Oil quality is vital for efficient operation of any moving machine.

 If computers are the "brain"

then hydraulic systems are the heart, circulatory system and muscle for most modern industrial
machines and systems. Just as electrical storms can "fry your brains," contamination like water,
dirt, acids, and varnishes (cholesterol) in circulatory system cause over 80% of all hydraulic
system downtime, malfunctions and early death to machines. The performance, wear & tear and
damage in a mchine can be controlled by monitoring & maintaining the quality of oil . Acting
in a proactive, or root-cause driven manner will extend lubricant and machine life, and minimise
the need for costly breakdown maintenance. In todays competitive environment, where all the
industries are taking drastic cost cutting measures, they
demand for maintenance system which requires lower manpower & spares.

The primary function of lubricating oil is to separate surfaces, reduce friction and absorb heat.
Secondary responsibilities include regulating temperature, flushing contaminants, controlling
corrosion and providing hydromechanical performance. Improper lubricating oil type,
contaminated oil, poor equipment operation, poor maintenance or poor component manufacturing
reduce the ability of the lubricating oil to function. These factors can disrupt the hydrodynamic or
elastohydrodynamic (EHD) lubrication film between the metal surfaces leading to premature
wear of the metal surfaces and high overall operating costs. When metal-to-metal or particle-to-
metal contact exists because of a loss or interference in the lubricating film, adhesive and
abrasive wear occurs. This generates more friction, heat and wear particles that further
contaminate the oil. Even under ideal conditions of manufacturing, operation and maintenance,
other contaminants, such as dirt and moisture, can get into lubricating oil. If dirt or silica particles
are large enough they can cause interferences between metal contact surfaces. Moisture, on the
other hand, breaks down viscosity and alters the chemical properties of the oil. Analysis of
lubricating oil will identify the source of a contaminant, whether the chemical properties of the
oil are intact and if machine wear is occurring. It is important to be able to relate results of a
lubrication analysis to the oil chemical properties, the various types of metals used in
manufacturing the rotating elements, and the operating conditions of a machine. Controlling oil
cleanliness minimizes the effects solid particle contamination can have on interfering with the
lubricating oil film. It also maintains separation of the metal surfaces
The latest system for quality
machine maintenance suggests
two approaches for ascertaining
the health of any equipment and
taking corrective actions :

: by monitoring the lubricant

: by monitoring the machine

An Effective Oil Analysis

Programme
helps us to know when to change
the oil so it is neither changed too
early, or too late when harm may
 be caused to
the machine. Further
it helps us to take action to remove harmful contamination before damage is done to the lubricant
or the machine.

LUBRICATION MONITORING :
Lubricating analysis emphasise on checking the condition of lubricants, monitoring the viscosity,
TAN, TBN, water content & insolubles at a predecided frequency. The oil cleaniliness is
measured and compared with established international standards like NAS, ISO etc.

Lubricating oil analysis may be broken down into three segments, along functional lines:

• Fluid property analysis

• Fluid contamination analysis
• Wear debris analysis

The first two segments deal with analyses that determine the quality of the oil itself, while the last
segment examines the oil to reveal the state of the machinery or equipment it is lubricating.

Fluid Property Analysis

• Fluid property analysis studies the inherent properties of the oil, including viscosity,
additive levels, oxidation properties, and specific gravity. This analysis aids in
determining the quality and life of the machine being used. Maintaining optimal oil
change balance helps in reducing the overall cost of machine maintenance and, at the
same time, improves the process efficiency of the machine

. Fluid property analysis

utilizes a myriad of
instruments, including:

• Emission
spectroscopes
• Infrared
spectroscope
• Hydrometers

• Viscometers
Fluid Contamination Analysis
Fluid contamination analysis looks at foreign materials in oil to determine the degree of purity of
the oil in use. Contaminants in lubricating oil include moisture, metallic particles, coolants, air,
and oxygen. A large percentage of machine failure can be attributed to oil contamination, which
may be overcome by using fluid contamination analysis techniques to monitor the state of the oil.
Instruments involved in the testing and analysis of fluid contamination include:

• Moisture analyzers
• Automatic particle counters
In order to insure peak performance and extended operating life of the machine, it is
recommended that an ISO cleanliness code of 16/14/11, or better, be maintained regardless of
hydraulic system pressure. Hydraulic oil contamination acts like a sandblaster inside the system,
wearing and damaging critical hydraulic components. Ninety (90) percent of servo system
failures are the result of contaminated hydraulic fluid.

