A Discussion About Proactive Maintenance with Gerry Trodd, Millar Western 
Gerry Trodd, Millar Western

In a world of fierce competition, individuality and unique ideas bring fresh solutions to solving age-old industry issues.

A Hard Lesson Learned About Gearbox Failure 
Martin Williamson, Noria UK Limited

Like so many attendees in a Noria training class, Bill was no exception. When asked why he was there, he replied, ‘To learn a little more about oil analysis, so I can get the full value from my oil analysis program.’

A Picture is Worth a Thousand Words - J.R. Simplot Applies Straightforward Proactive Oil Analysis to Remain Competitive 
Sharon H. Dory and Art Durnan, J.R. Simplot Company

Over the last decade no industry has been immune to the demands of an increasingly competitive business environment.

American Axle and Manufacturing Discovers the Advantages of On-site Oil Analysis 
Richard Kus, American Axle and Manufacturing, Detroit Gear and Axle and Jeff Snyder, ChevronTexaco Global Lubricants

Oil analysis has been an integral part of the preventive maintenance (PM) and predictive maintenance (PdM) programs at American Axle & Manufacturing’s (AAM) Detroit Gear & Axle facility for several years. The program began when the company’s lubrication supplier, ChevronTexaco Global Lubricants, offered its services to complement AAM’s PM/PdM programs. The use of oil analysis as a reliability maintenance tool rapidly increased throughout the facility, with proactive results.

An Integrated Approach to Lubrication Excellence at BHP Steel 
Jian G. Ding, BHP Research & Technology Development

Lubricated equipment at BHP Steel is massive in quantity and critical to production. It covers millions of bearings, gearboxes, heavy-duty diesel engines, and hydraulic systems throughout hundreds of BHP plants worldwide.

And the 2001 Gill Award Goes To... 
Suzy Azevedo, International Council for Machinery Lubrication

Arizona Public Service’s Palo Verde Nuclear Generating Station (PVNGS), is the 2001 recipient of the Augustus H. Gill Award for Excellence in Oil Analysis. Congratulations to Bryan Johnson and his team at Palo Verde for their contribution to industry in the development of best practices.

Applying Onsite Oil Analysis at the Westinghouse Savannah River Company 
J. Mike Weiksner, Westinghouse Savannah River Company

Through a pilot maintenance optimization program in a powerhouse plant, the company identified that an oil analysis program would eliminate time-directed oil changes. One department purchased oil analysis screening equipment and obtained a volunteer maintenance mechanic to support the budding oil analysis program.

Bearing Failures Dry Up at Weyerhaeuser 
Joel White, Weyerhaeuser

Proactive maintenance is key to achieving machine reliability.

Change Can Make a Difference 
Ken Huckeba, Mission Operations and Maintenance Inc.

The Kern River Cogeneration Company Omar Generation Facility has been supplying steam for enhanced oil recovery in the Texaco Oil Field north of Bakersfield, California for the last 15 years. Summertime temperatures in this part of the state frequently exceed 100°F (38°C).

Contamination Control Program Substantially Decreases Mine's Mobile Equipment Costs 
Sharon Dory, J.R. Simplot Co. and Teresa Hansen, Noria Corporation

Like all industries, the mining industry is under increasing pressure to do more with less. Faced with falling profits, J.R. Simplot Co.’s Smoky Canyon Phosphate Mine near Jackson Hole, Wyo., set out to reduce maintenance costs. Like most open pit mines, the mobile equipment was identified as one of the mine’s largest cost centers.

Cook Nuclear Develops Successful Onsite Oil Analysis Program 
Steve Mitchell, Cook Nuclear Generating Station, American Electric Power

Oil analysis is a key element to equipment and component reliability at any nuclear power generation facility. In particular, having onsite oil analysis can significantly reduce the total turnaround time between sampling and condition-based maintenance recommendations that are required to keep equipment operating safely and efficiently. Cook Nuclear developed a successful onsite oil analysis program that helped improve equipment reliability and availability while reducing maintenance costs. The power plant found that by using its existing onsite chemistry staff and laboratory to perform onsite oil analysis it was able to save both time and money.

