The livelihood of truck owner-operators hinges on the dependability of their equipment. When they experience a catastrophic equipment failure, it takes a long time to recover.
Expensive repair and replacement costs are just the tip of the iceberg. Towing, equipment rental, fees on the late shipment and a damaged reputation could come packaged with the breakdown.
It doesn’t matter if it came from outside the equipment, was generated inside the equipment or if it worked its way into the oil from another system in the machine, contamination is any substance that isn’t supposed to be in the fluid being tested.
Most people think of contamination as something working its way into the equipment from the outside. Water and many types of particles, like dirt, sneak in through cracks, broken seals or unprotected ports, but in equipment with physical and chemical reaction occurring inside of it, foreign substances are only part of what we consider “contamination”.
Some contaminates are created during equipment operations. Soot is a natural byproduct of diesel combustion and commonly works its way into the engine oil, which is why the oil is formulated with additives to deal with soot. Lubricant additives are designed to protect components and prolong oil life; however they can become contaminants when heat, pressure or a chemical reaction causes them to fall out of suspension.
Fluids from other systems can be contaminants, such as coolant and fuel mixing with engine oil. All three systems need to operate in conjunction with the others, and leaks happen. Small holes and cracks between the oil and cooling systems could leak fluid one-way, so testing both fluids is recommended to catch leaks early. Over-fueling or worn cylinder rings can lead to fuel entering crankcase oil. Either way, cross-contamination from other systems is a sign of a mechanical problem that needs to be fixed before it escalates into a breakdown.
The type of equipment and application will determine what contamination could affect it and what tests to perform. The Contamination Flagging Limits technical bulletin has more information on how POLARIS Laboratories® determines the severity of contamination.
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Our customers have a wide range of knowledge about fluid analysis. Many are new to the process and others have decades of experience. Some have even earned tribology certifications or degrees. Our Data Analysts end up talking to all of them, so we receive a wide variety of questions every day.
Occasionally, our experienced customers compare our test results to the wear metals flagging limits set by the original equipment manufacturers (OEMs) and we often get calls asking why we don’t follow the OEM’s recommended levels. Fortunately, this is an opportunity for us to explain the value of analysis from POLARIS Laboratories®.
We have analyzed millions of oil samples on most types of equipment, meaning we have a huge pool of data and customer feedback. We use that information to make sure our flagging limits won’t have customers perform maintenance too early or too late. Giving precise recommendations saves customers time, money, and effort, but we want to make sure that equipment is protected, too.
In addition to evaluating individual wear metals, the combinations of wear metals are also significant. Combinations of wear metals are significant because they may indicate a particular alloy, which is vital to understanding if a specific part is wearing – for example, elevated copper and tin would indicate a bronze part is wearing.
Many OEMs publish wear metal guidelines. These general guidelines may be a place to start to understanding fluid analysis reports, however they are not designed to be used as absolute values. To maximize the value of fluid analysis, a customer should expect a credible laboratory to have a comprehensive database, utilize statistical analysis to refine flagging limits, and have qualified Data Analysts to make appropriate maintenance and reliability recommendations.
For more information about how and why POLARIS Laboratories® adjusts flagging limits, download our new technical bulletin.
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In the Data Analysis department, one of our key responsibilities is to answer any questions customers have about fluid analysis. A lot of our calls are about what results mean. Does the fluid need to be changed? What could be causing that strange noise? We also get questions asking for testing recommendations for a specific application or issue being seen. However, the hardest questions to answer are about our flagging limits. The only easy answer for these questions is: “It’s complicated…”
Our process for defining flagging limits is actually something that we are quite proud of. It can be difficult to provide our limits because they are very dynamic and specific to the information provided about the equipment, fluid, and application. For example, one engine in your fleet may have different flagging limits than another because our limits are customized based on the specific equipment manufacturers and models. Limits are also affected by the rate of change from prior samples. Individual severities may change based on other results that are flagged. These are just a few scenarios that affect limits, but I think you can begin to understand some of the complexities surrounding our limits.
We’d like to clear up some of the confusion by publishing a series of articles to address the more common questions surrounding flagging and alarm limits. What aspects of your report flagging have you been curious about? Post your questions in the comments section of this blog so we have an opportunity to reply and use your questions to guide the topics of our articles.
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Recently I visited a mine that was interested in setting up a new account with POLARIS Laboratories®. One of the first questions I asked was, “What are the goals of your program?” I can’t say I was overly surprised when there was a moment of silence and pondering. While many of us realize there are benefits in performing fluid analysis, and know we want to be involved in a program, we seldom consider all the potential capabilities that a program can offer.
So why is establishing goals important? When many of us first started using fluid analysis, especially in mining, our goal was to simply monitor the health of the components and do what we could to prevent a catastrophic failure from occurring. After all, who wants to lose a core on a $300,000 engine and have an unplanned unscheduled service event happen? No one looks forward to explaining these events to upper management.
Today’s oil analysis capabilities offer a great deal more than just monitoring component health. With today’s technology and performing the proper test, we can monitor the condition of the oil, see if it is suitable for continued use, reduce the amount of used oil disposal, adjust our maintenance intervals and strategies, adjust component replacement schedules, improve forecasting and budgeting and increase component life hours. We have not even begun to touch on other benefits, such as coolant and fuel testing.
However, accomplishing these goals may require additional testing, which costs more. Can you afford not to?
