Lubricating Oils: Essential Guide to Oil Sampling and Analysis
Introduction: Oil is critical in mechanical systems, helping to provide a protective barrier to lower friction, heat, and wear between mechanical parts. This paper focuses on the importance of drawing appropriate samples and the method of analysis, all with the aim of the healthy assessment of machinery. The Role of Lubricating Oils Lubricating Oil, the Lifeblood of Your Equipment Lubricating oils are the “lifeblood” of every engine and machine. These key roles include: 1. Friction Control: Lubricating oils provide a layer between contacting surfaces to reduce friction between them to a minimum. This reduction in friction increases efficiency, as well as the life of the mechanical part, by reducing the wear and tear that occurs during normal operation. 2. Control wear: When you reduce friction, lubricants minimize the wear of parts that would otherwise have been worn from contact with each other direct contact, so the machine could still function without any problems over a ...