World-class condition monitoring of hydraulic systems involves the successful integration of a number of strategic elements. While in the past, walk-around inspections and gage data were the primary means of monitoring system health, today’s modem oil analysis programs apply a host of sophisticated new tools and instruments. Reliability teams at the plant site frequently commission small laboratories. In many cases the instrumentation suite includes portable and unattended sensors. The situational context is changing too as today’s hydraulic systems are increasingly designed for higher pressures, speeds, and temperatures. This paper presents a review of strategic elements that, when well conceived and implemented, can deliver vital aiding information for achieving even the toughest condition-based maintenance goals. These include the selection of test slate, deployment of incipient failure advisories, setting of targets and limits that define nonconforming conditions, exception testing, and proactive maintenance.

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A great deal of research and new technology have advanced the fields of oil lubrication and contamination through oil filters. If you still think (as many do), that “All oil filters do the same thing, so why pay more for a brand name?” then it may be time to reconsider. Lubrication research continues to improve how lubricants (such as oils) protect moving parts, increase fuel economy, and extend the life of your engine. The lubrication industry has continually upgraded the quality of engine crankcase oils, grease (chassis, wheel bearings), transmission fluids, hydraulic fluids, gear oils, and brake fluids.

The thought that all oils are the same implies that a piece of equipment built five years ago requires the same lubricants as the same type of equipment being built today. But fuel conservation, lower emissions, new materials, and better manufacturing (tighter equipment tolerances) all combine to require specialized oils and filters for today’s equipment that older models did not have.

As lubrication needs have evolved, trucks, plant harvesters, sprayers, trailers, and engines depend on l- e proper oil to keep internal parts operating and functioning properly within the equipment specifications. As equipment specifications change, manufacturer’s design and upgrade oil lubricants to meet the new demands. That’s why it is important to identify and select the proper oil and filter based on the equipment manufacturer rather than basing your selection on cost.

Performance and compatibility must come first; price should come second.

While lubricants and filters may look similar and be packaged alike, remember that it’s what you don’t see inside the product that allows it to perform a certain way. Separating products that perform well from those that do not perform as well can be challenging, because the technical information is conveyed in a coded language consisting of numbers and abbreviations. These numbers and abbreviations are the industry standards that lubricant manufacturers use when they build their products.

The purpose of this publication is to demystify these numbers and abbreviations so that you will be able to distinguish the differences between oils and oil filters. Understanding these terms will help you choose the best (which is not always the cheapest or even the most expensive) engine oils and oil filters for your equipment and application. In the long run, choosing the correct oil and filter will increase equipment reliability, enhance operating performance, lower maintenance costs, and extend your equipment’s service life.

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Analysis of hydraulic fluids, if done properly, can suggest maintenance procedures to improve hydraulic equipment reliability and extend system life. Significant cost savings can result. Where to take a sample There are two types of fluid sampling: static and dynamic. Static sampling involves extracting a fluid sample from a reservoir or a dead zone, where there is slight fluid movement. Little useful information is gained from static sampling because: • contaminant concentration gradients exist within static fluids. Water and particles tend to segregate and settle due to gravity. Therefore, samples taken from different sections within the static container yield completely different results, and • particles from reservoirs may describe system histories, but provide little information on what is happening now. Large reservoir volumes dampen out dynamic changes and conditions within the system.

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The sheer number of infographics in the condition monitoring field is staggering; they show up on social media, and in conference presentations, whitepapers, websites and books. Infographics are effective at helping people comprehend difficult concepts that integrate an array of variables and factors.

My soon-to-be-published book, “Inspection 2.0,” covers a host of different condition monitoring methods, including sensory inspections. I was looking for an infographic to illustrate failure modes and detection methods in the time domain for different types of machines and applications but was unable to find a graphic that fit my needs.

Necessity is the mother of invention. Left without choices, I decided to construct my own graphic, naming it Condition Alarm Mapping (CAM). The final product is shown in the figures on the following pages. However, the number of variations and uses of the CAM graphic is extensive and goes far beyond the scope of this article. As an introduction, I can show and describe what it is, why it is needed, and how it is used.

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Abstract: In oil analysis, well placed alarms and limits are like trip wires, alerting operators and technicians to an untoward or threatening condition. Oil analysis limits can vary considerably according to machine type, oil type, and reliability goals. This paper discusses four distinct types of limits and how they are applied to different machine and lubricant applications: goal-based limits, aging limits, rate-of-change limits, and statistical limits.

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A wide range of fluid degradation and contamination-related issues can affect turbine lube oil systems. One serious and growing concern is the presence of sludge and varnish. This condition can occur in even the most well-maintained machines. Surprisingly, it can also happen when oils are not particularly old or contaminated. And it can occur with even the most thermally robust synthetic lubricants and hydraulic fluids.

