By Jim Fitch
Machinery Lubrication Magazine
Think of oil analysis as being like the television game show Wheel of Fortune. There’s a message to be told but you’ll only see and understand it if you expose enough letters in their proper order. Some of these letters are in the oil but many are elsewhere. These include current knowledge of machine operating environment, service history, inspection reports and condition monitoring data from companion technologies. Start by carefully listing what questions you want oil analysis to answer. Then work backwards to determine test slate required to answer these questions. Optimize the data set, don’t minimize or maximize.
Many labs are far better at analyzing the oil than data presentation and interpretation. Expertise in analytical chemistry does not always translate to effectiveness in machine condition monitoring. In fact, frequently users are better served by engaging a lab to provide timely and accurate data than over reliance on interpretation and reporting services. With the right tools they can easily customize and manage their own data using Web-based products offered by most commercial labs or with proprietary software sold independently.