Common mistakes of Oil Sampling and how to avoid them?
Routine Oil sampling and analysis are crucial for a successful maintenance program. It provides important information to determine the condition of the equipment. Sampling is a vital procedure for collecting fluid from machinery for the purpose of oil analysis. The results and reports of oil analysis depend on the quality of the oil sample. Thus, oil sampling must be performed keeping some important goals in mind - To MAXIMIZE the Data Density. To MAXIMIZE Consistency. To MAXIMIZE Relevance. To MINIMIZE Data Disturbance. There can be three ways of extracting samples from a component - drain port, drop-tube (in a vacuum pump), and a dedicated sampling point. A common mistake is taking an oil sample from the reservoir in circulating and hydraulic systems. Taking samples from the tank is not a best practice. If the sample is taken from the drain lines before emptying the tank, the concentration of wear metal would be much higher. Let’s discuss the common mistakes of oil sampling which