Spectro Scientific Blog

Learn how a gold mine saved more than $1 million in repair costs and lost operating time using an on-site Industrial Tribology Lab (ITL) for predictive maintenance. 

Certain types of samples, such as those containing detergent, may form emulsions when doing an oil in water extraction into a solvent. The boundary between the solvent and the sample will have an emulsion layer that has a cloudy or milky appearance as shown in this photo.

The ASTM International Committee D02.96 on Petroleum Products, Liquid Fuels, and Lubricants recently presented their Award of Excellence to Spectro Scientific's Chief Technology Officer, Dr. Patrick Henning. 

Maintaining a fleet of vehicles can be very costly, particularly if that fleet works under difficult conditions, such as a fleet of mining vehicles or a fleet of municipal buses and trucks. Fleet managers are on the lookout for any cost savings they can find. Oil analysis is one area that can offer significant savings and greatly improve workflow in the garage. We've created a savings calculator to estimate how much money a fleet could save by doing oil analysis in house. 

There are three main areas of savings available to fleet maintenance managers:

• Savings on used oil analysis
• Savings from extending oil drain intervals
• Savings from early diagnosis of problems

 In-service oil analysis equipment monitors the status of lubricants for optimal performance. These instruments alert operators to potential problems before they develop.

Readiness is key for a military force. People and equipment need to be ready at a moment's notice for whatever mission is likely to arise, from combat to natural disasters to humanitarian missions. System failures simply can't be tolerated. Compact and portable machine condition monitoring equipment allows the military to ensure that its vehicles and machinery remain in ideal working condition.

INTRODUCTION:

We have all heard the saying, “Oil and water don’t mix.” Unfortunately that doesn’t necessarily apply to lubrication oils. Water can exist in several states in lubrication oils and can do quite a bit of damage to valuable assets if left unchecked. In this guide we explore the challenges posed by water in lubrication oils and discuss the methods available to reliability professionals for measuring water in oil.

Water contamination in industrial oils can cause severe issues with machinery components.  The presence of water can alter the viscosity of a lubricant as well as cause chemical changes resulting in additive depletion and the formation of acids, sludge, and varnish. Water testing is always a part of any lubricant condition monitoring program.  Water contamination in industrial oils with strong water separation properties has been historically difficult to measure with any technique.

While it is true that all machines eventually wear out, proper maintenance and care can improve machinery health and longevity. This is particularly true with regard to the two most common types of machine degradation: corrosion and wear.