Coupling Oil Analysis and Vibration Analysis to Save Time and Money 
Tiimothy J. Smith, Equistar Chemicals

When creative, dedicated minds come together to provide the right product for every customer, it’s no surprise Equistar Chemicals turned to oil analysis to improve plant operations so it could produce better products.

Crankcase Cancer 
Louis LaBella, Columbia Gulf Transmission Co.

During the time I’ve been involved in predictive maintenance, I have often heard medical analogies used to define and describe predictive technologies. I have even used these analogies in training sessions and executive meetings to aid in the understanding of basic fundamental principles of somewhat complicated concepts.

Developing a Motor Bearing Regreasing Strategy 

Question You have just been hired as a maintenance engineer for a large manufacturing plant. The plant has a history of never greasing electric motor bearings, believing that this practice does more harm than good. The plant has a mix of motors, some of which have been in service for 10 years, others just a few months. Depending on motor manufacturer, speed and horsepower, there is everything from sealed and shielded bearings to open bearings. How would you go about developing a regreasing strategy for these motors?

Dirty Totes 

When setting up and implementing the proactive oil analysis program at Deeter Foundry, I realized the importance of ensuring the procurement and maintenance of clean oil. Obtaining clean oil from a distributor, however, proved to be more difficult than I expected.

Discrepancies in Particle Counts Pinpoint Contamination Source 

A European manufacturer of large hydraulic components flushed its newly manufactured components with clean hydraulic fluid at a high turbulence to remove any particles left behind during production. This flushing was carried out using a specified brand of low viscosity hydraulic oil. The oil type, flushing procedures and targeted cleanliness levels were provided to the manufacturer by its customer.

Effective Fluid Management Delivers Big Time at the Port of Tacoma 
Jim Harris, Port of Tacoma and Nick Nesland, Sr., Hydraulic Repair and Design

With an eye on improving the operational profitability of each piece by extending the life of the equipment and reducing maintenance costs, the Port of Tacoma undertook an aggressive program of fluid condition management.

El Paso Electric Company's Journey to RBM Excellence is Paved with Oil 
Jaime Viramontes, PdM Supervisor, El Paso Electric and Brad Sweet, CSI

A good oil analysis program catches faults before they progress to a stage detectable by even the best vibration analyst.

El Paso Electric Samples Cooling Tower Gearboxes 
Jaime Viramontes and Lesley A. Harrignton, El Paso Electric

One of the first tasks when setting up an oil analysis program is selecting the appropriate sample location for each critical component.

Electrostatic Purification Helps Pulp Mill Control Sludge and Varnish 
David M. Bickford, ASL Technologies LLC

With hydraulic fluid ISO cleanliness levels of 14/10/7 to 15/12/10 on a main slab press, it is hard to imagine that it would be necessary to dump and replace fluid this clean. However, that is the position Millar Western Forest Products Ltd., a large Canadian forest company, found itself in at its chemi-thermo-mechanical pulp (CTMP) mill in Whitecourt, Alberta, Canada.

Engine Failure Results in Proactive Solutions 
Derek Wilcock, Sishen Iron Ore Mine

Situation Prior to Failure The engine currently installed in truck no. 526 is a Cummins K2000 series engine that had been in production for 349 hours prior to failure. Observation The diagnostic engineering department observed that the oil analysis results indicated copper wear was taking place (graphically displayed overleaf). A microscopic analysis also indicated copper wear particulate.

Field Facts 

In this new feature, we focus on stories where the application of basic oil analysis leads to a long-term solution to a fundamental lubrication related problem. The first of these, supplied by Bill Herguth of Herguth Laboratories Inc., concerns the long-term impact of fluid cleanliness on the transmission gearboxes of large power generation windmills in Northern California.

Fluid Isn't Always to Blame for Filter Plugging 

I recently had an unusual experience with filter plugging on a diesel fuel filter in an agricultural combine. The combine plugged six filters in the previous 350 hours of operation. Because this was obviously abnormal and filter plugging is not rocket science, I decided to investigate.

