Grease Testing | POLARIS Laboratories®

Revolutionized Maintenance Training at INTEGRATE

Where can you find education and training designed to give you the tools you need to see success along your reliability journey?

The answer: at the 2023 Reliability Summit | INTEGRATE.

We’ve revolutionized our annual maintenance training conference to provide all-encompassing training on every aspect of your fluid analysis program. From expanding your use of the HORIZON® platform, to understanding how to grow your program, learning how sampling can be made easier, to increasing understanding of result interpretation, to eliminating silos by integrating fluid analysis data into your maintenance management system, INTEGRATE is the one place you need to be.

View this year’s line up of speakers and learning sessions

In one trip to Indianapolis in October, you and your maintenance teams can gain new ideas, insights and knowledge to kick your maintenance into high gear and see your reliability program reap the benefits of effective, impactful fluid analysis.

Gain New Perspectives

Not only will you gain education, but you’ll also gain new perspectives. During this 2-day exclusive event, hosted by POLARIS Laboratories® at The Alexander in Indianapolis, you’ll have the chance to:

Meet one-on-one with your account representative
Ask subject matter experts your questions
Learn what others are doing to improve their reliability program
Network with fellow maintenance professionals to learn and grow from their experiences

See Operations in Action

When you attend INTEGRATE, you get more than education through learning sessions, you get a first-hand look at not one, but two facilities through exclusive tours – and a chance to see inside POLARIS Laboratories’ headquarters laboratory in Indianapolis.

Cummins Augmented & Virtual Environmental Lab

Experience a tour of Cummins technical center and environmental lab and see what Cummins engineers and scientists are creating, testing and evaluating to prepare for the future of manufacturing. See processes and devices, including 3D printers, tomography x-ray systems and Cummins’ use of virtual reality.

U.S. Aggregates Facility & Mine Tour

Get a glimpse of U.S Aggregates’ 460-acre facility and see a glimpse into their mining operations. See how U.S. Aggregates mines and processes limestone, while getting a first-hand look and feel of a raw material reduction with the use of explosives.

POLARIS Laboratories®

This tour gives you a first-hand look inside our state-of-the art laboratory and headquarters facility in Indianapolis. From the time your sample hits the facility doors, to laboratory testing, to data analysis and customer support, and everything in between, this tour gives you an exclusive look into our laboratory daily operations.

These tours have limited spots, first come first served – register early if you want a seat on the tour. See the available tours and information here.

Discover New Solutions

Our annual training conference would not be possible without our event sponsors. We’ve teamed up with several industry solutions providers (lube manufacturers, filter solutions, sampling supplies, data integration) to give you tools to advance your programs and expand your maintenance practices. Each sponsor will have an exhibitor booth at the conference as well. Please feel free to stop by their booths to see what they have to offer your program!

It’s All Here in Indianapolis

I’ll leave you with this question, where else can you find lube manufacturers, OEMs, testing experts, reliability professionals, integration solution providers and everyone in between? At INTEGRATE October 2-4 in Indianapolis.

From the Data Analyst: How Sample Information Affects Limits and Analysis

Two questions our Data Analysis team often receives from fluid analysis customers are “What information is necessary to analyze our samples?” and “Why is this information so important?”

Whether your sample is defined as a grease, diesel fuel, lubricant or coolant, there are complex interpretation factors accounted for each test result of the respective application. Aside from establishing the appropriate testing slate applied to a fluid, test limits may also vary and be comprised of SAE, ISO, POLARIS Laboratories®, OEM, industry charter and/or fluid manufacturer standards. Due to these reasons, it is imperative to supply as much relevant equipment and fluid information as accessible to your laboratory when submitting the sample for testing.

Here are a few scenarios… Without fluid information, a laboratory may not be able to see abnormal fluctuations for additive content or viscosity. The fluid’s basicity may become essentially depleted prior to detection, or the acidic levels may be too high for neutralization efforts. Without the specific equipment model, a laboratory may have to rely on generic data points to extrapolate typical wear accumulation. These limits may be too aggressive or not aggressive enough for the type of equipment tested. These are all exact scenarios we have previously experienced with customers.

For example, we may factor the following information when establishing statistical trends for wear metal content, lubricant properties and interpreted recommendations:

Equipment Type (e.g. engine)
Specific Application (e.g. diesel)
Equipment Manufacturer (e.g. Cummins)
Equipment Model (e.g. ISX)
Industry Type (e.g. logistics/transportation)
Lubricant Manufacturer (e.g. Chevron)
Lubricant Product (e.g. Delo 600 ADF)
Lubricant Viscosity (e.g. 15W40)
Filter Type (e.g. Full Flow)
Filter Micron Rating (e.g. 10 micron)
Sump Capacity (e.g. 14 gallon)
Time on Lubricant (e.g. 13,598 miles)
Time on Equipment (e.g. 124,600 miles)

While some equipment manufacturers have a ‘fixed’ wear limit table for operational guidelines, laboratories typically provide a more objective and literal statistical significance of normal wear accumulation. These statistics may reduce unnecessary calls for maintenance, which would otherwise lead to costly downtime or premature use of materials.

