By Jim Fitch
Practicing Oil Analysis Magazine
It is often said that a well-engineered oil analysis program has three essential categories. In the past, I’ve referred to this as the iron triangle of oil analysis. The three categories are:
- Fluid Properties Analysis. Information on a lubricant’s physical and chemical properties such as viscosity, acid number, demulsibility, additives, etc.
- Fluid Contamination Analysis. The presence of uninvited guests such as dirt, glycol, soot, fuel, water, etc.
- Fluid Wear Debris Analysis. Concentration and characterization of wear metals suspended in used oil.