Effects of Contamination

A contaminant is any material foreign to a hydraulic fluid that

has an unfavorable effect on the fluid's performance in a
system .

Material contaminants can exist as gas, liquid or solid. A gas

can either be dissolved or entrained in the fluid. A liquid,
depending on its compatibility with the fluid, can be free, Cut in
dissolved, or emulsified. The above types of contamination Track
aggravate the abrasive wear in hydraulic components. This
abrasive wear is more prevalent between sliding surfaces of
pumps, motors, and cylinders .
Dynamic Clearance Tooth to side plate: 0.5 - 5 µm
Tooth tip to case: 0.5 - 5 µm
 It increases the tolerances
and results in higher
leakage rates. These higher
than normal leakage rates
in turn decrease pump
delivery and increase
system operating
temperatures. In addition
to the effects on
components of sliding type
surfaces, metal erosion
will occur on valve control
edges, seating surfaces,
restrictions, and throttles.
Solid non-abrasive
contamination such as
material from seal wear,
filter elements, textile
fibers, paint chips, etc.,
cause problems by
blocking passages,
channels, gaps, lines, and
filters. These contaminants
over a period of time will
cause a condition that will
result in eventual
component malfunction

WORN OUT GEARS

Solid particles that are small or approximately the same as component clearances can cause
particularly high levels of wear. Modern hydraulic components are designed fir higher pressures
and are more sensitive to contamination because of tighter tolerances between moving parts.
These higher pressure rated components increase the loading on the lubricating film between
moving parts and make it more critical to maintain proper filtration levels.

Results of components part wear and increased leakage are:

1. Efficiencies of the hydraulic components are lower and component performance is

reduced.
 2. Loss in control of system components and their ability to maintain system dynamics.

3. Decrease in efficiency causes excess heat to be generated in the system.

4. More energy required cooling and removing the excess heat.

5. Decrease in component efficiency, which decreases machine cycle times.

6. Increase in product costs due to lower output per machine operating hour.

Chemical reactions within the fluid caused by water, air, heat and incompatible fluids and
contaminants can result in the formation of sludge and acids in the fluid. This fluid breakdown
can occur over a period of time.

Sludge is not typically abrasive, however, it is a source of resinous and gummy coatings on
moving parts and reservoir walls. Sludge will clog passage and cause a loss in heat transfer from
the reservoir to the atmosphere, adding to an over-heating condition. Acids in the fluid will coat
surfaces and corrode and pit moving parts.

AIR AS A CONTAMINANT

While not filterable contaminants, air

causes fluids to become more
compressible and impairs proper
system operation. Air is a major
contributor to the chemical breakdown
of fluid additive packages. This
phenomenon is commonly referred to
as "oxidation."

The majority of air is either self-

generated by improper return of fluid
to the reservoir or it is ingested into the
system through filler breathers and
cylinder rod seal.

Symptoms of aeration in fluid include:

a)Higher component noise levels b) Erratic system performance

c)Premature pump failures c ) Increased fluid temperatures

e) Fluid viscosity changes f) Loss of fluid lubricity properties

g) Incomplete lubrication
Filler/Breathers :
Rules of thumb dictate
that the filtration rating
of the filler/breather
should be identical to that
of the return line filter.
Higher standards of
filtration can be
accomplished by
specifying a high quality
filler/breather for the
reservoir. Of equal
importance is the
filtration rate of the filler
cap. Typically, these
units have a filtration
level of 10u nominal.
More attention in these
areas during design
stages can help achieve
overall filtration
cleanliness levels.