How to Ensure Optimum Performance of Wind Turbines

With the increase of greener energy production, wind turbines are playing an increasingly important role. It is vital that these energy producing turbines operate at optimum capacity for extended periods of time. To do this, a high level of equipment reliability is critical and, due to remote locations or access difficulties, all maintenance needs to be planned at optimum intervals to ensure maximum uptime and reductions in total cost of ownership (TCO).

The operating fluids inside a turbine, including lubricating oil in gearboxes and hydraulic systems, fluids used in cooling systems and greases all play a significant role in optimizing operation of the wind turbine. All of these operating fluids should be monitored closely to determine the condition of the fluid, identify contamination and measure the levels of wear metals generated within each system.

Monitoring conditions through routine fluid analysis allows you to avoid unplanned downtime and perform necessary maintenance based what is actually happening within the unit rather than on the hours in operation or calendar days. Planned, predictive maintenance will get you to optimum energy production.

Proven Impact. Proven Uptime. Proven Savings.
Let us prove it to you.

Published January 5, 2023

How to Prepare Your Program for 2022

After the events of 2020 throwing operations out of whack, we had high hopes for 2021. Unfortunately, the maintenance industry continued to struggle – whether it be labor shortages or lubricant shortages. But, we’re here to give you a little hope for 2022. We’re here to help you get your maintenance program ready for a new year.

Here are some tips to regain control of your maintenance program:

Take an inventory of your equipment and conditions
Identify or reassess the importance (criticality) of each equipment in your processes
Dust off and review maintenance records of each individual piece of equipment
Identify specific needs for each piece of equipment

If fluid analysis is one tool you use to assess equipment conditions, then consider these:

Collaborate with your Technical Business Consultant | Identify specific actions/activities that will enhance the impact of a well-managed fluid analysis program (our team’s contact info is listed below)
Audit your Equipment List | Complete any missing information and move inactive equipment to a mothball account
Review Your Users | Assess your list of active users and add new or remove those that are no longer needed
Determine Training Needs | Identify gaps and schedule appropriate sessions and topics
Develop and Participate in a Program Review | Program reviews highlight areas where the program is being successful, as well as those needing improvement. Specific equipment in need of attention can be identified as well.

If you are ready to refocus your maintenance and fluid analysis, contact your POLARIS Laboratories® Technical Business Consultant for assistance in reviewing your maintenance practices so you can take your fluid analysis program to the next level.

POLARIS Laboratories® Technical Business Consultants:

Henry Neicamp

hneicamp@polarislabs.com

Connect with Henry on LinkedIn

Julio Acosta

jacosta@polarislabs.com

Connect with Julio on LinkedIn

Proven Impact. Proven Uptime. Proven Savings.
Let us prove it to you.

Published October 19, 2021

Why Accurate Sample Information is Important

Garbage In, Garbage Out

In this day and age, we have all encountered a situation where our personal data is not correct; it could be the bank has an old phone number or a store has a wrong or an old email address. POLARIS Laboratories® is no different when it comes to data – one area that hinders us and our laboratories is receiving accurate fluid information with your sample.

Why the Right Fluid Information is So Critical

It’s pretty simple really. If you send in a sample with incorrect fluid information, when we compare the test results from your sample to the information submitted, (the basis of a lot of the maintenance recommendations we make to you). If that information is correct, we are able to give you precise, actionable recommendations tailored to your application. If the information is incorrect, not only do the maintenance recommendations no longer hold as much value, but in some cases, we may recommend an incorrect action or repair.

To make matters worse, your test results may be delayed. For example, with the wrong fluid identified when submitted, we may send samples back to be retested in our laboratories to confirm, what looks like on paper, to be an incorrect result. This delays the results getting back to you. A more extreme example is submitting a used engine oil as an engine coolant, meaning the wrong test package may be applied, resulting in the sample going through the complete wrong testing thus missing issues you desperately need to be identified.

Blood Work as an Analogy

A good analogy for this would be getting getting blood taken at a doctor’s office. My blood, a middle-aged man, is submitted but the paperwork is mixed up. But because of the incorrect information, my blood is tested and the results compared to a 15 year old female – a very extreme case, but it could happen. My doctor gets the results back and then instructs me to go directly to hospital because my results say I’m in critical condition. The results from my blood are considered normal for a middle-aged male, but definitely abnormal for a 15-year old female.

Better Data = Better Predictions

It’s critical to a successful fluid analysis program that all applicable fields are filled in when submitting a sample. Testing in the laboratory is heavily dependent on the submission fields and directly affects whether or not a fluid receives the right laboratory testing and you recieve the right recommendations.