Flushing and Filtering Heat Transfer System - Recognizing the Benefits 
Jason Wilkening and Steve Reed, Lubrecon Systems, Inc. (an O'Rourke Company)

In June 2005, Shell Chemical’s Process Engineering Group set out to chemically clean two reboilers involved with the benzene, toluene and xylene chemical process. The reboilers were not transferring heat to the product and the heating oil was losing its capacity to transfer heat in other areas of the units. Shell Chemical knew that changing the degraded heating oil would improve production and effectively transfer heat throughout the units. Mechanical cleaning of the reboilers was too time-consuming and therefore was not an option for the short shutdown.

From Mud to Oil 

Seminole recently converted its scrubber effluent from landfill material into synthetic gypsum. Many new types of equipment were installed for this conversion process; some old equipment was required to run in and out of the original design parameter.

FTIR Uncovers Cause of Pump Seal Failures 
Teresa Hansen, Noria Corporation

After experiencing two hydraulic pump seal failures in as many months on a pump that normally “runs forever” with no problems, the maintenance staff at Alcoa Mill Products, Lancaster, Pa., decided that something out of the ordinary was going on. Even though the routine oil analysis results indicated the pump and its lubricant were normal, the oil’s strange color prompted the staff to investigate further. A Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR) analysis was conducted, which led the staff to the root cause of the seal failures - cross contamination.

Gearbox Mishaps are Valuable Lessons 

While working as a lube salesman in the Toronto area, I was called to visit a customer who had experienced a lube-related problem. Over the weekend, a welder had been working on a large gearbox that was drained of our oil – a conventional EP gear oil.

Goodbye Oiler, Hello Skilled Lube Tech and Lube Analyst 
Drew Troyer and Mark Barnes

A world-class lubrication and lubricant analysis program requires individuals with world-class skills. While it is true to say that those directly responsible for lubrication must be properly trained, other individuals in the organization also require knowledge, or at least awareness of the program’s goals, primary benefits and fundamental tenets.

Here's to Another Great Conference 
Frances E. Ward, Noria Corporation

You can feel it in the air, the exhilarating electricity of being surrounded by hundreds of people converged to share success, failures and ideas about oil analysis. Looking into the sea of attentive faces processing the streaming information from exhibitors pitching their products gives one the feeling that something special is taking place in this oil town in northeastern Oklahoma.

Huge Cost Avoidance at LTV Steel Using Oil Analysis 
Darrin Clark, SES Technical Inc.

A weakness in many oil analysis programs is the poor link between the analyst making the recommendations and the maintenance personnel making the decisions.

Human Error Destroyed a Gear Box 
David Trocel, Fertinitro

A five-year old single reduction conveyor drive was taken out of service for a scheduled preventive maintenance inspection and was disassembled. Prior to the inspection (disassembly), the unit had been in operation with routine vibration based surveillance for a full year since the previous PM inspection. There was no indication of any mechanical defect based on the vibration-based condition assessments.

Innovative Sampling Method Creates Strange Results 

A large municipal bus fleet engineering manager was perplexed. With six different bus depots, each operating buses with engines of the same model and age under similar service conditions, using the same oil and fuel supplier, why was only one of the depots routinely showing elevated soot levels from more than 90 percent of the engine oil samples?

Integrated Wear Particle Analysis Scheme for Trunnion Bearing Oil 
Rende Liu, Shanghai Boasteel Industry Inspection Company, P.R. China

A converter is one of the main pieces of equipment used in making steel. The bearings in the converter trunnion are characterized by low speeds, heavy loads and large bearing dimensions and revolve slowly when molten steel is added or emptied. Their life expectancy is 20 years. Their failure reduces the output of the converter, incurring losses in the entire product line. Therefore, it is important for the bearings to operate smoothly.

