Friday, April 27, 2012

Quality Oil Analysis Testing Is A Means Of Capital Preservation For Industrial Plants Worldwide

By Sheree T. Torres


Industrial businesses rely on many vital processes for proper equipment maintenance and/or the prevention of mechanical equipment failure. Oil analysis testing is one such crucial process.

Industrial businesses are often international corporations, operating expensive machinery around the clock. A good number of these machines are multifaceted, with multiple moving parts that generate considerable amounts of friction, heat and debris. Needless to say, these complex machines cannot operate properly without proper lubrication -- namely oil. Simply put, oil is the livelihood for most every machine.

Without question, the demands put upon these machines causes a slow wear that will eventually result in malfunction. This happens regardless of the amount of oil or lubrication a machine has received. And the condition of its oil, a most vital operating fluid, is the barometer for its internal condition. This is why machine oil must be tested and analyzed frequently. Therefore, oil analysis testing is of considerable value to industrial plants worldwide, regardless of size or industry.

For these reasons, oil analysis testing should be used as a monitoring technique, as well as a proactive measure to ensure optimal equipment performance and sustained, overall plant productivity. Maintenance crews learn much about what has gone wrong with a machine simply by analyzing the contents and materials present in oil and other lubricants. This data is then used to match these particles to the parts that are in need of repair. Without these most vital tests, plant operators would incur millions of dollars in expensive machine repairs. For instance, statistics show that 50 percent of reported mechanical breakdowns were a direct result of a failure to analyze and promptly act based on testing results. This delayed response time, or missed opportunity, directly contributes to diminished functionality, which ultimately leads to mechanical malfunction or even breakdown.

Therefore, testing and analysis of machine lubricants should be viewed as a preemptive, cost-cutting measure. Moreover, these actions are the best way to protect a plant's assets from untimely demise. Furthermore, these tests can be carried out on or offsite, which makes the receipt of results from oil analysis testing easily available. So, basically, all an industrial business must do is find a trusted lab -- one known for providing reliable and timely results -- and use the information provided to keep their machines in optimal performance condition, for as long as possible.




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