Regular used oil analysis by a qualified laboratory is valuable, whether you operate heavy-duty vehicles or fixed industrial equipment.
Testing the oil for impurities and overall condition helps determine optimal drain intervals and maintenance plans. It also highlights sources of wear and contamination.
High dirt or dust levels may signal an air leak, a worn filter or breather, or the need for offline filtration. A used oil analysis will reveal the issues that need to be addressed in order to protect your equipment.
It is great if you already have a program in place. A strong oil analysis program relies on both a credible laboratory and excellent sampling practices. Poor sampling wastes opportunities to improve machine health, boost team productivity, and maximize your return on investment. While sampling location is important, it is not the only factor to consider for best results. Here are some improvements you can implement to optimize your oil sampling program:
Oil Sampling Program Optimization
1. Take samples from the same location every time.
Ideally, take a sample from a running system while the oil is warm, and always sample from the same location each time. Otherwise, the results from one analysis to the next may be very different. If you sample from a different location, inform your laboratory, as these results shouldn’t be trended with past samples from other spots. If this was not made transparent to your laboratory, the interpretation and recommendation may not be as accurate.
2. Take samples on a regular basis.
If you wait too long between samples, say 1,000 hours instead of 100, you’ll notice strange wear, oil, and contamination patterns and trends. If you are seldom conducting sampling and testing you may not be monitoring the Mean Time Between Failures (MTBF) as effectively as possible which affects your level of reliability and maintainability. Sample frequently and consistently enough for the lab to establish a strong baseline against which to track changes in your system.
3. Never take a sample from the drain pan
Some people believe it is the most convenient location for taking a sample, however, it is actually full of debris from previous drains and debris around the drain cap. Getting samples from the drain will poorly give you information on the current condition of your machine.
4. Use a dry, clean bottle.
Wait until you’re ready to take a sample before opening the bottle. Once you receive the sample, make sure it is clean and seal it fast. You’re probably only consuming 4 ozs. to portray an oil reservoir with hundreds or thousands of gallons of oil in it. The lab will only utilize a small portion of that for each of the numerous tests it does. Also, never forget to flush before collecting your samples.
5. Fill the bottle while providing enough ullage.
This space between the cap and the topmost level of oil is known as ullage. Allow a small amount of ullage in the bottle for the lab technician to be able to shake it to disperse particles that have accumulated at the bottom.
6. Label the sample carefully and precisely.
Along with the brand and product name, make careful notes of the exact oil viscosity or SAE grade. Show the equipment’s type, the number of hours it’s been on, and the time since the last oil change. Using inconsistent equipment names can cause the system to treat it as new, creating a separate database. Accurate information for the laboratory is essential for establishing baselines and trend analysis. The more precise information you offer the lab, the more precise an analysis you’ll get.
7. Assign a sampler to the program.
To ensure consistency, you should have one person who becomes familiar with the procedure.
8. Send it in quickly
Don’t put samples on a shelf and forget about them until the end of the year. Send them right away, and when you get them, examine the findings. No matter how accurate you collected your samples, the results are no longer relevant, and therefore, no longer reliable when sent and tested late.
Getting Started
Establishing your excellent oil sampling program on top of an excellent oil analysis program may be a tall order for everyone with budget constraints, outdated maintenance culture, and a lack of management support. Talk to CRE Philippines to know how we can support your sampling needs. CRE MachineDiagnostics™ Program aims to diagnose machine incipient failure through oil analysis entailing cost. With CRE, you will be confident to start your oil analysis program with our full support every step of the way.