Lubrication Blog

Shell’s LubeAnalyst lubricant condition monitoring system provides round-the-clock expert diagnosis for optimized equipment performance. Customers have access to over 100 tests, providing detailed insights and preventative maintenance advice to reduce downtime and improve performance.

Learn more as lubrication expert Bennett Fitch discusses the system's features.
Shell LubeAnalyst: Less Downtime, More Go Time | Shell Global

In this video Noria expert Bennett Fitch goes over the many useful oil analysis tools included in Spectro Scientific’s portable 33C Field Lab.

Wes Cash digs into a new platform for the Atten2 S120 particle counting & identification technology you've seen in past Noria unboxings. But this time, it's part of a customizable platform, the Particle Pal Plus from Filter Technik.

Thank you to Reliability360 for sponsoring this content.

Atten2 S120 Technology Unboxing: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ditYytK9IjE

Thank you to Reliability360 for sponsoring educational content.
https://deltafuel.com/reliability360/iot-lubricant-monitoring/
Email: info@deltafuel.com

Infrared spectrometers are powerful tools to help you understand the current condition of your oil. However, they're often bulky and expensive, so they're most commonly found in offsite oil analysis labs. In this video, Bennett takes a look at an affordable, portable infrared spectrometer by Spectro Scientific that allows you to have this powerful oil analysis tool on your desk, or even take it with you on routes. Not only does this make the technology more accessible, in many cases it can provide near real-time data that will allow critical lubrication decisions to be made more quickly rather than waiting for results from an off-site lab.

Find out more at https://www.spectrosci.com/fluidscan

Related Videos:
How to Implement a World Class Oil Analysis Program
https://youtu.be/6ti1kLrzeJg

Easy Field Tests for Onsite Oil Analysis
https://youtu.be/O0A7XP01_Do

3 Reasons Why Oil Analysis Programs Fail
https://youtu.be/b9jVROfidNQ

Noria VP of Services, Wes Cash, explains a base oil formulation you may not have heard of using gas to liquid (GTL) technology. Wes covers the process involved in creating a GTL base oil, how it differs from standard Group I or Group II oils, and beneficial fluid properties that GTL base oils can offer in turbine applications.

Wes gives a visual demonstration of how the GTL base oil performs against a conventional Group II base oil in terms of its ability to detrain or "de-gas" entrained air bubbles. He also discusses other useful properties of GTL base oils—such as resistance to degradation or its lower varnish formation tendency.

Thank you to Shell for sponsoring this unboxing. Learn more about GTL technology and the Shell Turbo S4 X & GX products by visiting: https://www.shell.us/business-customers/lubricants-for-business/products/shell-turbo-turbine-oils.html

Bennett Fitch got to check out Chevron's Oil Sampling Tool kit, which is packed full of useful tools and accessories to help you to take clean, consistent, and reliable oil samples.

Bennett talks through the different elements of the kit, and covers details of sampling best practices you should use when sampling different types and sizes of equipment.

Chevron has really thought of everything with this kit, providing not only usual items like sample bottles and oil analysis pumps, but also all the wipes, gloves, piping, and adapters you may need to sample almost any equipment of any size. Plus, useful instructions and videos if you're unsure how to proceed.

Here are just a few of the things contained in this kit:
1 Nanuk 935 Case
2 WIX 24290 Oil Analysis Pumps
2 Pump fittings
1 PFC Plastic Carrying Case
1 Pipe Fittings Kit
12 Heavy Duty Ziplock
12 Delo Branded Shop Towels
1 Clip Board
2 Sharpie Markers
2 Sheets Avery Labels 5163
10 4 oz Sample Bottles
2 1 quart Bottles

Learn more about Chevron's Oil Sampling Tool Kit or get one for yourself here: https://www.chevronmerchcenter.com/productDetail.aspx?&itemID=CIS014

In this unboxing, Wes Cash took a look at a Chevron's Cool Tools Kit, designed to help you test coolants in the field to gather a variety of useful data.

Coolant testing is an important aspect of any serious maintenance or reliability program, and it pays to check in with your coolants in the field. Are they still healthy? Are they functioning the way they should? The Cool Tools kit helps users answer these questions and more.

