oil analysis package that delivers all the relevant information with one test. While it does not completely eliminate the need for off-site testing, on-site oil analysis provides the following key
benefits to the organization:
Faster turnaround time for results - No waiting when tough decisio

OILPRO BCX - The Compact, Simple Solution for Wear Metals Analysis

2010-01-01T00:00:00-06:00

The BCX is a portable briefcase size x-ray fluorescence tool. The self- contained unit can be carried to the flightline, motor pool, construction site or production floor to obtain on-the-spot information about the presence of elemental metals in a sample of oil. Its small size and rugged construction make it a durable and versatile instrument.

The BCX is a portable version of OILPro’s multi-sensor on-board system which is currently being considered for a U.S. Navy application. The parent company, USA Northwest, is a railroad locomotive rebuild and transportation technology company in Livingston, MT. The BCX is manufactured for OILPro by the EDAX Portable Products Division in Kennewick, WA.

Development of an ASTM Standard Test Method for Used Oil Analysis by the Rotating Disk Electrode Emission Spectroscopy Technique

2010-01-01T00:00:00-06:00

In effort has been made by a task group within the American Society for Testing and Materials (ASTM) Committee D-2 on Petroleum Products and Lubricants to develop a test method to determine wear metals and contaminants in used lubricating fluids by rotating disc electrode (RDE) atomic emission spectroscopy. In principle, this sounds like a straightforward task. However, the fact that the RDE technique already has such wide spread use in commercial, military and industrial laboratories makes it more difficult to get agreement on what a “standard method” should be, versus that which has been practiced for several decades.

The RDE technique has experienced a recent rebirth due to instrumentation improvements and enhanced capabilities. The major attributes of the RDE technique, i.e., no sample preparation, fast and simultaneous analysis, simplicity, mobility of the s

Analytical Ferrography - Make It Work For You

2010-01-01T00:00:00-06:00

Introduction
Analytical ferrography is among the most powerful diagnostic tools in oil analysis today. When implemented correctly it provides a tremendous return on your oil analysis dollars. Yet, it is frequently excluded from oil analysis programs because of its comparatively high price and a general misunderstanding of its value.

The test procedure is lengthy and requires the skill of a trained analyst. As such, there are significant costs in performing analytical ferrography not present in other oil analysis tests. But, if time is taken to fully understand what analytical ferrography uncovers, most agree that the benefits significantly outweigh the costs and elect to automatically incorporate it when abnormal wear is encountered.

Tricks to Classifying Wear Metals and Other Used Oil Suspensions

2010-01-01T00:00:00-06:00

The most common methods for initial detection of abnormal levels of wear debris in used oils include elemental analysis, ferrous density analysis (DR, etc.), particle counting and patch testing. For some users, because of the criticality of the application, all of these screening tests for wear metals are integrated into the routine test slate. In such cases, when sampling is done correctly, it would be rare for the abnormal production of wear metals to go undetected. However, when only one or two of these methods are routinely deployed, there is a distinct risk that an incipient (early stage) failure condition may be missed.

For instance, most people familiar with used oil analysis understand the limitations of elemental spectroscopy (ICP, spark/arc, etc.) with respect to quantifying actual levels of particulate suspensions in used oils. Depending on the type of spectromete

A Unique Automatic Wear Shape Classifier and Particle Counter

2009-04-20T00:00:00-05:00

Analyzing particles in clean hydraulic fluids is easy and can be accomplished with most of today's standard particle counters. On the other hand, analyzing dark fluids that are highly contaminated with soot and particles has always been a challenge. Today, however, the uniqueness of the LaserNet Fine's design makes it possible to see through and analyze even these heavily sooted and highly contaminated fluids. The unit was developed by Lockheed Martin Naval Electronics and Surveillance Systems and combines the standard oil anlaysis technique of particle counting with automatic wear particle classification and soot measurement. In addition, the unit detects and measures the presence of free water droplets greater than 20 µm.

Introduction to the LaserNet Fines Analytical Tool

2009-02-24T00:00:00-06:00

The LaserNet Fines-C (LNF-C) is a bench-top analytical tool that combines the oil analysis techniques of particle shape classification and particle counting in one instrument. The LNF-C analyzes hydraulic and lubricating oil samples from various types of equipment and machinery that are part of a machine condition-monitoring program.

Read the full article from Azom.com by clicking on the link below:

Oil Analysis Optical Spectrometer for Wear Particle Analysis

2009-01-30T00:00:00-06:00

The Spectroil M/C-W is a compact, rugged, transportable and easy-to-use optical spectrometer designed specifically for wear particle analysis, contaminants and additives in lubricants, hydraulic fluids and coolants. They use the time-tested and reliable rotating disc electrode (RDE) technique to measure quantities of dissolved and suspended fine particles in natural or synthetic petroleum-based products and coolants.

Read the full article from AZoM by cl