In turbine systems, there are few failure conditions that can disrupt operation as quickly and completely as a varnished and seized-up control valve operation. This can be the cause of a tripped turbine forced outage or other production losses. So too, sludge in many circulating lube oil systems can gum up flow controls, strainers and critical oil ways. In recent years, there has been a large number of reported cases associated with varnish and sludge formation in turbine-generator applications. Explanations for these problems have varied but typically include Group II mineral oil solubility issues, additive instability, bulk oil oxidation, adiabatic compressive heating and electrostatic discharge, among others. This paper will review precursor conditions that lead to sludge formation, some of the common lubricant degradation methods and the role of oil analysis in recognizing the potential risk well ahead of failure.

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Sampling is arguably the most important step in the oil analysis process. If the sample in the bottle fails to effectively represent the lubricant and the condition of the machine from which it was drawn, no meaningful conclusions can be from the oil analysis data. This article presents a comprehensive methodology for designing the sampling system and for obtaining a sample from equipment commonly found in the industrial or fleet environment. Useful hints and tips are provided to ensure that oil analysis is on target to meet the expectations of the condition monitoring organizations in pursuit of optimized asset reliability.

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They are labeled and stored by humans. When it comes to humans, there is one inalterable constant – we make mistakes. Sometimes this is due to lack of vigilance. Sometimes it’s lack of knowledge. It might even be because of indifference.

Case in point: in 2001, the American Petroleum Institute (API) audited 562 motor oils that were licensed to bear the API marks – approximately one-third of its licensees (83 percent originating from the United States). The tests were performed to determine compliance with API performance standards. This is what the audit reported:

• 4 percent of the motor oils were classified as having significant deviations (one out of every 25 oils tested). Many had the wrong concentration of additives while others failed to meet low-temperature specifications.
• 16 percent were classified as having marginal deviations (one out of every six oils tested).

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Oil contamination may be defined as any foreign material found in the lubricant which is not added by design. Usually, contaminants are not beneficial, and may be detrimental, to the performance of the oil and/or the operating machinery. Contamination is a significant root cause of machine and lubricant degradation and failure. Often overlooked as a source of failure because its impact is usually slow and imperceptible, contamination is both a significant threat to reliability and quality efforts, and an opportunity because improvements are very attainable1. Research on an array of fluid dependent machinery such as bearings and rotating equipment, hydraulic systems, gearboxes, and diesel engines, clearly supports that often machine reliability is a function of contamination control.

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Try this simple experiment. With notepad in hand, go out into your plant and walk around a sampling of your most critical machines. These are the ones that have high probability of failure and/or the greatest consequences of failure. They are also known as show-stoppers and, as such, generally merit a disproportionate allocation of reliability and maintenance resources.

Next, on your notepad make a list of all the lubrication-related enhancements that have been implemented on these same machines since they were commissioned. Take special note of those that have been applied in the past five years. Solicit any amount of help (from old-timers, for instance) you need to flesh out your list.

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I recently received an e-mail from a colleague seeking my opinion about a specific sampling philosophy. Referring to mobile equipment such as excavators, scrapers and dozers, he asked if good oil sampling depended much on sampling location.

He wondered, as he had often heard from others, if what truly matters most is sampling consistently, regardless of location.

Sampling consistently refers to the practice of meticulously following a prescribed procedure without regard to the accuracy or precision of the procedure. This is the way most oil samples, perhaps 80 percent, are taken today.

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It has been proven that almost all mechanical failures are caused by contamination; hard particle contamination to be ·specific. Once the root cause of machine failure has been defined, a program to correct these failures, extend machine life, and reduce maintenance costs must be developed. Such a program has been developed; it is called Proactive Maintenance.

Proactive maintenance is a three-step program that begins with the individual mechanical equipment and setting target cleanliness levels (benchmarks). The second phase deals with the system design, adequate filtration, and contamination exclusion techniques. The final step involves system monitoring. This process of continual monitoring is to ensure fluid and system cleanliness.

This paper is directed toward companies and manufacturers that have an interest in an efficient, cost effective maintenance program. To achieve total maintenance excellence, one must start at the beginning by taking an aggressive approach to maintenance technology.

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Optical particle counters (OPC’s) have a long history of use in industrial hydraulic applications. Traditionally, their success has been limited to scientific laboratories and other highly controlled environments. However, in recent years, attempts have been made to apply the use of OPC’s to the particle counting of used hydraulic fluids and industrial lubricants. As a result, serious concerns have been raised regarding the accuracy and reliability of OPC’s in such applications.