Oxidation
The availability of air in the fluid of a system increases the oxidation rate of the fluid. Solid
reaction products and acids may be formed causing clogging of passages, rust, and corrosion of
the system hardware. This increased oxidation rate and oxidation reaction products can cause
premature component failures.
Components in the fluid power system rely upon the fluid for lubrication. Introduction of air into
the fluid can cause foaming. Foam in the fluid reduces its ability to lubricate properly. This
reduction of lubricity cans premature component failures.
Aggressive fluid maintenance programs and filtration design techniques cannot eliminate
oxidation, but they can keep its effects to a minimum. Every 20 F operational temperature above
130 F results in a 50 percent loss in system life of oil.

SOLID CONTAMINATION
The unit of measurement used to describe the size of a contaminant particle is the micron. This is
a unit of length equal to one-millionth (106) of a meter - or 0.0000394 inches. As a matter of
interest, here are some common items with their size in microns:

Grain of Salt >100 Microns

Human Hair 75 Microns
Red Blood Cell 7 Microns
Bacteria 1 Micron

SOURCES OF SOLID CONTAIMINATION

Contamination enters hydraulic systems in a variety of ways. The main sources:
Built-in Contamination
Each component (for example, valves, pumps, reservoirs, manifolds, hoses, tube, pipe)
subassembly or system will contribute contamination if it is not flushed and tested with fluid of
an acceptable cleanliness level. If clean components, subassemblies and systems are not properly
sealed after test (for example, protective caps and covers), contamination will enter during
storage and transportation.
Typical built-in contaminators include metal
burrs, chips, dust sand, and weld slag, rubber
and cleaning/flushing solutions from the
manufacturing of the manifolds, reservoirs,
hoses, tubing, and piping. Dust, moisture,
paint, lint from shop rags, sealant, and other
contaminants will also enter if a machine or
system is assembled in an area that is not kept
free of such materials. Lack of care in assembly
will also contaminate systems. It is not
uncommon for pieces of plastic plug or duct
tape not removed at assembly to be found in
components, filters, and reservoirs. SOILD CONTAIMINANTS

New Oil
New oil does not come with a guarantee of cleanliness unless it is specified when ordering. Often
samples of new oil have contamination far above acceptable levels. If a reservoir or tank is not
adequately cleaned when it is drained after testing or before a fluid change, contamination that
has accumulated will be mixed with the new oil and reintroduced into the system. Oil in bulk
storage tanks may also have high levels of water plus rust and scale from the corrosion of tanks.
A way to prevent this is to pre-filter oil before placing it in the machine.
Environmental Contamination
Airborne contaminants from the molding processes, as well as dust, dirt and moisture typically
found in manufacturing environments, may enter a system through air filters. They will also be
brought into the system by exposed cylinder rods. Lack of care during maintenance will
contaminate a system. Removal of any plug, cap, or cover will expose a system to all
containments in its environment. Contaminants from plastic pellets and rags to hand tools have
been found in systems.
Generated Contamination
Even systems initially started with fluid meeting cleanliness levels will have contamination
introduced from the normal wear of components and degradation of the fluid. Operating systems
beyond the recommendations of the producers of the equipment or fluid, as well as exposure to
the sources described above will accelerate the generation of contaminants.
DIAGNOSTICS
Constant monitoring and maintenance of systems fluids can improve machine-operating
performance more than any other single factor. Scheduled monitoring of the system filtration
levels must become part of the standard maintenance program.
Or equal importance is the degree of keeping accurate records of the maintenance data. This
allows for proper analysis of component failures and machine performance.
Minimum Recommended Cleanliness Levels
The level of cleanliness to be maintained in a given hydraulic system is dependent upon how the
system is being applied, its expected level of performance, and the types of components being
used. High-pressure systems require more attention due to the closer fit of moving parts, and the
increased leakage and performance loss caused by component wear.
The typical critical clearances in fluid system components:
Component Critical Clearance (In microns)
Gear Pump (pressure loaded)
Gear to side plate ½ to 5
Gear tip to case ½ to 5
Vane Pump
Tip to vane ½ to 1*
Sides of vane 5-13
Piston Pump
Piston to bore (R) ** 5-40
Valve plate to cylinder ½ to 5
Servo Valve
Orifice 130-450
Flapper Wall 18-63
Spool - sleeve (R) ** 1-4
Control Valve
Orifice 130-10,000
Spool - sleeve (R) II 1-23
Disk type ½ to 5
Poppet type 50-250
Actuators 1-25
Hydrostatic Bearings 1-25
Anti-friction Bearings ½* -
Sleeve Bearings ½* -
* - Estimated for thin lubrication film
** - Radial clearance
For the purpose of this guideline, the ISO Code is used as a standard of measurement.
ISO Code
This three-part number is an International Standards Organization Code to illustrate the level of
cleanliness of the hydraulic fluid in the unit. The numbers are logarithmic representations of the
total number of particles greater than two (2) microns (first number), greater than five (5) microns
(second number), and greater than 15 microns (third number) in a one milliliter sample. The
larger the ISO Code, the more contaminants, the more potential for wear.