Knowledge is Power 
Matt Spurlock, Noria Corporation

In my previous column, I presented a case study that portrayed how having specific knowledge about a given situation can result not only in finding a viable solution but also in changing people’s minds about the abilities of oil analysis. In keeping with the theme of “knowledge is power”, I’d like to present a case study in which a client received great oil analysis data; however, the data was not utilized properly to indicate the true condition of the equipment until failure was simply unavoidable.

Lead Particles Predict Bearing Failure 
Lana Robin, PdMA

R.J. Reynolds Tobacco Company had been performing lubricant condition monitoring on its equipment for 20 years.

Lesson Learned: Discovery in Soot Testing 
Sabrin Gebarin, Noria Corporation

Recently, an engine oil sample was tested to determine the root cause of a failure that resulted in an engine seizing. Initial observation of the oil sample showed it was thick and almost gel-like.

Longer Lasting Lubricants for The Aluminum Industry 
E. Akochi-Koble Ph.D., J. Pinchuk, D. Pinchuk, G. Arseneault of Thermal-Lube Inc. and R. Gagne of Alcan Smelters and Chemicals Ltd.

This project, like so many others, had a humble beginning. About five years ago, after returning from a routine sales call to the smelter where a representative was selling synthetic and specialty greases, he challenged the authors to develop a series of lubricants that he could sell to the aluminum industry. In a discussion with a group of maintenance people at the smelter, he was told that if his company could develop lubricants that would last longer and protect equipment better than the current product, they would buy from him.

Low-additive Mineral Oil Solves Vacuum Pump Failure - Saves $40,000 in Maintenance Costs 
Brian Reno, Dow Corning

Lubrication technicians helped a chemical manufacturer drive costs down by solving a vacuum pump failure, saving $40,000 in maintenance costs. Dow Corning installed a new two-stage vacuum pump in one of the processing plants in its chemical manufacturing complex in Midland, Michigan, where the pump was needed to draw gases from a process reactor vessel. The pump was put into operation using a conventional mineral oil that was specified by the original equipment manufacturer. During the first nine months of operation there was a catastrophic failure occurring every four to six weeks.

Lubrication Professionals Meet in Nashville to Gain Knowledge and Embrace Change 

Don’t fight change. This was the statement that Joe Theismann used to open his keynote address at the Lubrication Excellence 2004 Conference and Exhibition held in Nashville on March 23-25.

Lubrication Reliability Program Yields Big Savings 
David Bandt, EVTAC Mining Co.

Today’s global economy is here to stay. Manufacturers from automobiles to toothpicks are under continuous pressure to reduce costs. In order to survive in this environment, a company must either adapt, embrace and master newly emerging technologies or be swallowed by those that do. EVTAC Mining is one of many companies currently striving to make such changes.

Magnetic Plug Inspection Enhances Condition-Based Maintenance 
Sharon H. Dory, J.R. Simplot Co. and Teresa Hansen, Noria Corporation

In early 2001, the average rebuild cost for J.R. Simplot Co.’s Caterpillar 785 haul truck differentials and final drives was $2.11 per hour of operation. By 2003, the average cost had dropped to $1.36 per hour of operation and the mine’s maintenance personnel set a goal of further reducing the cost to $1.17. At the same time, the mine’s reliability team successfully extended the average oil drain intervals on the differentials and final drives from 2,000 hours to 6,000 hours and set a goal of 10,000 hours.

Major Reliability and Lubricant Consumption Savings at Tutuka Power Station 
A.E. Cattaert, Eskom - Tutuka Power Station

Tutuka Power Station was put into full commercial operation in June 1990. Tutuka - a Zulu word meaning progress - is a 3,600 MW thermal power station located in the Mpumalanga province of South Africa. Each of Tutuka’s six turbine-generators runs separately with its own fuel and water supply, output transformer and instrumentation.

Monitoring Active Sulfur in EP Gear Oils - And Other Options for Monitoring EP Additive Depletion 
Arnold Shugarman, Ph.D., CLS

Extreme pressure (EP) gear oils are used to minimize wear and scuffing in automotive and industrial applications under high load conditions, especially where high peak or shock loads are encountered. Modern EP gear oils are formulated with additives that contain active sulfur, frequently combined with phosphorus, to provide a thermally stable, noncorrosive lubricant with high load-carrying capacity.