Proven Impact. Proven Uptime. Proven Savings.
Let us prove it to you.

Published August 11, 2021

How to Avoid On-Hold Samples

Having your fluid sample placed on hold creates a hold-up for our laboratory processing your sample, laboratory performing testing and in turn, a delay in providing you with the important results you need to take action. As your fluid analysis provider, we want to make sure we provide the most accurate results as possible by testing the right fluids for the right components for the right equipment and that the information is recorded in the right account.

Based on our internal research of on-hold samples, 1.72% of all fluid samples sent to our laboratories are placed on hold – this equates to more than 25,000 samples per year.

Reasons for On-Hold

Based on our research, 85% of fluid samples that are placed on hold are indicated as having seven different reasons. Here are the top 7 reasons a sample is placed on hold before it can be processed, tested and analyzed:

Locked Account | We are unable to add your equipment to your account in our sample data system. This could be because of a request from your account owner.
No Information | There is little to no account information for us to be able to identify the sample. This means there is incomplete, incorrect or missing information submitted.
Prepaid Barcode Required | Your account is set up for prepaid sample barcodes, we received your sample without one of these barcodes and are unable to process your sample
- Note: EZ Label barcodes are unique, single use only and can only be used one time. If you re-use a barcode, we can not process the sample.
Unknown Account | There was no account information submitted with your sample.
Missing Required Info | We are missing sample or component information that is required for your account.
Incorrect Sample Form | Your fluid sample was received with a form that did not match the fluid type.
Component Type | Your sample was submitted with no component type. To perform the correct fluid testing, we need the type of component your sample came from.

What if your sample is placed on hold?

We’ve put together an infographic outlining what you can do to resolve your on-hold sample so it can be placed in the laboratory queue for testing – and so you can get your results when you need them.

In addition, on your HORIZON® Dashboard, you can click on the blue link by ‘samples on hold’ to submit a resolution to address the on-hold issue. We will review your resolution and contact you if we need additional information.

Why is My Sample on Hold?

So, what can your team do to avoid your samples being placed on hold?

Ensure your account information in HORIZON® is correct with the owner of your account
Pay the correct amount of postage due (if you’re using a non pre-paid test kit)
Make sure both the account and component information is correct when submitting your sample
Submit all the required sample information
Only use sample label barcodes one time
Avoid paperwork errors – submit your samples through online sample submission in HORIZON

Proven Impact. Proven Uptime. Proven Savings.
Let us prove it to you.

Pathway to Reliable Greased Components

Receive More In-Depth Info + Achieve Reliability in Your Grease

All grease samples received after March 1, 2021 will receive one of our Grease Reliability Test Packages. If you have not already received the new testing under our Grease Reliability Testing Program, your next grease sample will reflect a change in testing performed. We are now able to provide new and improved testing for grease that our previous testing was limited to. Performing testing within our Grease Reliability Testing program will ensure your grease sample receives industry-wide testing and provides more detailed recommendations when concerns are present.

The Grease Reliability Testing Program provides three testing options:

Basic Grease Testing
Ferrous Wear Identification
Advanced Grease Testing

Our new Technical Bulletin, linked below, will provide further details of what is included in each of these grease test packages available under the Grease Reliability Testing program.

Grease Reliability Testing

How this change will impact my current test kits?
All current programs with grease testing will be moved to our new program automatically. If you program still has outdated testing kits, your grease samples will automatically receive the Basic Grease Testing.

Time to order new sample kits? Customer service or your account manager can advise which of our three grease tests will be best for your needs.

Proven Impact. Proven Uptime. Proven Savings.
Let us prove it to you.

Published March 1, 2021

Is Your Grease Headed to Failure?

Many maintenance technicians can tell you the health of their equipment just by the way it sounds and their maintenances and lubrication schedules. However, if you ask about their greased components, most say we grease it either on schedule or when it sounds like it needs it. Unfortunately both of those answers cannot tell you the health of those grease components. Your grease could be headed to failure without giving you any external indication.

Problems with a Grease Schedule

If you grease on a schedule, you could be greasing that unit too much and as you add that grease, you have to ask how much is too much. If you happen to be greasing too much, then you could be over lubricating your bearings which can cause the balls or rollers to slide along the race rather than turning. Then, the grease could actually churn. This churning mechanism could ultimately bleed the base oil from the grease. What will remain to lubricate the bearing is a thickened grease with little or no lubricating elements. Since there is not enough lubricating oil, and there’s excess heat from the churning, the grease would start to harden. The final outcome is bearing failure and equipment downtime.

Waiting to Re-Grease

On the flip-side, if you wait until it sounds like it needs grease before re-greasing, then you have already starved the component and the damage is already done. Putting grease in will only quiet it down but the final outcome is bearing failure and equipment downtime.

