Oil analysis is critical to any reliability program, serving as an effective predictive tool for potential equipment failures. When properly deployed, oil analysis has the power to enhance maintenance practices within industrial and fleet settings.
This article will review the benefits of onsite oil analysis and demonstrate how Key Performance Indicators (KPIs) are used to select the right instrumentation to support an onsite lab and effectively implement oil analysis data. By doing this successfully, organizations can reduce maintenance costs, increase equipment reliability, and align operational strategies with financial goals.
The Benefits of Onsite Oil Analysis
Onsite oil analysis eliminates the delays associated with sending samples to external laboratories. However, before deciding to bring a program onsite, users must consider if the expertise and manpower are available to support onsite tasks.
Even if these items are available, solutions must still be user-friendly, efficient, and capable of delivering actionable data. When these items are in place, rapid analysis facilitates immediate decision-making and empowers maintenance teams to customize reporting based on real-time data.
Key Performance Indicators (KPIs) in Maintenance
KPIs are essential for measuring an organization’s effectiveness in achieving its objectives. In the context of maintenance, KPIs are typically linked to financial goals. Some common examples of maintenance-related KPIs could be:
- < 20% abnormal results in wear particulate
- Reduce oil consumption by 25%
- Extend bearing life by 6 Months
- Increase production by 25%
- Extend oil change intervals by 6 months on 50% of the fleet.
- Zero failures on machines categorized as “critical”
Determining Which Oil Analysis Data Points Match KPI Objectives
Effective oil analysis hinges on trending the right data. Before reaching the end goal of selecting the right instruments, let’s use the KPIs above as examples to determine what kind of data points are needed to trend those KPIs:
Now that the right data points are determined. The proper instrumentation can be selected. Building on the table above, let’s make some onsite instrumentation recommendations:
Another useful resource for selecting the right instrumentation is Ametek Spectro Scientific’s product selector guide: https://info.spectrosci.com/product-selector.
It’s important to note that many of these recommendations can be built upon over time. An easy place to get an almost immediate return on investment is focusing on lowering particle counts and moisture control. By establishing a solid business case for oil cleanliness, organizations can justify initial investments in filtration equipment, breathers, or additional instrumentation.
Bringing it All Together: Software for Data Management
Now that the proper data is in place, having an effective way to trend the data and report the results becomes critical for continued success. The software should be easy to navigate and allow for quick implementation into the reliability program’s workflow.
Ametek Spectro Scientific offers the TruVu 360 Fluid Intelligence software that pairs with both the MiniLab and FieldLab onsite systems. The software plays a pivotal role in managing and interpreting oil analysis data. Some key features include:
- Performance dashboards that allow users to visualize data trends and KPI tracking.
- Recommendations for alarm limits based on ASTM D7720 statistical analysis.
- Automatically populated diagnostic statements and alarm limit sets to enhance the ability to identify and respond to potential issues effectively.
Establishing effective KPIs and utilizing data-driven insights from onsite oil analysis can lead to substantial cost savings and operational improvements. Organizations must take the time to align their oil analysis data with primary financial goals and leverage software solutions to document successes to justify and ensure longevity of the maintenance program.
References
https://www.machinerylubrication.com/Read/30/oil-analysis-benefits
https://reliabilityweb.com/articles/entry/measuring_plant_performance_-_the_need_for_metrics_standardization
https://www.spectrosci.com/product/minilab-153
https://www.spectrosci.com/product/truvu-360
https://www.astm.org/d7720-21.html