New Maintenance Strategy Achieves World-class Status 
Teresa Hansen

In the early 1990s, Southern Company adopted a predictive maintenance program in conjunction with a time-based preventive maintenance program. In 1994, predictive maintenance guidelines were issued for Southern Company plants. This program was improved upon in 1998 when the plant reliability optimization (PRO) program and streamlined reliability centered maintenance (SRCM) was introduced. Thanks to the Southern Company Services, Routine Maintenance Group, under the leadership of Randy Lee and Randy Jones, all Southern Company plants began focusing on the new maintenance strategy.

Not Wanted: Large Metal Particle in Propulsion Ship Cylinder 

This massive metal particle was found clunking around in the cylinder of a large propulsion ship engine in port in the Persian Gulf.

Oil Analysis Confirms Lubricant Selection Suitability - Hydrogen Recovery Compressor Study 
Matthew Dinslage

Some equipment owners view oil analysis as a tool to help determine when to perform an oil change. Some view it in terms of the fault detection ability. Still others apply it to a strategy for contamination control and filter performance monitoring. But the best strategy is to incorporate all these aspects of oil analysis together into one program, which will ultimately meet reliability goals. The key is to define the goals and design the program to achieve those goals.

Oil Analysis Delivers Big at Ontario Power Generation 
G. Colaiacovo, G. Staniewski and H. Yan

Ontario Power Generation is the largest Canadian utility operating nuclear, thermal and hydraulic units.

Oil Analysis Implementation for First Energy Services 
Brett Winberg, LubeTrak

First Energy Services is an aggressive oil field construction company operating more than 125 pieces of Caterpillar® equipment and more than 400 pickups and trucks serving a majority of oil field needs. Its core business consists of building oil drilling pads, pipeline construction, fabricating wells, pipe cleaning and similar jobs. Robbie Weakland is the company maintenance operations manager and Billy Waite is the lead technician at First Energy Services.

Oil Analysis Improves Cooling Tower Problems 
J. Mike Weiksner and J. Brad Harrelson, Westinghouse Savannah River

The Savannah River Site is located in the southeastern coastal area of South Carolina near the Savannah River, and operates as a U.S. government Department of Energy nuclear materials management facility. The Site Utilities Department (SUD) is a department within Solid Waste and Infrastructure that is within the Operations business unit of the Savannah River Site.

Oil Analysis Reveals Root Cause of Piston Rod Failures 
Stephen H. Shakeshaft, Stephen H. Shakeshaft Consulting Ltd.

A chemical manufacturing plant with three, three-cylinder reciprocating compressors was accustomed to performing intensive maintenance on the compressors. For about 20 years, the maintenance on these three machines was not performed on any schedule; it was simply performed whenever a machine broke down. Periodically, a machine would break a piston rod, be taken out of service, and a standby machine would be put on line.

Oil Analysis Success at a Power Generation Station 
Bryan Johnson, Palo Verde Nuclear Generating Station

The PdM team of Palo Verde Nuclear Generating Station has a recipe for oil analysis success. Over the past several years they have documented several "saves" that could have potentially costed over $200,000.

Onsite Analysis Saves Cedar Bayou $1 Million 
Robert Walker, Cedar Bayou Power Station, Reliant Energy

Cedar Bayou Generating Station, located near Baytown, TX, consists of three gas and fuel oil-fired super-critical steam generators producing a combined output of 2,340 megawatts.

On-site Lab Determines Cleanliness of Drummed Oil 
J. Mike Weiksner and Toby Risher, Westinghouse Savannah River

The Savannah River Site is located in the southeastern coastal area of the United States. Located in South Carolina, it is bordered to the west by the Savannah River. As a U.S. government Department of Energy facility, it provides safe management of nuclear materials and the environment. The Site Utilities Department (SUD) is a department within Solid Waste and Infrastructure that is within the Operations business unit of the Savannah River Site. The oil lab, in the SUD, routinely samples and tests new oil for cleanliness.

