CLEVELAND Jan. 6, 2020 -- TestOil, one of the leading oil analysis companies, just announced 3D printing capabilities with game-changing potential. The company invested in a state-of-the-art 3D printer to improve and expand client services and streamline internal operations. The innovation aligns with TestOil’s Lean Six Sigma operation.
TestOil’s Chief Operating Officer Mary Messuti, who is Six Sigma certified, said, “As far as we know, TestOil is the only condition monitoring lab using a 3D printer to advance client solutions. This and other innovations contribute to our competitive edge and continue to power our rapid growth trajectory.”
The company is currently using the printer to create data acquisition boxes—protective cases that allow client sites to capture test results from equipment and send them to TestOil’s LIMS (laboratory information management system). They are already offering the data acquisition boxes to clients. Another 3D printer innovation has been custom sample racks and trays that hold glass vials for the lab.
TestOil’s Director of Shared Services and Lean Initiatives Jill Furgason, who is Six Sigma Green Belt certified, said, “3D printing capabilities align with our technical operations and lean strategy. It is a way to reduce waste and motion; and reduce defects and wait time.”
The company’s lab techs process around 2,000 test tubes a day and have to manually identify each one. TestOil is developing equipment in house capable of printing ID numbers on test tubes and plans to use the printer to build parts for the machine.
TestOil’s Senior R&D Engineer, Supervisor of Maintenance and RSO Lucian Szokai was onboard from the beginning. “We pretty much fell in love with the printer and the possibilities,” he said. “It is easy to make adjustments. If something doesn’t come out right, you can reprogram it. You just tell it what to do.”
He added, “Each day we are discovering more that we can do with it. We can create personalized items and spare parts with minimal waste for TestOil and in the future we want to use it for more client offerings. We are expecting 3D printing to grow significantly in the coming decades; with more and more materials that we can use in addition to plastic.”
With more than 30 years of experience in the oil analysis industry, TestOil focuses exclusively on assisting industrial facilities with reducing maintenance costs and avoiding unexpected downtime through oil analysis program implementation. As industry experts in diagnosing oil-related issues in equipment such as turbines, hydraulics, gearboxes, pumps, compressors and diesel generators, TestOil provides customers with a guarantee of same-day turnaround on all routine testing. With in-house certified training professionals, TestOil offers lubrication and oil analysis training, private onsite training, certification training and exams, and educational webinars. For more information on partnering with TestOil on oil analysis programs or training opportunities visit www.testoil.com. Contact: 216-251-2510; sales@testoil.com.