Each kit includes:
Glycol Refractometer
pH Test Strips
Nitrite Test Strips
Carboxylate Test Strips
FleetFix Dilution Test Kit
Coolant Sampling Tools
Cool Tools Reference Literature

Find out more about the Cool Tools Kit at https://www.chevronmerchcenter.com/productDetail.aspx?&itemID=ST250

Wes & Devin recently unboxed an innovative real-time particle counter from Delta Fuel: the Atten2 S120 Oil Wear 2.0 On-line Particle Counter (https://youtu.be/ditYytK9IjE). Today's unboxing is also from Delta Fuel, and also features the same particle detection technology as the S120. In this video Wes and Bret are taking a look at the Atten2 Smart Monitoring Kit. With a built-in touchscreen, industrial-grade housing and both a pump version and a non-pump version to choose from, these smart monitoring kits are a natural extension of the innovative technology introduced in the S120.

Find out more about both of Delta Fuel's Smart Monitoring Kits at https://deltafuel.com/reliability360/iot-lubricant-monitoring/

Related Videos:
Unboxing: Atten2 S120 Oil Wear 2.0 On-Line Particle Counter (https://youtu.be/ditYytK9IjE)

Where Do Particles In Oil Come From? (https://youtu.be/pDY-uHw-Vq4)

Why Particle Counters Make Lubrication Programs More Effective (https://youtu.be/CFFB3F2IaVw)

Filtration is one part of oil maintenance that is often at risk of being oversimplified. Some filtration is good, so more filtration should be better, right? Not so fast. Well-considered filtration can extend the life of your oil, while incorrect filtration can result in cross-contamination, stripping of additives, and even safety hazards if spills occur. In this video, Noria technicians Paul Farless and Wes Cash unbox both the portable and stationary versions of OilSafe's filtration units, which utilize a slew of best practices and thoughtful innovations to help ensure that filtration is done safely and correctly every time.

Find out more about OilSafe® and their filtration options today at https://www.oilsafe.com/FilterUnits

Related Videos:

Product Unboxing: Oil Safe® Lustor Lubrication Storage Systems
(https://youtu.be/hOopOeOFyVY)

What You Should Know About Your Oil Filter
(https://youtu.be/ZNQ9p1Sgfpo)

How to Evaluate Oil Filters
(https://youtu.be/aiLhfAFhkvs)

This video is private.

Ultrasonic greasing is a great way to ensure that the proper amount of grease is delivered to a bearing every time. However, sometimes circumstances prevent a bearing being manually greased. In this case, single-point lubrication is often a good solution. In this video, Carolina and Bennett unbox UE Systems' OnTrak Smart Lube system, which uses ultrasound to precisely deliver grease using connected single-point lubricators and discuss why such a system can help keep essential bearings properly lubricated.

Find out more about the OnTrak SmartLube system and book a demo today at https://www.uesystems.com/smartlube

Related Videos:

Dangers of Adding Grease to Blocked Lube Lines (https://youtu.be/Jn3ARLmfpuw)

How to Select Grease for High-speed Applications (https://youtu.be/2LlkSzN32yA)

Webinar Preview | Getting Greasing Right: Optimization, Safety & Tools (https://youtu.be/NYQSr8KFG0w)

Particle counting is incredibly useful when determining the condition of both your machinery and its lubricant. However, there is always a delay between pulling an oil sample and receiving data back from off-site labs. One of the best ways to get more timely, accurate, and useful data is by using on-line particle counters attached directly to critical machines. One of the premier on-line counters is the Atten2 S120 2.0. In this video, Devin and Wes unbox this real-time sensor and discuss the unique capabilities that set it apart from other counters.

Find out more about the Atten2 sensor from Delta Fuel at https://www.deltafuel.com/reliability360/iot-lubricant-monitoring

Related Videos:

Why Particle Counters Make Lubrication Programs More Effective (https://youtu.be/CFFB3F2IaVw)

Where Do Particles In Oil Come From? (https://youtu.be/pDY-uHw-Vq4)

Destructive Particles in Oil are Smaller Than You Think (https://youtu.be/l0TawztYSOw)

No one wants varnish gumming up their lubrication systems, but the conditions inside machines often make varnish formation seem inevitable. As is often the case with many problems, it's easier to prevent varnish than it is to clean it up after it forms. Join Wes and Sheryl as they look at a product that can do both: the Soluble Varnish Removal (SVR™) from Hy-Pro and EPT Clean Oil.