Onsite Oil Analysis Ends - GM's Bus Stop Blues 
Ed Bohn and Frank D'Arcio, General Motors

Like so many plants, General Motors’s Linden Truck and Bus Assembly plant always depended upon its lube supplier to provide oil analysis.

Onsite Oil Analysis Vital for Immediate, Accurate Results 
Thomas A. Gabany, NASA Langley Research Center and Jennifer M. Cypress, CSI

Simple, fast and reliable onsite oil analysis should be an integral part of any plant maintenance program.

Onsite Portable Filtration - Texas Style 
Robert Perez, Flint Hills Resources and Duke Cooper, Oil Filtration Systems

For many industries, production downtime and scheduled outages are few-and-far between. While logic and best practice may suggest a need for system redesign, a filtration upgrade or a complete flush, the pressure from production to continue operations until the next scheduled shutdown usually wins out - and rightly so.

Operation Cleanup - The First Step to Contamination Control is a Clean New Oil Supply 
Alan Schnuir, Duhva Opencast Services

In an environment where you breath more dirt than air, we knew that the odds weren't on our side when we set the cleanliness target of ISO 17/13 for all oil components.

Plant's Integrated Reliability Initiative and Team Environment Bring Success 
Teresa Hansen, Noria Corporation

Like many chemical facilities, BP Canada Energy Company’s linear alpha olefin (LAO) plant in Alberta must do everything it can to reduce costs and increase profits. And like with most industries, reliability is an area that can have a major impact on the facility’s bottom line. Therefore, the company is pushing its reliability program to world-class status. The push is obviously working, as the plant has reached 98 percent reliability. Thanks to a comprehensive equipment inspection program, a unique team environment and a well-planned oil analysis and lubrication program, the LAO plant is successfully meeting its maintenance and reliability challenges.

Predictive Technologies Team Up to Produce Huge Savings 
Rick Kus, Dave Giacobozzi, Julius O’Steen, Jim Panoff, Ron Radford and Max Segar, American Axle and Manufacturing Detroit

The preventive maintenance team at American Axle and Manufacturing (AAM) addressed an issue found during a routine preventive maintenance work order. Relying on their skills and field experience, they corrected the issue with minimal effect on productive time. Catching the issue in a timely manner saved the company an estimated $50,000.

Proactive Maintenance and Off-line Oil Filtration on Stamping Presses 
William Bradley, Bradley Enterprises / Nova Tube

This article discusses the value of proactive maintenance and the use of off-line filtration to reduce wear particles and improve reliability. The author has applied these principles to closed systems to protect the lubricant and machinery from lubricant-induced wear. This article discusses applying filtration in the 5 to 10- micron range to stamping presses that range from 100 to 400 tons each. These presses have an open lube system as well as a high rate of contamination from exposure to the clutch and brake mechanism. The performance of different manufacturers of depth filters or various filter systems is not compared in this article.

Proactive Maintenance at Weyerhaeuser - Putting the Theory to Test 
Scott Mizell, Weyerhaeuser Flint River Operations

In an effort to improve mechanical reliability and reduce maintenance costs, Weyerhaeuser Flint River Operations undertook an aggressive program to implement proactive maintenance beginning in 1995.

Putting On-Site Oil Analysis to Work 
Robert Brockway, Southern California Edison

With deregulation looming, every competitive advantage must be fully exploited.

Revitalized Oil Analysis Program Produces Impressive Results 
Mark Mayworm, Westar Energy

In 2002, Westar Energy made the decision to aggressively implement a lubrication management program throughout its six plant facilities. Management recognized that change needed to start with education and training. With the oil analysis program in need of overhaul, oil analysis training began for predictive maintenance (PdM) technicians, operators, mechanics and supervisors. Westar capitalized on what its employees learned and with continuing education, has seen big successes company-wide.

River Bend Station Serves Up Savings 
Gary D. Lipham, River Bend Station - Energy Corporation

Saving the company money is a celebratory event, especially when a group of dedicated team players serves management the savings.

