Justifying An Oil Analysis Program
An oil analysis program must have a goal in mind for it to be effective, and the goal ultimately determines some of the factors associated with the program.
As examples, common goals may include, reducing oil consumption, extending equipment life and increasing reliability.
When setting a goal of extending drain intervals, the most important factor involves measuring the lubricant’s condition, and therefore has a direct bearing on the frequency of sampling and a test slate focused on degradation of the lubricant.
When the goal is extending the equipment life, the focus shifts to measuring wear, with less concern on the fluid condition, and this has a direct bearing on the sampling location and procedure.
For increased reliability, Root Cause Analysis emphasizes measuring contamination and performing more advanced testing on a tiered schedule.
