News

Proper flushing lubrication circulating systems when required can prevent problems when bringing systems back into operation and ensure long term equipment reliability. Read More

Baseline flagging limits for wear metals, lubricant properties, and contaminants are compiled from multiple sources.  Read More

Acid number determination, i-pH (Initial pH), oxidation and nitration number are separate but related measurements when testing in-service lubricants. Read More

The most common reason for bearing failure is improper lubrication. The lubrication mechanism for grease and oil is the same; oil blended with additives perform the actual lubrication by creating a lubrication film and hydrodynamic lubrication. The difference is the lubrication oil for a grease is suspended in a thickener. The lubrication oil in grease will squeeze out of the thickener under operation pressure. Read More

The following report and picture is from a reduction gear used in a mining application. The time on the component was 3860 hours, and time on the oil was 300 hours. Sample frequency is every 1 – 2 months.  Read More

ALS Tribology receives regular inquiries regarding problems with prematurely plugged fuel filters. Inquiries have originated from both users of conventional middle distillate fuel and from those using biodiesel blends. The majority of these fuel filters were heavily contaminated with a black substance. Analysis of this black substance revealed that the predominant contamination species noted was carbon particulate.  Read More

Even though an engine coolant system is an integral component for engine health, 20 times more engine oil samples are tested than coolant samples. Cooling system problems are related to a significant number of engine health issues. Read More

Hydraulic fluid viscosity is critical to optimizing pump and system efficiency. There is a narrower viscosity range where power losses are minimized and power transfer is maximized. The greater the viscosity of a fluid, the more energy that is required to move the fluid regardless of workload.  Read More

Biobased lubricants are defined as those that are biodegradable and derived from renewable raw materials, generally a plant based source. These oils are frequently made from a variety of vegetable oils, such as rapeseed, canola, sunflower, soybean, palm, and coconut oils.  Read More

Grease compatibility depends mostly on the compatibility of the thickener or soap base used by different products. Base oil compatibility and additives can also be a consideration. Even grease with similar thickener types can sometimes lead to lubrication problem when mixing different products, resulting in damage of the lubricated parts. Read More