Oil Sampling and its importance

Lubricants are an absolute necessity in the use of machinery. Truth be told, they are one of the most needed components of a hydraulic system. It could either be in cars, industrial machines, or heavy machinery. There are different types of lubricants for different forms of systems.  There are engine oils, greases, brake oil, etc. These oils perform their various functions and have the ability to wear out at one point or the other. This is the reason why Oil Sampling is absolutely necessary.  This process could be defined as the testing of oil to check for its quality and its usefulness. The constant checking of these oils is called monitoring. It should be a major part of the maintenance schedule for those working with heavy machinery or hydraulic systems.

The fluids in the system are liable to degrade and reduce in quality over time, causing a serious complication in the smooth running of the system. This will ultimately cause a major increase in maintenance and repair cost. Regular sampling of the oils in the system helps to detect a number of unwanted factors. Some of which are:

·      Water contamination: Oils and water do not mix. There is absolutely no chemistry between the two. In a hydraulic system, under no circumstances would there be a mixture of these two liquids. So, Oil Analysis helps to alert the user of the machine to any discrepancies.

·      Particulate Contamination: Generally, particles are found everywhere. They usually find a way to get into a system and a build-up of them could prove to be dangerous to a system. There are some ways by which these particles can enter the system. It could be as a result of varnish build up, the component wear and then the failure of the filter to remove certain dirt. These particles are particularly dangerous to the system. Once they start affecting the system, their effect is continuous.

·       Fluid degradation: Lubricating fluids have a particular additive, which helps prevent them from degradation and depletion. They also reduce water and tear of the components of a system. Once the fluid is contaminated, the function of the additive reduces and is easily degraded. The contamination could be due to heat, pressure water and harsh conditions. Ultimately, the work of the fluid is totally proven abortive.

·       A build-up of varnish: The formation of varnish products is as a result of the degradation of fluid oil. The varnish products are in the form of compounds and are deposited on other components of the system. This implies that the depletion in the quality of oils affects every other part of the hydraulic system in the long run. Constant Oil Analysis will easily detect and point out all of these default and corrective measures are taken.