Sources of Silver Silver is a wear metal used as an overlay on some bearings, such as journal bearing for gas turbines or wrist pin bearings on EMD locomotive engines. Silver from these parts will increase disproportionately with iron. Zinc additized oils will accelerate the corrosion of silver in these applications, therefore the use of…
Read more
Three-Star Selection
Three-Star Selection What fueled hockey’s iconic postgame ritual? FOR 75 YEARS HOCKEY FANS have enjoyed a postgame ritual where the three best players in the contest are recognized. This tradition is called the Three-Star Selection, but not many know its origin. Its history traces back to a handshake agreement between Toronto Maple Leafs owner Conn…
Read more
Testing Lubricants for Compatibility
Testing Lubricants for Compatibility TestOil offers lubricant compatibility analysis using ASTM D 7155 as the guideline for compatibility testing. If test results show signs of minor incompatibility you must evaluate the potential impact. Do the mixtures show a decreased ability to resist oxidation? Will this result in a shortened lubricant life and therefore increased cost…
Read more
Toss Leads to Oil Boom
Toss leads to oil boom History begins with an empty whiskey bottle—and a simple act. Whiskey containers play more than one role in the history of North American oil production. Readers who recall my May 2010 column, “The Barrel’s Boozy Beginnings,” about how the whiskey barrel inadvertently led to the bbl standard of measure for…
Read more
When Failure Doesn’t Stick
When Failure Doesn't Stick The difference between success and disaster often is a matter of perspective. Have you ever thought about how many of today’s successes began as failures? I am not talking about successes like the light bulb, where Thomas Edison tried thousands of filament materials before finding Tungsten. I am talking about “successful…
Read more
Sources of Chromium
Sources of Chromium Chromium is a wear metal found in the coating of parts like valves, rods, rings, and bearings. Typically, increasing levels of chromium, and possibly nickel, disproportional with iron, indicate coating wear, whereas proportional increases suggest steel alloy wear. One form of proportional chromium and iron increase may arise from non-wearing parts made…
Read more