Wear Debris analysis

articles in oil arise from a number of different sources. Contamination

can enter the system during maintenance, through breathers, during
oil top offs, in the course of oil changes, and in other ways. Wear particles
are generated during machine operation. These wear particles can be
caused by contamination, improper lubrication, a change in operating
conditions, and other factors that may cause metal-to-metal contact.

roperties
analyzed:

Normal rubbing wear

Severe rubbing wear
Cutting wear / abrasives
Fatigue wear
Laminar wear
Fatigue spheres
Dark metallo-oxides
Red oxides (rust)
Corrosive wear
Ferrous metals-iron and iron
alloys
Non-ferrous metals
Nonmetallic particles
Friction polymers
Fibers
Contaminants, such as dirt, coal
dust, fly ash, fibers, etc.

LS Tribology provides various levels

of wear debris analysis, a process
by which wear particles in a lubricant
are identified and used to assess the
condition of equipment. As wear particle
sizes and quantities increase, so does
the risk of failure due to wear. Wear
debris testing evaluates particles that
may be too large to be detected in the
standard metals test (spectrochemical
analysis). This adds another dimension
to the information received from routine
testing.

outine wear debris material

monitoring can be provided with
trending by Particle Quantifier (PQ). PQ
measures the relative level of ferrous
wear debris in a sample and displays this
as a PQ Index. This index can then be
trended for useful wear monitoring.

common method for making a

more detailed determination of
wear debris occurrence, especially for
non-ferrous materials, is to employ
a Filter Patch examination using a
microscope. A measured portion of
used oil is filtered through a filter patch
and visually examined microscopically
for a qualitative report on the wear
material captured. Observation will
generally be accompanied by a photo
of the filtered material on a test report.
Filter Patch is a routine test provided
by our ALS Tribology laboratories and is
useful when triggers such as standard
spectrochemical analysis or PQ indicate a
need for closer inspection.

icroscopic Particle Examination

(MPE) provides Analytical
Ferrography Analysis. MPE is a
comprehensive and detailed microscopic
analysis of the solid particles that are
captured in the oil sample. The analysis

begins by determining if metal particles

are ferrous or non-ferrous. ALS can also
heat treat the particles to determine
the metallurgical composition. Particles
such as fibers, corrosive wear, sand,
dirt, and other elements are identified.
Depending on
the types of
particles, the
quantities, and
their respective
sizes, ALS can
determine the
abnormal wear
mode, identify
the likely
component,
detect the wear
mechanism(s)
generating
the particles,
and assess the
potential for
failure. Detailed photographic images
of the problem particles are included
with the report. Routine tests such as
spectrochemical analysis, PQ, or particle
count can trigger the need for the more
comprehensive analysis provided by
MPE.

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Our Global Tribology Locations

AUSTRALIA

CZECH REPUBLIC

UNITED STATES

brisbAnelAborAtory

PrAGuelAborAtory

AtlAntA, GeorGiAlAborAtory

MALAYSIA

6180 Halle Drive, Suite D

Valley View, OH 44125
+1 216 674 4600

41 Yarraman Place
Virginia, Queensland 4014
+61 7 3326 6300

PerthlAborAtory

Unit 1/30 Oxleigh Drive

Malaga
Western Australia 6090
+61 8 9347 3244

sydneylAborAtory
277 Woodpark Road
Smithfield
NSW 2164
+61 2 8784 8666

MuswellbrooklAborAtory

Unit 2, Lot 6 Industrial Close

Muswellbrook
NSW 2333
+61 2 6542 2423

CANADA

Na Harfe 336/9
190 00 Prague 9,
Prague, Czech Republic
+420 284 081 575

kuAlA luMPurlAborAtory

9 Jalan Astaka, U8/84, Section U8,

Bukit Jelutong
Shah Alam
Kuala Lumpur 40150
+603 7845 8257

NEW ZEALAND
wellinGtonlAborAtory
74 Seaview Road
Lower Hutt
Wellington, New Zealand
+64 04 586 6202

burlinGton, ontAriolAborAtory

SINGAPORE

edMonton, AlbertAlAborAtory

14 Little Road, #07-01 & #08-01

Tropical Industrial Building
Singapore 536987
+65 6283 9268

1240 Burloak Drive, Unit 6

Burlington, ON L7L 6B3
+1 877 732 9559

10717-176 Street
Edmonton, AB T5S 1K1
+1 888 489 0057

sinGAPorelAborAtory

CHILE
sAntiAGolAborAtory

Los Ebanistas 8521

Parque Industrial de La Reina
Santiago, Chile
+ 56 2 6546109

www.alsglobal.com

3121 Presidential Drive

Altanta, GA 30340
+1 770 454 8000

ClevelAnd teChniCAl CenterlAborAtory

houston, texAssAles & MArketinG

10450 Stancliff Road, Suite 210
Houston, TX 77099
+1 281 599 1242

kAnsAs City, kAnsAslAborAtory

935 Sunshine Road
Kansas City, KS 66115
+1 913 281 9881

Phoenix, ArizonAlAborAtory
3319 West Earll Drive
Phoenix, AZ 85017
+1 602 253 6515

PortlAnd, oreGonlAborAtory
4943 NW Front Avenue
Portland, OR 97210
+1 503 286 9845

reno, nevAdAlAborAtory
1375 Greg Street, Suite 104
Sparks, NV 89431
+1 775 358 3869