Round Table: Oil Analysis Effect on Life-Cycle Costs 

End-users talk about their eperiences with oil analysis and day-to-day machinery operation.

Sampling Air to Prevent Oil Contamination in Blowers - A Proactive Approach 
Ed Goles, Invista Company, Millhaven Plant

A Canadian production site uses high-volume blowers to propel a fine powder in one of the production processes. The powder is very fine and becomes abrasive in high concentrations.

Setting the Standard for Oil Analysis in the UK 
Mark Penton (Interview)

Like most industries, the papermaking industry is highly competitive, requiring maximum equipment reliability and minimum unplanned downtown. Since many mills are one- or two-line operations with equipment operating in series, even one unscheduled bearing failure can halt production for an extended period of time.

Sunoco's Contamination Counter-Attack 
Charles Pitt, Sunoco Chemicals and Lana Robin, PdMA Corporation

The effort to minimize the risk of contamination during lubricant handling and dispensing has been a recent priority at Sunoco Chemicals.

Switching Lubricant Suppliers - Controlling the Risks 

Question: You are no longer able to buy lubricants from your previous supplier (Supplier A), so your company has switched to a new lubricant supplier (Supplier B). All of your machines currently use lubricants from Supplier A. Some of these machines require small volumes of oil (gears, bearings, etc.) that need occasional top-ups and annual oil changes. Other machines are large circulating oil systems for which oil is changed “on condition,” based on oil analysis. Many motor and fan bearings are grease-lubricated.

Synchronizing Oil Cleanliness Standards to Machine Working Clearances 
J.M. Weiksner, Westinghouse Savannah River

This case study discusses oil cleanliness standards for the lubricating oils used at Savannah River Site (SRS), a nuclear materials management facility for the U.S. government Department of Energy. An evaluation of the clearances within machine operating components and the consequences of surface wear and particle contamination interfering with the lubrication film between contact surfaces provide the basis for these cleanliness standards. Under normal operating conditions, maintaining these cleanliness standards is essential to eliminating component wear and ensures continuous functionality of the lubricating oil properties.

Synthetic Lubricants, Contamination Control and Oil Analysis Team Up 
Scott Golumb, Northampton Generating and Lana Robin, PdMA

The combination of oil analysis and effectively deployed lubrication management and machine maintenance has enabled the reliability team at Northampton Generating to deliver real benefit to the organization.

The Case of Successful Filtration and Oil Analysis Implementation 
Brett Winberg, Schmid Oilfield Services

It all started at a meeting with a filter representative to select a single filter brand for the entire fleet.

The Greatest Racecar Driver of All Time, Mario Andretti, Speaks With Noria 

It is no wonder that Mario Andretti is considered by many to be the greatest racecar driver of all time. His career touched five decades, longer than any driver, and he has won championships at all levels of competition. His list of racing accomplishments seems almost endless. It includes four time Champ Car National Champion (1965, 1966, 1969, 1984); the only person to have won the Daytona 500 (1967), the Indianapolis 500 (1969) and the Grand Prix world driving championship (1978); the only driver to win Champ Car races in four decades; and the only driver to ever win races in five decades.

The Mysterious Red Fibers 
Mark Barnes

One cold, gray, Canadian-winter day, a gearbox sample was sent to a lab for ferrographic analysis.

The New Philosophy at Boeing - Minimizing Life-Cycle Operating Costs 
Kenneth J. O'Donnell, Boeing A&M - Kent Space Center

On June 8, 1998, a 6-axis Ingersoll MastermillTM, hereby known as the Portal Mill, was put in production at a Boeing manufacturing facility in Kent, Washington.

The Oscar of Oil Analysis Programs - The Augustus H. Gill Award 
Suzy Jamieson, International Council for Machinery Lubrication

Industry professionals aware of the importance of oil analysis in the greater picture of machine reliability gathered in the brightly lit ballroom at Lubrication Excellence 2004 to learn the name of the 2003 recipient of the Oscar of Oil Analysis Programs - The Augustus H. Gill Award.

