FERROGRAPHY LABORATORY Predictive maintenance by wear particle analysis Predictive Maintenance by Wear Particle Analysis SpectroT2Laboratory for fast efficient, low cost separation FM Q500 A Ferrography In today’s modern power In today’s modern power gen- refining, generation, manufacturing, eration, manufacturing, refintransportation, mining and military ing, transportation, mining and operations, the cost of equipment military operations, the cost of maintenance, service, and lubricants equipment maintenance, service, and lubricants are ever increas- labor, are ever increasing. Parts, ing. Parts, labor, equipment equipment downtime, lubricant prices downtime, lubricant prices and and disposal costs are a primary disposal costs are a primary conconcern in run maintenance cern in a well a well run maintenance management program. management program. Ferrography Laboratory contaminant particles from used and interpretation of wear and lubrication oils, hydraulic fluids, greases, coolants and fuels. The Thistle Tube Concept T2FM stands for Thistle Tube Ferrogram Maker. The heart of the T2FM is the glass thistle tube. The name comes from its unique shape resembling the thistle plant. The glass thistle tube provides a constant and efficient flow of sample into the substrate. The sample, after dilution, is poured directly into the top of the thistle tube. In seconds, the sample begins flowing across the ferrogram. The diameter and length of the capillary section of the thistle tube controls the flow rate onto the ferrogram. Machine condition monitoring Machine condition monitoring based oil analysis has has become based onon oil analysis become A rinse cycle is initiated as soon as the last of the sample has left the thistle tube. Solvent is a a prerequisitecomprehensive prerequisite in in comprehensive dripped onto the lip of the thistle tube as it is slowly rotated, thoroughly rinsing the walls and maintenance programs. TheThe maintenance programs. Ferrography Laboratory plays cleaning it for the next sample. Ferrography Laboratory plays a key a key role in such programs. Itrole in such programs. It separates separates and concentrates Innovation, Quality and Support and concentrates wear and wear and contaminant particles for microscopic particles for microscopic contaminant examination. The T2FM 500 prepares a ferrogram more quickly than ever before. There is no delay Particle size, surface character- surface examination. Particle size, time as sample is pumped through plastic tubing before reaching the ferrogram surface. istics and composition are then characteristics and composition are Furthermore, the rinse may begin as soon as the sample leaves the thistle tube. The T2FM used to determine wear modes then used to determine wear inside a machine so that mainte- modes delivers for entire sample and all the particles contained wear “A Ferrography Laboratory thefast efficient, low cost separation and interpretation oftherein onto the ferrogram inside a machine so can be nance recommendationsthat maintenance and contaminant also no distortion of particles surface. There isparticles from used lubrication oils, since the thistle tube concept eliminates the made. recommendations can be made. needhydraulic fluids, greases, coolants and fuels.” for a pump. A crystal clear rinse is obtained without fail for every ferrogram. There are no last minute The Thistle Tube Concept the ferrogram leaving distracting halos around the particles when drips of oil sample onto viewed under the microscope. T2FM stands for Thistle Tube Ferrogram Maker. The heart of the T2FM is the glass thistle tube. The name comes from its unique shape resembling the thistle plant. The glass thistle Bichromatic Microscope tube provides a constant and efficient flow of sample into the substrate. The sample, after dilution, is poured directly into the top of the thistle tube. In seconds, the sample begins flowing across theA bichromatic microscope is used tocapillary section of the thistle ferrogram. The diameter and length of the view and examine ferrograms made with the T2FM 500. The ferrogram. tube control the flow rate onto the bichromatic microscope is equipped with both reflected and transmitted light sources so that the ferrogram may be illuminated from both above and below the Particles & contaminants Particles and contaminants indicate the wear mode inside indicate the wear mode inside a a machine. machine A rinse cycle is initiated as soon as the last of the sample has left the thistle tube. Solvent is microscope stage. A green filter is used in the transmitted light path and a red filter is used dripped onto the lip of the thistle tube as it is slowly rotated, thoroughly rinsing the walls in the reflected and cleaning it for the next sample. light path, this is referred to as bichromatic illumination in the practice of ferrography. With bichromatic illumination, metal particles which reflect light appear bright red, whereas nonmetallic particles appear green because light transmits through

very ferrogram. There are no last aving distracting halos around the Video Camera and Software A video camera connected to a computer displays, prints, stores and retrieves ferrographic images. Comparison of old ferrograms with ferrograms from recent lubricating oil samples allows determination of evolving wear modes inside a machine or engine. mine The flected m may croscope ht path this is ctice of al particles, which reflect light, apear green because light transmits prints, stores and retrieves ms with ferrograms from recent olving wear modes inside a Main Components of the Ferrography Laboratory...