Find out more from EPT Clean Oil at https://www.cleanoil.com/products/svr-soluble-varnish-removal
Find out more from Hy-Pro at https://www.hyprofiltration.com/svr

Related Videos:

The Truth About Varnish (https://youtu.be/ltHUiVezMts)

What Your Oil Filters Can Tell You (https://youtu.be/MBNVYfXDx54)

Unboxing: Hy-Pro Compact Offline Filter (https://youtu.be/GJ5vQUdD9KM)

Having the right contamination control equipment is critical for extending machine life and improving reliability. In this video, Bennett and Josh take a look at an exciting new line of filter housings from TTI, their aluminum and steel PowerGuard Housings.

Find out more at https://www.toddtechinc.com​

Unboxing: TTI PowerGuard Filter Elements
https://youtu.be/H_M9xBkUrtk

What Your Oil Filters Can Tell You
https://youtu.be/MBNVYfXDx54

How to Evaluate Oil Filters
https://youtu.be/aiLhfAFhkvs

Elemental analysis of lubricants is a vital part of any oil analysis program. Contrary to what some may think, this technology can be easy to use and accessible to both commercial laboratories and on-site oil analysis programs. In this video, Bennett and Matt test out and discuss the SpectrOil 120, a Rotating Disk Electrode (RDE) spectrometer from AMETEK Spectro Scientific.

Find out more at https://www.spectrosci.com/

Related videos:

Unboxing: AMETEK Spectro Scientific FerroCheck 2100
https://youtu.be/WKV2g1LdDMI

Elemental Analysis of Industrial Lubricants
https://youtu.be/ABWNUD3hX8k

How to Get Maximum Value from Your Oil Analysis Program
https://youtu.be/7lN1smwhHuc

Proper contamination control is key to reliability, yet contaminants still end up in our lubricants. Filtration is an essential part of any quality lubrication program. In this video, Wes and Bennett take a look at an exciting new product from TTI, their PowerGuard filtration elements.

Find out more at https://www.toddtechinc.com​

Related videos:

Product Unboxing: TTI Fiter Cart
https://youtu.be/-FGp07Rbqb0

What Your Oil Filters Can Tell You
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How to Evaluate Oil Filters
https://youtu.be/aiLhfAFhkvs

Automatic lubrication has gone hi-tech! In this video, Bennett and Austin unbox perma's brand new ULTRA lubrication system and talk about the features that set it apart from most other automatic grease application products on the market.

Find out more at https://www.permausa.com​

Related videos:

Product Unboxing: perma STAR VARIO Automatic Lubricators
https://youtu.be/m6Py2UOnCd0

Determining the Right Greasing Frequency
https://youtu.be/NlEv9lJxjLs

How to Select the Best Bearing Lubricant
https://youtu.be/QhBpPDr3yAA

Hydraulics are one of the most common systems present in plants, construction, agriculture and other industries which require large machinery. Unfortunately, hydraulic leaks are also pretty common. In this video, Wes and Jeremie look at a product from Mystik that goes the extra mile to make hydraulic leaks easier to detect.

Find Out More: https://www.mystiklubes.com

Related Videos:

Destructive Particles in Oil are Smaller Than You Think
https://youtu.be/l0TawztYSOw

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https://youtu.be/9Otp4alVQIs​

Why Particle Counters Make Lubrication Programs More Effective
https://youtu.be/CFFB3F2IaVw

Keeping the condition of your oil visible is one of the best ways to ensure problems within it are detected as quickly as possible. But these "windows" are often perceived as fragile points of failure that can lead to catastrophic oil drainage if they break. Wes welcomes Tom Fitch from Luneta to discuss their solution to this problem, the updated Column sight glass. It's joining the family of other Luneta sight glasses made from ultra-strong Tritan™.

Find Out More: https://www.luneta.com​

Related Videos:

Advantages of Bull's-eye Sight Glasses
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Product Unboxing - Luneta Condition Monitoring Pod
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Product Unboxing - Luneta Bowl
https://youtu.be/8i22iNQ1qqM

In this video Matt and David take a look at the vessels and filter media options from Global Filter. While we've unboxed lubricant filtration systems before, this is the very first one that is made to filter water and process fluids. Both guys came away impressed with this system's ease of use and versatility.