MACHINE MONITORING :
Machine monitoring concentrates on checking & monitoring physical condition, wear & tear of
different componenets of a machine with the help of wear debris analysis. The parameters which
can be monitored through this analysis are – quantity of wear particles in lubricants , rate of wear
and type of wear through analysis of wear particles. Wear debris analysis uses the same
lubricating oil to identify the properties and content of the debris carried by the oil. This helps in
identifying the degree of wear on the machinery and, in turn, the right time to change machine
parts or components. As wear advances, most machines tend to increasingly shed large particles.
The analysis of the shape, size, and concentration of these particles offers a rather accurate
picture of the wear conditions in the machine. Some of the most commonly-performed wear
debris analysis tests include:

• Elemental analysis with emission spectroscopy (utilizes ultraviolet (UV) rays to measure
the concentration of over 25 atomic elements, including copper, iron, tin, and lead)
• Particle counting (an important tool for determining the onset of wear problems in a
machine; also used to measure cleanliness of fluid)
 • Ferrous density (involves a number of instruments capable of detecting the presence of
large iron or steel particles greater than 5 microns in an oil sample)
• X-ray fluorescence (much like elemental emission spectroscopy, measures element
concentration; however, uses x-rays instead of UV rays)
• Analytical ferrography (evaluates particle that are extracted and viewed through a
ferrogram; the color, shape, edge detail, and effects of a magnetic field enable the
assessment of machine wear)

LaserNet Fines TM (a recently-developed technique that categorizes particles based on their

morphology)

Condition monitoring involves continuous analysis of operational equipment, and the

identification of problems before component breakage or machine failure occurs. Condition
monitoring techniques, such as lubricating oil analysis,
CONCLUSION
QUALITY maintenance is aimed towards customer delight through highest quality through
trouble free production. focus is on eliminating non-conformances in a systematic
manner, much like focused improvement. In the process ,one gains understanding of
what parts of the equipment affect product quality and begin to eliminate current quality
concerns, then move to potential quality concerns.

Loss of production caused by unplanned downtime can have significant financial implications
and is a serious threat to any operation. For some oraganisations, there is a daily battle to
address these issues and maximise profitability in the face of a competitive marketplace
and ever increasing customer demands. With the focus on enhanced asset reliability to
avoid unscheduled machine downtime, lubricants analysis is growing to be an
increasingly important aspect of every organization. Often, simply by switching to a more
suitable or higher quality product, organisations can experience an increase in
productivity, reduction in component wear and higher quality finished product. For
progressive organisations, there is a secret weapon available in the battle against
equipment failure; a predicative maintenance-led approach to lubrication management.
Looking back, one would admits that if it would have done few things differently and
have communicated to everyone in the plant what benefits would be achieved by
implementing the different maintenance approach , t would have got a quality job from
the onset and made everyone knowledgeable like an engineering organization. .

Reducing the water ingression level from 0.10% down to 0.01%

increases bearing life by a factor of 4X