Spectro Scientific Blog

Grease Analysis Guide

Posted by Lisa Williams on March 12, 2024

Introduction 

Extending lubricant condition monitoring programs to include grease analysis

Onsite oil analysis is an effective tool to quickly analyze samples and optimize maintenance activities. As part of a comprehensive condition based maintenance program (CBM), oil analysis proves to be an effective tool to compliment other diagnostic technologies like vibration analysis, infrared thermography and ultrasound technology. However, when the equipment is grease lubricated, this important Lubrication monitoring step is often overlooked.

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Topics: Industrial, Tribology, Grease Analysis

Advanced onsite oil analysis ensures race team leaderboard standings case study

Posted by Daniel Walsh on January 25, 2024

Introduction 

AMETEK Spectro Scientific’s on-site oil analysis tools have enabled Honda Performance Development to support WTR Andretti and Meyer Shanks ARX-06 race cars to the podium.

Honda Performance Development (HPD) faced a formidable challenge during the Rolex 24-hour endurance race in January 2023.

Their most advanced ARX-06 GTP (Grand Touring Prototype) race cars, which would be racing competitively for the first time with new engine hybrid technology, and a new IMSA-approved renewable fuel.

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Topics: Industrial, Case Study, Tribology

How To Quantify Severity Of Wear And Contamination With A Filtergram

Posted by Ray Garvey on October 30, 2023

Introduction 

This white paper reports diesel engine oil analysis data demonstrating use of filtergram particle quantifier x-ray fluorescence (FPQ spectroscopy) to quantify severity of wear and contamination. Two independent measurements are performed on each filtergram specimen: pore blockage particle count and FPQ spectroscopic large particle elemental analysis. Causal inflections in ASTM D7720 cumulative distributions indicate severity thresholds for FPQ spectroscopic elemental analyses.

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Topics: Industrial, Tribology, White Paper

Annual Cost Savings From Effective Lubrication Programs With Onsite Oil Analysis

Posted by Ray Garvey on June 01, 2023

Introduction 

This article reports annual cost savings from several effective lubrication programs using onsite oil analysis. These published case histories cover various industries. These lubrication programs employ the following steps that differentiate effective lubrication programs with excellent cost avoidance from ineffective, low cost avoidance lubrication programs.

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Topics: Industrial, Tribology, White Paper, Power Generation

Onsite Oil Analysis For Power Generation

Posted by Ray Garvey on February 13, 2023

Retesting And Resampling Can Save Millions

Introduction 

Power plants today face headwinds in delivering power to customers. Power suppliers must meet the “Three Rs” for power system reliability: resource adequacy (people, equipment, facilities, availability), system resiliency (ability to bounce back from disruption) and operational reliability (assets performing without unplanned downtime).1

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Topics: Industrial, Case Study, Tribology, Power Generation

FieldLab Commercial: An Introduction to the Technologies Behind Spectro Scientific's Portable Fluid Analysis System

Posted by Lisa Williams on October 19, 2022

Introduction 

Downtime for critical equipment is costly in terms of dollar expense, productivity and human lives. Oil analysis is one of the most important and reliable techniques to keep these assets up and running.

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Topics: Industrial, Fleets, Mining, Tribology, White Paper

Severe Sliding and Fatigue Wear Debris Analysis for Machinery Components

Posted by Ray Garvey on September 23, 2022

Introduction 

This article is the first in a series to make a strong case for performing more and better testing of in service lubricants in order to replace unplanned repairs and unplanned downtime with planned repairs during scheduled time. In other words, this article is about using oil analysis to help improve reliability, planning and scheduling. More and better testing involves more lubricant sample points with better focus on large wear particle analysis.

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Topics: Industrial, Fleets, Mining, Tribology, White Paper

Analysis of Large Wear Debris is Essential for Comprehensive Oil Analysis

Posted by Ray Garvey on August 11, 2022

Introduction 

Comprehensive oil analysis requires sampling, testing and analyzing in-service industrial lubricants to evaluate the wear condition of machinery, the contamination condition of lubrication systems, and chemistry condition of the lubricants. This article intentionally focuses attention on analysis of large wear particles because the resulting analysis information enables informed users time for planned maintenance instead of surprise, reactive unplanned repairs.

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Topics: Industrial, Fleets, Mining, Tribology, White Paper

Oil Analysis Alarms Whitepaper

Posted by Daniel Walsh on June 20, 2022

Practical Steps to Increase Your Site’s Ability to Detect
and Manage Abnormal Lubrication Events

There is a lot of discussion about artificial intelligence (AI), internet of things (IoT) and how these can be applied in all areas of reliability programs, particularly oil analysis. In this technology, many users struggle to understand and trust how alarms are set, maintained, and adapted to meet the changing conditions with lubricated mechanical equipment. All of these intelligence initiatives are ineffective if the data is not trustworthy.

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Topics: Industrial, Fleets, Mining, Tribology, White Paper

Oil Analysis Handbook

Posted by Zack Macik on May 24, 2022

Spectro Scientific's Oil Analysis Handbook

This Oil Analysis Handbook covers a wide variety of topics ranging from specific oil analysis techniques to applications for oil analysis, to success stories of companies that use on-site oil analysis to lower costs and improve uptime. The applications for oil analysis range from mining and trucking to water treatment, service providers, and industrial plants.  Learn how to improve reliability while cutting maintenance costs and avoiding costly downtime.

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Topics: Industrial, Case Study, Fleets, Mining, Tribology