Find Out More: https://www.globalfilter.com

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https://youtu.be/ajIi7nPKBbA

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https://youtu.be/9Otp4alVQIs

What Your Oil Filters Can Tell You
https://youtu.be/MBNVYfXDx54

There are so many different applications that require oil filtration that it's hard to find a single product that can be used across all of them. In this video, David and Wes look at Hy-Pro's new Compact Offline Filter system. This system comes in both mobile and stationary versions and with a variety of filter types and pump options, it's one of the most versatile lubricant filtration options we've unboxed.

Find Out More: https://www.hyprofiltration.com

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What You Should Know About Your Oil Filter
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What Your Oil Filters Can Tell You
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Having ready access to your plant's water contamination data can help you head off problem areas before damage occurs. You can monitor water levels remotely or as part of on-the-floor maintenance routes, but if you have water contamination risks you need to be aware of your oil's contamination risks. In this video, Devin and Wes take a look at a robust water detection system from Vaisala that enables both on-site and remote water contamination monitoring.

Find Out More: https://www.vaisala.com/moisture-in-oil

Related Videos:

Unboxing: Vaisala MM70 Meter & MMT162 Transmitter
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GEARTalks Short: Contamination Control
https://youtu.be/IGgctADKsQg

Water contaminating your machine's oil can be super destructive. Staying informed about your water contamination levels can help you head off potential problems before they cause damage to your oil or your equipment. In this video, Paul and Wes take a look at a portable water detection system from Vaisala.

Find Out More: https://www.vaisala.com/moisture-in-oil

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Unboxing: Vaisala Indigo520 Transmitter & MMP8 Probe
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GEARTalks Short: Contamination Control
https://youtu.be/IGgctADKsQg

Among the many possible contaminants that can be introduced into your oil, water is one of the most destructive. In this video, Bennett and Jeremie discuss an innovative solution to the problem of water in your oil, the The Conserver® Oil Purification Unit from Next Generation Filtration Systems, LP

Get the White Paper: https://www.machinerylubrication.com/Whitepaper/RequestPaper/541
Find Out More: https://www.nextgenfiltration.com

Related Videos:

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https://youtu.be/9Otp4alVQIs

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https://youtu.be/BK5jsNKOTuA

Filter Carts are a very adaptable way to keep your plant's oil clean and dry in a variety of applications. In this video, Paul and David take a look at TTI's filter cart, talk about its features, and go over the benefits of using it as part of your maintenance program.

Find Out More: https://www.toddtechinc.com

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https://youtu.be/aiLhfAFhkvs

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https://youtu.be/ZNQ9p1Sgfpo

What Your Oil Filters Can Tell You
https://youtu.be/MBNVYfXDx54

Grease analysis is a growing area of reliability and is extremely useful when trying to track and trend wear metals present in components like bearings. In this video, Paul and Bennett unbox and demo AMETEK Spectro Scientific's FerroCheck 2100, which is able to detect ferrous metals in both oil and grease.

Find out more at https://www.spectrosci.com/

Related videos:

How to Select Grease for High-speed Applications
https://youtu.be/2LlkSzN32yA

Dangers of Adding Grease to Blocked Lube Lines
https://youtu.be/Jn3ARLmfpuw

What Grease Color Can Tell You
https://youtu.be/dmRPI7TFURA

Machine fill ports are a great place to attach a desiccant breather, but what if you also need to, you know, FILL the machine through that port? Removing the breather to do so isn't always a great solution. In this video, Wes and Bennett discuss an alternative worth considering: TTI's fill-port breather adapters.

Find out more at https://www.toddtechinc.com/

Related videos:

How to Improve Desiccant Breather Life
https://youtu.be/LPMi8XqUmVg

Product Unboxing – TTI Power Breather
https://youtu.be/7nQNjXqTQb8

Product Unboxing - TTI Titan Desiccant Breather
https://youtu.be/MmRu1GODCeY

Single-point lubricators are often the best solution for applying grease when applications are hard to reach or when it's unsafe to do so. In this video, Wes and Matt unbox perma's STAR VARIO lubricators and discuss their benefits and potential applications.

