Oil analysis can be an extremely viable means for preventing gearbox failure, reducing downtime and controlling maintenance costs in heavy duty applications.
Gearboxes are prevalent in numerous heavy duty applications. They are all often critical to production and can prove very costly in the event of unplanned downtime and the associated losses in productivity. Implementing a routine oil analysis program to monitor gearbox wear and contamination can prove to be an extremely viable means for preventing gearbox failure, reducing downtime and controlling maintenance costs. Why Test? Although these systems are typically thought to be capable of enduring higher concentrations of wear and contamination than turbines or hydraulic systems, the bearings are not. The wearing of metal surfaces, caused by various forms of contamination, can cause bearing failure, which can adversely affect gear shaft alignment and eventually cause the entire gear system to fail. For gear systems in the power train – transmissions, final drives and differentials – our Standard testing will identify wear and contamination issues. Lower operating temperatures and a susceptibility to corrosion require viscosity at 40°C and Total Acid Number. To determine the presence of wear debris and to identify the type of wear occurring, testing should include Direct Read Ferrography as well as Analytical Ferrography to qualify the type of wear and its possible sources.