The detection and analysis of wear debris assists in scheduling maintenance actions and in determining the root cause of a problem. An effective program of oil analysis should include a focus on each of the three distinct dimensions of oil analysis. Relying upon oil analysis information simply to guide oil change decisions leaves a tremendous amount of information value on the table about the machine's health and the interface between the machine and its environment. Proactive control of machine health Avoiding machinery failure should be the prime directive of the reliability organization. Once a machine is specified, designed, manufactured, installed, and deployed, there exists a finite number of variables to ensure health.
Production management defines load via production schedules.
Lubricant health Lubricant contamination Precision alignment and balance programs have proven to reduce the occurrence of failure. Likewise, controlling lubricant quality and contamination has proven to be very effective in extending the life of mechanical components and systems. In a study by the Canadian National Research Council, contamination was found to be the leading cause of wear in a variety of industries investigated. The effects of contamination are slow and usually imperceptible until the late stages of failure. The result, however, is very predictable.