Find out more at https://www.permausa.com

Related videos:

Dangers of Adding Grease to Blocked Lube Lines
https://youtu.be/Jn3ARLmfpuw

How to Select Grease for High-speed Applications
https://youtu.be/2LlkSzN32yA

What Grease Color Can Tell You
https://youtu.be/dmRPI7TFURA

Professional certification is a time-tested method of both ensuring the competency and advancing the careers of professionals. In this video, Wes welcomes Paul Hiller from the International Council for Machinery Lubrication (ICML) to discuss their new online Certification Testing

Find out more and register for your exam at https://lubecouncil.org/apply

Related videos:

Announcement: ICML Online Testing
https://youtu.be/2Az2PkpiTXo

Noria Academy - Certification Prep Made Easy
https://youtu.be/PxHMtZJRgQQ

Jim Fitch Discusses Noria's Lubrication Training
https://youtu.be/IklT5wrZUsc

Having effective lubricant storage and handling is an essential part of any contamination control strategy. In this video, Matt and Travis take a look at the Lustor Lubrication Storage System family of products, and discuss their features and the benefits of using them.

Learn More At: https://whitmores.com/lustor

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Advice for Proper Lubricant Storage
https://youtu.be/nYtk-cqQVI4

Having ready visual access to your machine's drain port can provide a wealth of data about possible lubricant contamination issues. In this video, Wes welcomes Tom Fitch to discuss the Bowl, a multi-function Bottom Sediment and Water (BS&W) sight glass.

Learn More At: https://www.luneta.com/products/the-bowl

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https://youtu.be/mi4Bw1Udpzc

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https://youtu.be/pDY-uHw-Vq4

Gathering regular and detailed visual inspection information about your lubricants is one of the easiest ways to improve your reliability program. In this video, Wes welcomes Thomas Collins to discuss the CMP, the "swiss army knife" of sight glasses.

Learn more at: https://www.luneta.com/products/condition-monitoring-pod

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https://youtu.be/O0A7XP01_Do

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https://youtu.be/7S2I2cjrxrE

3 Keys to Good Oil Sampling
https://youtu.be/MnJczLSrPw0

Single-point lubricators offer a convenient way to deliver grease or oil to hard-to-reach lubrication points. They can help extend bearing life and prevent lubrication-related failures. In this 6-minute video Noria’s Wes Cash and Matt Adams unbox and describe a variety of Simalube single-point automatic lubricators.

Learn more at: https://simatec-usa.com/

Water could be the most damaging contaminant there is for machines and lubricants. It causes corrosion, rust, oil breakdown and more. In the fight for machine health, desiccant breathers play an important role.

In this video, Noria’s Wes Cash and Matt Adams unbox a pair of TTI Power Breathers and explain their benefits, applications and installation options.

Browse various TTI Desiccant Breathers at https://www.RelaWorks.com

One of the most cost-effective ways to keep contaminants from entering lubricants is by using a desiccant breather. In this 4-minute video, Noria’s Wes Cash and Chris Christenson unbox and discuss the TTI Titan Power Breather line. Learn what makes the Titan Power Breathers different and about their unique capabilities.

Browse various TTI Desiccant Breathers at https://www.relaworks.com

Related videos:

Product Unboxing: TTI Power Breathers
https://youtu.be/7nQNjXqTQb8

How to Improve Desiccant Breather Life
https://youtu.be/LPMi8XqUmVg

How to Identify Water Contamination in Oil
https://youtu.be/9Otp4alVQIs

Catching particles on the surface of a membrane using the patch test is an excellent way to get quick information about contaminants and wear debris in your oil. In this 5-minute video Noria’s Wes Cash and Bennett Fitch unbox the Hy-Pro Filtration PTK1 Portable Oil Patch Test Kit and explain some unique ways to use it to enhance an oil analysis program.

Learn more at: https://www.hyprofiltration.com/

Related Videos:

Where Do Particles In Oil Come From?
https://youtu.be/pDY-uHw-Vq4

Easy Field Tests for Onsite Oil Analysis
https://youtu.be/O0A7XP01_Do

3 Reasons Why Oil Analysis Programs Fail
https://youtu.be/b9jVROfidNQ