Prevent Failure and Downtime

The proper way to prevent greased equipment failure is to monitor the component through regular grease analysis. By monitoring not only the wear but the grease properties, you can truly know how the grease is holding up. Under operation heat, load and external environmental influences can degrade the properties of the lubricant and its ability to provide lubrication of your greased equipment.

Learn more about our grease testing solution here.

Proven Impact. Proven Uptime. Proven Savings.
Let us prove it to you.

Published June 23, 2020

Tips for Pulling a Fluid Sample for Analysis

From oils to coolants, from coolants to grease – we all have our own methods for pulling a sample. But are you truly getting the best representative sample to send for testing? An accurate, representative sample will get you the most reliable sample results, so you can take the correct maintenance action. Want to learn more about best practices for pulling a sample? See below for some tips:

Oil and Coolant Samples

There are several methods for pulling oil and coolant samples including a vacuum pump, probing valve and a pushbutton method.

Tips for using a Vacuum Pump Method
- Use to pull samples from a dipstick or non-pressurized system
- Pull a sample when equipment is at or close to normal operating temperature
- Make sure the tubing is long enough to reach the middle of the reservoir tank
Tips for using a KST Series Probing Valve Method
- Use with valves installed on a pressurized system with a minimum of 4 psi to a maximum of 1000 psi
- Pull sample when equipment is at or near normal operating temperature
- Wipe the valve clean with a dry and lint-free cloth
- Flush at least 3 times into a “waste container” under the valve to purge stagnant oil and debris.
- Fill the sample bottle bottle approximately 3/4 full
Tips for using a KP Pushbutton Sampling Valve Method
- Use with valves installed on a pressurized line with a minimum of 4 psi to a maximum of 100 psi
- Pull sample when equipment is at or near normal operating temperature
- Remove protective valve cap and wipe opening with a dry and lint-free clean cloth
- Flush at least 3 times into a separate container and then dispose of the waste oil
- Fill the sample bottle bottle approximately 3/4 full

For full, step-by-step instructions for taking an oil sample or a coolant sample with these methods, view our technical bulletins or view our Fluid Analysis Sampling and Submission video.

Fluid Analysis Sampling and Submission

Grease Samples

There are two methods for collecting grease samples including a standard grease sampler device or a T-Handle.

Grease Sampler Method
- Each kit comes with a plunger, syringe, spatula and grease sampler used collect your sample
- Collect grease from the component and fill syringe
- Use the syringe to fill the grease sampler
T-Handle Method
- Use this method to collect a representative sample when a spatula can’t reach the active zone
- Attach the grease sampler to the T-Handle tool
- Measure the appropriate depth of the sample by inserting the locking knob into the proper hole
- Fully insert the grease sampler and T-handle into the component until the tee contacts the housing face

For full, step-by-step instructions for taking a grease sample with a grease sampler or using the T-Handle tool, view our technical bulletins or view our demonstration videos below.

How to Take a Grease Sample with a Grease Sampler

How to Take a Grease Sample with a T-Handle

After collecting your sample, apply the bar code sticker to the sample bottle/container, submit your sample information online and ship the sample in to the laboratory nearest you for processing and testing.

Proven Impact. Proven Uptime. Proven Savings.
Let us prove it to you.

Published September 17, 2019

VIDEO: How to Take a Grease Sample

Grease analysis allows you to tap into new information about your equipment health and reliability. Taking action from the recommendations on your grease analysis sample report means you can:

Monitor consistency
Identify contamination, oxidation and wear concentration
Optimize your drain intervals

Each grease analysis sample kit includes the materials you need to take a grease sample and send it into the laboratory – including a spatula, plunger, syringe, grease sampler, shipping tube and envelope.

Grease Sampling: Easy as 1, 2, 3 … 4, 5

Remove the plunger from the syringe.
Use the narrow end of spatula to collect sample (~2 g) and fill the syringe with the grease.
Use the syringe to fill the grease sampler.
Place the cap on the grease sampler.
Place the grease sampler into the provided shipping tube.

It’s that easy! Watch the video to learn how to take a grease sample from your equipment using our easy-to-use, cost-effective grease sampler.

How To Take a Grease Sample with a Grease Sampler

Click to watch

How To Take a Grease Sample with a T-Handle

Click to watch

Tips for taking a grease sample:

Send in a baseline reference sample
- This allows us to compare results of used grease to the new grease
Fill the syringe with as much grease as possible
Collect your grease sample from the active zone in your equipment

Ready to learn more or start analyzing your grease?

Learn more about grease analysis, why it’s vital to a comprehensive fluid analysis program and what the tests identify by downloading our Grease Testing + Analysis FAQs.

Contact your account manager or submit our contact form to add grease testing to your fluid analysis program.