I would like for you to consider a recent case study conducted by POLARIS Laboratories®. Customers who were actively involved in their fluid analysis program realized a 25:1 return on investment – for every dollar spent on fluid analysis their return was 25 dollars! In many of the studies, specific to mining, the return was as high as 40:1!
Have you considered the cost savings if you could double your oil drain intervals? The savings go way beyond the cost of the oil. Think about the savings in maintenance man-hours, the increase in equipment availability and utilization, the reduction in waste disposal. What would be your savings if you could increase component life hours by just 50 percent or prevent that next catastrophic failure from occurring?
Goals, my friends, are so very important to establish. If you do not establish these goals upfront and do not have the appropriate testing set up to match these goals, your program will never reach its full potential. If goals and testing do not match, one of two things are going to happen: You are paying for testing that you do not need, or the very test you are paying for will not help you meet your goals. Goals change, and therefore your testing may need to change with it. Even if you have an established, mature testing program in place, today may be the day to take another look and ensure the testing you are paying for is everything you want it to be.
If you need assistance setting realistic, achievable goals for you oil analysis program, feel free to contact us to get moving in the right direction.
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Have you ever faced a moment in your fluid analysis program where you needed expert help to solve a problem? It can be hard to find someone with up-to-date, firsthand knowledge of both your industry and the equipment you are using. Thankfully, POLARIS Laboratories® can help.
For more than 30 years, my career was in heavy equipment maintenance and maintenance management. I have been using oil analysis since 1983; however, it was not until I was employed in the mining industry that I really gained the appreciation of the many benefits that a quality oil analysis program could offer, including some I simply was not familiar with before.
I’ve worked at all levels: The mechanic that pulled the samples, the maintenance planner that reviewed the results, the QA/QC coordinator that looked for improvements, the business improvement team leader and as a member of a global mining heavy equipment users group that developed best practices and policies. I like to think during that time I developed a true understanding of fluid analysis from hands-on all the way up to the strategic level.
Just like all of the members of our Field Services Team, I combine my “customer” experience with my understanding of POLARIS Laboratories® various tests and capabilities to recommend a test combination to best match the customer’s goals. Whether it’s over the phone, in a conference call, or at one of our private trainings, you can rest assured that we have your best interest in mind, both as your fluid analysis provider and as someone who used to turn wrenches and wade through a pile of reports.
This mixture of experiences, I believe, has allowed me to gain a unique perspective of managing a quality fluid analysis program, and this new career path has given me a greater insight into the world of fluid analysis. I have now had the opportunity to see and work with the laboratory and gain new perspectives and I am excited for the opportunity to share this with you.
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We should all be aware of the impact we as humans have on the environment and want to protect our vital resources for future generations. The world population continues to grow, and for growth to be sustainable we must use less virgin products and capture more what we use for reuse. This is one of the reasons why I’m proud of the impact POLARIS Laboratories® has on the environment.
The fluid analysis industry helps our customers conserve natural resources. We provide customers with information about the remaining useful life of the fluids so they can use their lubricants and antifreeze to the fullest. These extended drain intervals allow the customers to go much farther than the manufactures’ recommendations in some cases. This saves the energy, raw materials and pollutants needed to produce new fluids and reduces millions of gallons of used oil and coolant needed to be disposed of.
In addition, the testing extends the life of the equipment itself. By taking action on the recommendations made by our data analysts, our customers prevent wear and reduce the chances of catastrophic breakdown. They get more miles traveled, hours of productivity and tons moved from their equipment than without our maintenance recommendations. Simply put, engines, transmissions and hydraulic systems last longer. The amount of steel and other metals no longer needed to make replacement equipment is staggering.
While POLARIS Laboratories® helps the environment through our customers; we also do our best to reduce the environmental impact of the testing we perform. We use solvents, plastic, glass and cardboard during the fluid analysis process, as well as the fluids sent in for testing. These items can harm the environment if not handled properly, so we have set up procedures to handle and dispose of these products responsibly. Nearly everything we use can be recycled.
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Today I want to get into the nuts and bolts of the review and what to do with the results.
First of all, reserve at least 1 hour of uninterrupted time for the review. Make sure you invite key personnel to attend and everyone is prepared.
An effective program review will provide answers to the following questions:
Make sure everyone leaves the review with a clear expectation of what needs to happen in the future and when it needs to be accomplished. Write down notes from the meeting, assignments and deadlines.
Performance reviews can be a lot of work, but the process can push a fluid analysis program to the next level. If you need assistance setting up a program review, have questions for the Field Services Team or just want to share the results of a successful review, please contact me. I look forward to hearing from you!
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Fluid analysis program reviews can identify root causes of common breakdowns in order to help maximize their fluid analysis investment. Usibelli Coal Mine implemented process changes after their program review which produced compelling, business-improving results. The company is taking action on more recommendations, the number of components with severe problems is dropping and more units are being adequately sampled.
Prior to the program review, Usibelli did not consider contamination to be a contributor to their maintenance issues. POLARIS Laboratories® conducted a fluid analysis audit of the company and discovered several system wide problems that allowed contamination into the lubrication, which led to equipment wear.
Every day I consult with companies about their fluid analysis programs. The majority of them know they could do more to maximize the benefits, but they don’t know all of the different things they can improve or how much it will help them.
Here are the 10 questions we ask our customers to find out how effective their fluid analysis program is.
If you don’t have an answer for each of those questions, you are most likely not getting what you could out of your fluid analysis program. Contact us today to set up a full, onsite Fluid Analysis Program Assessment so you can achieve all of the financial benefits of a world class fluid analysis program.
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