Selecting the Right Grease Condition-monitoring Tests
Ken Brown, Utility Service Associates; Kevan Slater, Senior Reliability Consultant; Wayne Mackwood, Chemtura Co.; Andtroy Olmsted, Forsythe Lubrication Associates |
| In response to changing process requirements in power stations, process control valves need to operate remotely and/or automatically. In the case of large steam and water systems, these are typically motor-operated valves (MOV) that have an AC or DC electric motor to provide mechanical power. These motors are mated to a gearbox turning a stem nut that moves the valve stem. |
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Monitoring Large Particles in Gear Oils
Matt Spurlock, Noria Corporation |
| 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. |
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Don't Forget the Small Details
Matt Spurlock, Noria Corporation |
| What is the acceptable reliability of an airplane? Would you board an aircraft if it had only a 70 percent reliability rate? How about if it were 80 or 90 percent, would that make a difference? Like most people, I would not step foot on that plane unless I knew it had a 100 percent reliability rate. I want that aircraft to have a perfect record and deliver me safely. |
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What a Difference Seven Years Has Made
Suzy Jamieson |
| On January 26, 2001, almost exactly seven years to the day this article is being written, five oil analysis practitioners assembled together in Biloxi, Mississippi with a common objective: to test and prove their oil analysis skills. Although a small group, it already represented the mission of the International Council for Machinery Lubrication (ICML): to better the lubrication and oil analysis industry globally while dignifying the professions of lubrication technicians and oil analysts worldwide. |
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Decade in Review: Education and User Empowerment
Jim Fitch |
| My column in the January issue announced the milestone 10-year anniversary of Practicing Oil Analysis magazine. We are very proud of the huge body of work that has been featured on its pages over the years. Yet for most of us who have seen this decade fly by with great speed, it feels like we're just warming up. |
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Managing and Improving Your Equipment List
Jason Kopschinsky, Noria Corporation |
| The technical team for Noria Reliability Solutions (NRS) is responsible for deploying world-class lubrication programs to clients across North America and around the world. One of the tools we use to ensure the job develops in a predictable manner is the client's equipment list. |
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Lube In-service Time Key to Proper Analysis Interpretation
Jason Papacek, Polaris Laboratories |
| One of the most important pieces of information in oil analysis is the amount of operating time on the lubricant, which is typically reported in hours or miles/kilometers. The time that the lubricant has been in service, or "lubricant time", is vital to determining the severity of a wear or contamination condition and whether maintenance action is warranted. |
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Six Steps For More Effective Oil Analysis
Aaron Black, Noria Corporation |
| Whether you currently have an oil analysis program in place, or are putting one together, it is imperative to ensure that equipment is properly sampled to meet the goals of a specific maintenance program. |
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No More Common Oil Changes!
Ulrike J. Smallwood and Oliver J. Uxa, EuVatec LLC |
| Consumers have been well trained by vehicle and engine manufacturers and oil companies to maintain periodic oil and oil filter changes. These replacements are necessary because standard full-flow oil filters remove only particles down to approximately 10 to 20 microns (one micron equals one millionth of a meter), or down to about 40 to 50 microns with a 99 percent efficiency, and do not filter out moisture or fuel contaminants. This lack of complete filtration and removal of contaminants breaks down the oil performance as a lubricant, causes abrasive wear to the engine and oxidation of the oil. |
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The Phantoms of the Sample
Ashley Mayer, Noria Corporation |
| Certain contaminants get special status. Take dirt and water for example. Everybody knows all about them, the damage they cause and the fact that they are bad. Yet other contaminants are out there that are perhaps equally as damaging - such as air, heat and in some cases engine coolants - yet seldom receive the attention that they should. |
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Determining Fuel Diluents in Lubrication Oils
Gerald Hall, Perkinelmer and Ethan Lightle, Caterpillar Inc. |
| An improperly lubricated engine may suffer from excessive heat, wear and noise, and will often fail if the issue is not resolved. Upon adding a lubricating fluid to an engine, the very operation of that engine begins to impact the functionality of the oil. An example of this is the degradation of lubricating oil by the presence of fuel contaminants such as gasoline, diesel and biodiesel. |
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Adsorption: A Simple and Cost-effective Solution to Remove Varnish
Justin Stover, C.C. Jensen, Inc. |
| Varnish has emerged as one of the deadliest of oil contaminants in industry. Just like heat, particle and moisture contamination, varnish acts as a so-called soft contaminant that severely impacts lubrication and machine reliability. |
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