Oil Analysis
Experienced lab personnel employ used oil analysis and wear particle analysis to provide an accurate wear assessment that can be used to Schedule oil changes based on equipment condition, Document equipment condition for improved maintenance and warranty issues, Detect and eliminate contamination, Minimize secondary damage caused by failing components, And prevent lost production

Clients may choose from several standard analytical packages for typical applications or they may customize the analytical services to fit their unique applications. Customers may choose between typical particle-size dependent elemental analysis used by most commercial laboratories and CONSOL R&D's proprietary particle-size independent elemental analysis that provides superior detection of wear in gearboxes and other equipment that produces large wear particles. The typical suite of other used oil analysis tests includes viscosity, water determination, TAN, TBN, glycol, fuel dilution, particle count and analytical ferrography.

Wear Particle Analysis
Wear particle (ferrographic) analysis is normally performed on samples where the typical suite of analysis suggests that abnormal wear is occurring. Ferrography not only confirms the abnormal wear noted by oil analysis but also provides information about the source and severity of the wear. The combination of oil analysis and ferrography are essential components of any good predictive/proactive maintenance program.

Coolant Analysis
Today's heavy duty engines provide increased horsepower (and heat) without increasing engine size. Stricter environmental standards are also placing greater demands on the engine. Consequently, it is now more important than ever for engine cooling systems to operate at peak efficiency. Coolant analysis is the most cost effective way to ensure that the coolant is providing adequate protection for the engine. A typical coolant analysis consists of elemental analysis, pH, nitrate, nitrite, chloride, sulfate and glycol concentration. These tests will help ensure that your engine is not only protected from freezing but also from corrosion, cavitation and scaling.

Maintenance Support
Oil analysis, wear particle analysis and coolant analysis are essential components of a good predictive maintenance program. Equally important is the ability to use this information in a proactive way to improve maintenance practices. CONSOL R&D routinely provides the following maintenance support services.

Lubrication Specification
CONSOL R&D is familiar with the OEM oil specifications for typical mining equipment. In many cases, more than one type of lubricant will satisfy the OEM specification. R&D can help you choose the most cost effective lubricant for your specific application.

Root Cause Wear Assessments
Equipment failures often cause such extensive secondary damage to equipment components that the root cause of the wear can not be determined. A post-mortem inspection of failed equipment rarely provides information that can be used to improve maintenance. Oil analysis permits early detection and prompt maintenance so that wear damage is confined to the initial cause of wear. This documentation can be used to convince the OEM that a recurring problem exists. Collaboration with the OEM can then, often resolve the "weak link", resulting in equipment that provides a longer service life. Oil analysis can be used to measure the wear reduction that is attributable to a specific OEM modification, ensuring that the most effective maintenance solution is implemented.

Lubrication Best Practices
Maintenance costs can often be reduced simply by improving lubrication management practices. A thorough review of lubricant selection, lubricant storage/handling procedures, filtration, oil sampling, and maintenance records often reveals areas where small and relatively inexpensive changes in lubrication practices can yield significant reduce maintenance costs.

Problem-Solving
The analytical instrumentation that is routinely used for oil analysis can also be applied to problem-solving support. Elemental analysis, microscopy and infrared analysis and chromatography are often used to characterize plugged filters, analyze pipe deposits, identify contaminants and evaluate component failures. When the cause of the problem is known, appropriate measures can be taken to prevent a reoccurrence of the situation.