The objective of this bulletin is to present important facts from reliable and documented sources for the general benefit of existing or prospective users of OPC’s. As particle counting moves into the mainstream of machine condition monitoring, users must have reliable information to identify and select appropriate technologies.

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Proper oil sampling is critical to an effective oil analysis program. Without a representative lube sample, oil analysis cannot be used effectively to monitor oil condition, predict machine failures or help you extend asset life. Whether you are using a test kit from service supplier or your own equipment, getting a few key details right when you take oil samples will give you more accurate, consistent and useful data.

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I have learned that excellence in lubrication is just as difficult to realize as it is rare to find. The reasons for this are many. One simple explanation is the field of lubrication is a specialty that takes education and years of experience to master – like most professions.

Companies employ professionals with specialized skills indeed (computer science, finance, marketing, etc.), but how often have you heard of a recruiter going to a college campus to interview and hire lubrication professionals? I’ve never heard of this.

Likewise, I know of no colleges or universities in North America with degree programs in lubrication. No wonder excellence in lubrication is so rare. Do you sense an opportunity here?

Lacking real knowledge in lubrication, companies must still make lubrication decisions. Decisions often seem straightforward on the surface, but below this surface, they are plagued with pitfalls that can cost companies dearly.

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The first step in designing a lubrication management program is to have a qualified professional perform a lubrication audit. Its objectives should be to:

• Identify current practices and suggest best-practice alternatives.
• Identify improvement and cost reduction opportunities in lubrication management, storage, handling, and disposal.
• Identify opportunities to enhance the effectiveness of oil analyses by incorporating or refining sampling methods, test slates, on-site analyses, target cleanliness levels, data alarms/limits, and sampling frequencies.
• Review contamination control and proactive maintenance practices and propose improvements to them.
• Identify opportunities and needs for lubricant consolidation and purchasing standards.
• Examine the way oil analysis is integrated with other maintenance technologies.
• Suggest needs for training and documenting procedures.

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Condition monitoring can be easily performed by following a few simple principles. Among these principles include monitoring two sets of conditions:

1. The operating and environmental conditions that precede failure, and
2. Early-stage failure symptoms

Several models are presented that show the benefits of monitoring machine conditions, as well as the consequences of ignoring them . Also discussed is the integration of both proactive and predictive maintenance techniques to extend machine life.

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Arguably, more change has occurred related to lubricant analysis and condition monitoring in the past 30 years than all other areas of lubrication. Why does this make sense? The wisest among us know that relentless measurement is a key enabler to forward progress and change. Measurement leads us to awareness and finally to action (tangible results). Of course, there are many other factors that share in importance too. These are thoroughly mapped on the Ascend Chart.

There are nine critical factors in this Condition Monitoring, Lubricant Analysis and Troubleshooting Lifecycle Stage of the Ascend chart. Each one is important enough to justify a feature article describing its purpose and application. And honestly, one or more articles on each of these subjects can already be found at machinerylubrication.com. What has become clear after years of working in the lubricant analysis field is that the concept of best practice is not as intuitive as one would expect at the outset. As a result, from my observation, the vast majority of oil analysis and inspection programs fall miserably short of their full potential.

Therein lies the opportunity and low-hanging fruit ready for harvest. Even those who have benefited from training often seem to struggle with anything more than fragmented execution. We are fully aware that knowing is not the same thing as doing. The Ascend Methodology was devised specifically to enable user organizations to succeed in full and successful execution, each stage, each level, each factor. The roadmap is clear, the journey and execution remains with you. Listen to your oil… listen to your machine. Lubricant analysis and inspection serve as the most important metric of a lubrication program. I often say, “it’s darn hard for there to be a problem with the machine without the lubricant knowing about it first.” So, let’s examine the oil the right way, again, again and again. The story is being told but we must listen and act.

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By some estimates, condition monitoring has been around for more than a century, but it is only within the last 5-10 years (and particularly the last 2 or 3) that interest has been at fever pitch. Dozens, perhaps hundreds, of companies are involved in manufacturing or selling services or equipment for lubricant analysis, wear metals analysis, and vibration analysis, any and all of which can be part of a condition monitoring program. Within the realm of oil analysis itself are many types of tests that can be performed and many instruments that can be used to measure factors of interest. What distinguishes condition monitoring from other uses of oil analysis is not so much the specific techniques used as it is the repeated performance of testing and (most important) the tracking and trending of the results to determine changes in the health of an equipment-lube system over time. Using this information, the practitioner can take proactive measures to avert damage and downtime, saving money, time, and resources.

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Many lubricants residing in standby equipment have only a few hours of service life. These few hours may be only from occasional scheduled restarts, typically circulating the oil at low load, sometimes barely warming it to operating temperature. In other cases, standby, laid-up and peak-load equipment may sit for weeks or even months without use.

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