Oil analysis by WearCheck Africa proved instrumental in avoiding machine failure on two of Middelburg mining contractor Atlantis Mining’s earthmoving units recently by detecting component wear in time.

All of the Middelburg-based mining contractors’ fleet Caterpillar, Komatsu, Hitachi, Volvo and Terex equipment have been on WearCheck’s oil analysis programme for the past 12 years. 

On this occasion, one of the machines was a Caterpillar D9T bulldozer where samples on both final drives were diagnosed by WearCheck as borderline. The oil was resampled and drained but the samples came back as borderline again. Atlantis resampled the new oil after 100 hours in use and submitted this to WearCheck. Again the sample was borderline.

Critical sample
‘The misleading factor was that the magnetic plugs showed no signs of contamination,’ said Mark Johnstone, managing director of Atlantis Mining. ‘We continued to run the machine whilst monitoring the final drive oil samples until we were advised of a critical sample at 9028 hours. Again the magnetic plug showed no signs of contamination, but it was decided that the final drives should be opened.’

Machine failure avoided
Three weeks later the workshop removed the final drives at 9192 hours. On disassembly it was found that the inner bearing had started to ‘pit’ and that the wear was starting to go through the hard facing. All the bearings were replaced and a major failure was avoided.

‘This was thanks to our successful oil sampling programme, accurate diagnosis by Wearcheck  technicians and timeous action,’ Johnstone said. 

‘Knowing that we can rely on our oil analysis programme gives us peace of mind, particularly as we are working with machines that are costly to replace and where equipment downtime quickly eats into profits. It is a cost-effective conditioning monitoring tool that has proved its worth time and time again.’

The performance of the oil in a turbine application is vital in many aspects to ensure reliable performance of your turbine. WearCheck's Turbine Oil Analysis kits have been designed to measure the core functions of the oil and give you the ability to monitor the operating condition of the oil and hence conduct scheduled proactive maintenance procedures.

In today's world companies rely on turbines and compressors to provide power and gas transportation for core processes. Turbines and compressors already have demanding lubrication requirements and those demands are increasing. More demands are being put on these fluids as reservoir size and working clearances decrease and system power outputs, pressures, temperatures and oil service life increase. Lubricants must be highly oxidative and thermally stable to be able to handle operating temperatures. Additionally the lubricant must remain contaminant free to properly lubricate bearings and gears, and to act as a favourable hydraulic medium for governors and valving systems.

Oil oxidation and sludge will lead to sticking servo valves, meaning control valves will not open on demand. Oil contamination will accelerate wear, cause governors and valves to operate erratically and plug system filters. Unmonitored, poor oil condition leads to unplanned outages which are extremely expensive.

In order to achieve peace of mind on the operating condition of your turbine and compressor you need the comprehensive testing that WearCheck provides. Specifically designed for industrial turbines and compressors, WearCheck's Turbine Oil Analysis kit combines well established industrial tests with more recent advances in industry testing to provide an unparallel view of the operating condition of your critical lubricates.

WearCheck's Turbine Oil Analysis kit determines the levels of remaining antioxidants in the oil, detects for unwanted oil contamination and will accurately determine the suitability of the lubricant for continued use. A comprehensive diagnosis will warn you of any potential for damaging varnish build up and include recommendation for any necessary maintenance actions to remove contamination and restore the lubricant to optimum operating condition.

Tests include

Typical Applications

• Gas turbines
• Steam turbines
• Hydro-electric turbines
• Rotary compressors

For more infomation contact WearCheck on +27(0) 31 700 5460 This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it or download brochure.