Thermography Scan Prevents Gearbox Failures 

During a routine thermography scan of rotating equipment at Harrison Power Station, it was noted that the 3B recycle pump gearbox was operating at elevated temperatures. The other five pumps (two pumps per unit were in operation at the time), all of which have 30-gallon capacity oil reservoirs and use ISO 220 lubricant, had gearbox temperatures between 140°F and 150°F. The gearbox on the 3B pump was operating at almost 200°F.

Traveling Mobile Lab - Oil Analysis Van Heads to Iraq 
Skip Vaughn, Redstone Rocket

A long beige van sits outside the U.S. Army Oil Analysis Program Office building at Redstone Arsenal, Alabama. Within a month, it should be in Iraq.

Tums, Tums, Tums, Tums? 

It was a beautiful autumn day in Florida when a filtering company paid a visit to one of its customers.

Understanding Machine Metallurgy Helps Identify Problem 
Mark Barnes, Noria Corporation and David Doyle, CTC Analytical

Elemental analysis is a fundamental tool in used oil analysis. Used appropriately, trends in different wear metals can indicate a problem, allowing corrective action to be taken before catastrophic failures occur. However, the effectiveness of elemental analysis in pinpointing a problem and isolating it to one specific component or group of components can be greatly enhanced by taking some time in advance of the lab reporting “active machine wear” to identify the specific metallurgical composition of all oil-wetted components.

Understanding the Causes of Black Oil 
Simon Bradshaw, Sulzer Pumps

Rolling element bearings are standard components in most pumps. Of the many factors that affect their long-term performance and reliability, contamination in the bearing lubricating oil plays a major role. Contamination and oil degradation over a short period of time can be particularly worrisome. Repeated short-term contamination implies that the lubricating properties of the oil will be impaired and bearing reliability will be diminished.

Used Grease Analysis Integrated into Critical Equipment Inspection Deferral Programs 
Danny Shorten, Lloyd's Register

The safety record of lifting appliances in the offshore industry has improved dramatically over the last 20 years, mostly as a result of improved design, safety management procedures and increased safety awareness.

Using Nuclear Magnetic Resonance to Track Additive Depletion 
Mark Barnes, Noria Corporation and Dave Wooton, Wooton Consulting

Monitoring early warnings signs of additive depletion should be a fundamental goal of any well-organized, proactive oil analysis program. The reasons for this are clear. Because oil additives play such a fundamental role in the health of the base oil and in providing basic lubricant functions, measuring additive depletion rates and mechanisms allows for early corrective action, before depletion compromises the base oil condition and/or equipment.

Valve Stiction Problem Cured by Soft Particle Removal 
Mark Beesley, Fortum O & M (UK) LTD

Westferry Printers in London prints The Daily Express, The Telegraph, The Observer, The Star and The Financial Times, among others. Westferry is Europe’s largest newspaper printing facility, producing 18 to 20 million newspapers and supplements each week. For some time, Westferry faced a hydraulic problem that set off a failure chain reaction. It started with a short pressure loss in the power pack after start up. This pressure loss tripped a safety device and brought the printing process to a halt ultimately costing the company thousands of dollars in lost production. To keep the presses running until a permanent solution was found, a three-second delay was programmed into the machine’s computer to allow the operating pressure to be restored before the interlock cut in.

Vibration Analysis Pinpoints Inadequate Motor Bearing Lubrication 
David Stevens, Shell Services

Rolling element bearings are among the most important components in the vast majority of machines, and exacting demands are made upon their carrying capacity and reliability. The continued research and development of rolling bearing technology has enabled engineers to calculate the life of a bearing with considerable accuracy, thus enabling bearing life and machine service life to be accurately matched.

Water Saturation as a Screening Method for On-site Oil Analysis 
Ron Parrett, Ontario Power Generation, Pickering Nuclear Generating Station

Ontario Power Generation is a government-owned utility company located in the Province of Ontario, Canada. Like most companies, Ontario Power is constantly seeking ways to improve equipment reliability. To this end, Ontario Power started a program to implement a common predictive maintenance program across its three nuclear generating stations.