No single non-destructive testing method covers the full range of rotating-equipment defects on its own. Oil analysis is the third pillar of a condition monitoring program alongside vibration and ultrasound: it reads the microscopic record the lubricant carries out of every friction zone in the machine.
Three parameter groups
- Wear metals (Fe, Cu, Cr, Pb, Sn, Al) - a wear map of the specific machine's bearings, gears and bushings;
- Contamination - solid particles, water, fuel: usually the actual cause of accelerated wear;
- Oil degradation - viscosity, TAN/TBN, oxidation: the lubricant's own remaining life.
Where it applies
An oil analysis program pays back fastest on main gearboxes, turbines, hydraulics and large bearing assemblies at mining and power-generation sites, where a failure means a full day of downtime. Paired with LUBExpert ultrasonic lubrication control, oil analysis closes not just the symptom (wear particles) but the cause (incorrect lubrication).
