Oil condition can mean the difference between efficient fleet operations and frequent delays due to breakdowns and maintenance issues. The same goes for factory and construction machinery. Breakdowns due to improper lubricant management can impede business operations, increase overall costs, delay projects, and reduce equipment life (which will incur further expenses). Thankfully, Christensen’s oil analysis programs can help businesses in the Pacific Northwest area optimize their operations, prolong the life of their fleet and machines, and avoid breakdowns.
Our oil analysis programs provide routine examinations assessing oil health, oil contamination and machine wear. With this, Christensen can verify that our clients’ fleet and machines are lubricated and operating according to expectations. So when outliers in conditions or parameters are identified, we can recommend immediate actions to correct the root cause or mitigate the development of future problems. This is how businesses can avoid costly issues and save more in the long run.
Importance of Effective Lubricant Management
Fleet Sector: In the vehicle fleet sector, timing is critical and the slightest delay can negatively impact the bottom line. Without proper oil condition monitoring vehicles may end up being taken off the road for oil changes more often than needed and they may experience unexpected breakdowns. All these increase overall costs per mile.
According to an international study by Edelman Intelligence:
- 89% of maintenance staff have experienced breakdowns in the last three years.
- 55% believed this was related to lubricant management.
- 53% believe it was caused by the type of lubricant.
Construction Sector: In construction, overlooking performative maintenance can result in downtime and delays. These in turn can affect project productivity, result in missed deadlines, shorten machinery lifetime, compound maintenance costs, and more. According to studies:
- 76% of maintenance staff say that maximizing equipment life is a priority.
- 56% report breakdowns caused by ineffective lubrication.
How Christensen Oil Analysis and Oil Condition Monitoring Helps Businesses
Christensen’s oil analysis services provides many benefits. Chief among them is that Christensen can help businesses:
- Predict and prevent failures before they happen.
- Determine appropriate oil-drain intervals based on machine use and lubricant condition.
- Maximize oil-drain intervals for lower lubricant costs.
- Plan maintenance regimens to maximize the availability of fleet vehicles or machinery.
- Protect fleet/machinery investments against unexpected events such as breakdowns.
- Ensure the right lubricants have been used in equipment.
In short, Christensen helps businesses minimize unplanned downtime, increase reliability and increase availability. This reduces costs, drives profit and protects businesses’ investments (in their assets).
Christensen experts will help businesses choose the right assessment, set up optimal oil-test scheduling, and provide coaching and training from experts who know your business’ equipment. Through this, they will identify any recurring issues and review actions based on the oil sampling in order to optimize businesses’ asset performance and operations.
What Christensen Oil Analysis Can Tell Us
Christensen offers specialized test kits designed to match business’ specific operations such as:
- Vehicle fleets
- Construction gears and hydraulics
- Diesel and gasoline engines
- Coolant systems
These tests determine the condition of the lubricants being used as well as that of the machines utilizing the oil. For businesses that rely on their machines functioning optimally, this is crucial information.
An oil analysis is like a blood test for engines and machinery. The main categories in an oil analysis are: fluid properties, contamination.
Fluid Properties
An oil analysis examining this property focuses on determining the oil’s current physical and chemical status as well as its remaining useful life (RUL). So the oil analysis finds out if the sample matches the specified oil identification and if it is the correct oil to use. It also determines if the right additives are active or if they are depleted. Likewise, it examines the viscosity level, whether it is in the expected range or not, and if it has shifted then why.
Contamination
Destructive impurities are the bane of engines and machines. Contaminants include: water, coolant, dirt, fuel dilution, soot. Oil analysis can help businesses by determining the presence of these contaminants and narrowing down their probable sources. Businesses will know if their oil is clean and if it isn’t we will determine what type of contaminants exist and where these contaminants came from. This information will also be useful in determining how best to correct the problem and avoid it in the future.
Oil analysis also detects wear metals that may indicate wear in engines or oil-wetted components.
Christensen’s Oil Analysis Programs Help Businesses Maintain Machines and Prolong Their Lifespan
With the detailed information provided by Christensen’s oil analysis and expert advisors, businesses will be able to maintain their machines better, keeping them healthier and extending their life. Oil analysis test results provide much needed data to help Christensen experts diagnose issues such as:
- Environmental conditions of machinery (like extreme temperatures, high humidity, vibration, etc.)
- Which components are experiencing degradation
- Frequency of oil changes, makeup oil addition and quality of these
- Total runtime on oil since last change
- The use of proper sampling methods to ensure oil analysis consistency
- Other unusual activity of the machine that can affect lubricant quality
Christensen’s specialists interpret oil analysis reports to determine the issues affecting oil quality and engine/machine performance as well as make corrective and preventative maintenance recommendations. As Christensen experts are familiar with each customer’s business operations, these recommendations are tailored to their specific requirements, needs and circumstances.
Oil Analysis Programs Compliment Christensen’s Other Fuel Services
Routine oil analysis is part of Christensen’s broader fuel and reliability services that ensure business’ facilities are in proper condition. These include:
- Tank and turbine maintenance
- Oil cleaning
- Filtration and replacement
- Hot oil filtering and flushing
- Tank cleaning
- Remote bulk tank monitoring
- Site assessments
- Total cost of ownership reduction strategies
- Storage and handling assessments
- And more.
Utilizing these services together can amplify the benefits they individually provide businesses. As a whole they can greatly enhance businesses’ processes and the infrastructure they rely on – from machinery and facilities to logistics and work processes.
Takeaway
Christensen’s oil analysis program helps businesses keep their machines and operations running smoothly. With the assistance of Christensen’s experts, they can identify the issues affecting their oil or machinery and take prompt and necessary measures to correct or prevent problems. This enhances their operations, boosting efficiency and productivity while minimizing unnecessary expenses and preventing breakdowns.
Thinking of improving your business’ lubrication and maintenance practices? Interested in an oil analysis program or other fuel and lubricant solutions? Reach out to Christensen today.