Here's a bit from Jim Fitch's booklet "How to Establish a Win-Win Relationship With Your Oil Analysis Lab."

"Large corporate users should avoid the temptation of buying oil analysis services by going out on bid and buying from the lowest bidder. What message is this sending the lab about the value assigned to quality and service? A company should be focused on cost savings springing from the value that a quality oil analysis program creates, such as the reduction of operating costs and maximizes machine reliability.

"It is never wise to push a laboratory on price to the realm of unprofitability. This takes the lab out of the comfort zone as the service provider and puts stress in the business relationship. The concept that "you always get what you pay for" rest in the minds of those locked into such low-margin contracts. And, when it comes to oil analysis, end-users should take the view that no data is preferred to unreliable or untimely data. It is a very basic principle that the lab must be in a profitable relationship to be motivated and stay viable as a value-producing business entity."

Daily Tips

A lubricating oil detergent additive is made of metallic soaps that combat high temperature deposits by preventing the deposits from attaching to metal surfaces.

Channeling is the formation of a groove in grease. It is useful in high-speed bearings where the thickener does not slump into the path of the rollers to cause drag.

When investigating a foaming problem, here are some good questions to ask:

• How long has the lube been foaming?
• How bad is the foam?
• Are there signs of air entrainment?
• Does the foam dissipate rapidly?
• Are you maintaining proper oil level?
• Is there possible contamination (i.e., water, detergents, etc.)?
• Is there evidence of unusual mechanical agitation?

More Great Tips

Today we are going to look at an excerpt from Dr. E. C. Fitch's book "FLUID CONTAMINATION CONTROL." This passage discusses moisture contamination of stored lubricants.

"Water in tribological fluids (other than water-based fluids) leads to a multitude of problems in terms of system damage and failure. Perhaps the worst threat of water contamination in storage is its reaction with additives and the damaging reaction products.

"Moisture causes a filter-clogging slime to form in fluids containing tricresyl phosphate (TCP), an anti-wear additive used in tribological fluids where an alkali is present. If ZDDP (zinc dialkyl dithiophosphate) is used as the anti-wear additive instead of TCP, many deteriorating mechanisms could exist; suffice to state here that ZDDP can decompose to form hydrogen sulfide and, in the presence of moisture, transform into a highly corrosive acid (sulfuric acid). Even in fluids of the corrosion-prevention type, moisture causes an egg-white type slime. According to T. N. Dean, when moisture is present, corrosion-preventive additives can exhaust themselves by "wrapping up" the moisture in additive and water dispersion.

"Fluids containing rust inhibitors may suffer significant losses in their ability to inhibit rusting after six months of storage. This loss is because the inhibitors have low solubilities in base oils and will precipitate during storage; under low temperature conditions, the precipitation is accelerated. Inhibitor insolubility is frequently apparent when the oil develops a haze."

Book Bits

Here's a bit from the "Lubrication and Lubricant Selection."

"The amount of grease which is required for effective lubrication at any one instant is very small; it is just enough to ensure that a film is maintained on the contact surfaces. It is normal practice to supply a far greater quantity of grease, especially where there is no re-supply arrangement."

Today's Tips

Clearance and backlash are two design features that can affect lubricant efficiency in gears. Clearance is the distance between the top of one tooth to the base of the tooth on the other gear. It is a function of the height of the tooth. In gear terms, it is the amount by which the dedendum in a given gear exceeds the addendum of its mating gear.

Backlash is the distance between the back of one tooth and the

front of the next mating tooth. It is a function of the width of the teeth. If there is not enough backlash, lubricant may not coat the teeth properly, and that can lead to overheating, noise, tooth wear and failure.

Baffles are an important component in a hydraulic reservoir.

They allow the fluid time to cool, deaerate and to settle out water and dirt. A good rule of thumb for residence time in a reservoir is 3 to 5 times the pump output. If the system is highly contaminated, residence time may be 10 times the GPM (gallons/minute) of the pump.

More Great Tips

Today's passage is from: 

"The Practical Handbook of Lubrication." 

Industrial Extreme Pressure (EP) Gear Oil "Extreme pressure (EP) gear oils are used to lubricate bearings in all types of heavily loaded industrial equipment. They should be capable of withstanding heavy loads, including abnormal shock loads common in heavy duty equipment.

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Suggested Industrial EP Gear Oil Properties:

• Base Stock: Solvent refined, high viscosity-index 
  petroleum oil

• Additives: Corrosion and oxidation inhibitors. 

• Extreme pressure (EP) additive -15.8 kg (35 lb) minimum ?OK? Timken load Viscosity Index: 80 minimum in temperature controlled applications.

• Pour Point: -10°C maximum Viscosity Grades: ISO 100, 150, 220, 320, 460

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"Industrial EP gear oils should be composed of a highly refined

petroleum oil base stock plus appropriate inhibitors and additives. It should not contain materials which are corrosive

or abrasive to bearings. The inhibitors should provide long term

protection from oxidation and protect the bearing from corrosion

in the presence of moisture. The oils should resist foaming in

service and have good water separation properties. An EP additive must protect against scoring under boundary lubrication

conditions. The viscosity grades suggested, represent a wide

operating range. High temperature and/or slow speed applications generally require the higher viscosity grades. Low temperatures and/or high speeds require the use of lower viscosity grades."