Many people emphasize the impact of particle and moisture contamination on equipment reliability, but few consider how air might affect their equipment. While usually benign, excessive air entrainment can lead to many issues, including rust, cavitation, oil leakage,...
It has long been known that contamination is the leading cause of failure in rotating and reciprocating equipment. For this reason, most circulating oil systems contain some form of filtration on the supply line and occasionally, in the case of hydraulics, on the...
If a machine is to provide service life past its warranty stage, its designer must envision and consider all operating conditions under which it will operate in the field. For example, to mitigate the effects of severe and semi-severe conditions, the design must be...
Lubricant management could mean different things to different people within a facility. The maintenance planner or lube crew supervisor may view lubricant management as the process that assures all the machines scheduled for level checks, replenishment, and oil...
The online resource Dictionary.com defines the word "clean" as "free from dirt" and "free from foreign and extraneous matter." To most, "clean" is a subjective term, the interpretation of which depends on the subject matter and the interpreter's standards for "clean."...
This presentation was presented at the Lubrication Reliability Virtual Summit on September 20, 2023 by Hassan Abdelnabby. He discusses the types of oil contamination and how to fight back to gain control of asset health, how to achieve better cleanliness levels for...
In Parts 1 and 2 of this series, we discussed the evolution of rolling element-bearing life calculations from the original work of Lundberg and Palmgren in the 1940s and 50s to the most recent ISO 281 standard, published in 2007. In particular, we talked about the...
When I first started with condition monitoring in the early 1990s on an open cast iron ore mine, we were blessed to have a geology laboratory to utilize for used oil analysis. In addition, we had the support of a commercial laboratory to whom we could send samples to...
For years, machine reliability practitioners have heard that outdoor lubricant storage is something to avoid, if possible. There are several reasons for this position, including: Risk of lubricant oxidation from prolonged exposure to heat from sunlight Risk of...
Is the lubricant circulating through your system free from damage-causing contaminants? Using contaminated lubricants can lead to irreversible equipment damage, shortened life, and unexpected downtime. Instances of contamination can be identified by inspecting the...
