Lubezine Magazine Vol. 4 Lubezine Magazine Vol. 4 | Page 17

New trends in lubricants packaging P.20 See also and physical tests to monitor locomotive engines. As steam locomotives gave yield to diesel locomotives, oil analysis practices by railways caught on. By the 1980s oil analysis formed the basis of Condition Based Maintenance in most railways in North America. Owing to the success of oil analysis in the railways, the American Navy used spectrometric techniques to monitor jet engines on their aircraft in the mid 1950s. Around this time Rolls-Royce was also experimenting with oil analysis for their jet turbines. Oil analysis began to spread and programs were developed by the American Army and Air Force throughout the 1950s and early 1960s. Then commercial oil analysis laboratories first appeared on the scene in the early 1960s. Benefits of Oil Analysis Oil analysis is the most widely accepted and implemented form of proactive maintenance technology. It is an integral part of the maintenance plan for power plants, manufacturing plants, trucking companies, construction equipment, aircraft, refrigeration systems, processing and chemical plants, etc. Any piece of equipment that has a lubricating system is an excellent candidate for oil analysis. A successful oil analysis program requires an organized and sustained effort. Both the user and the laboratory must work closely together to achieve the desired results. The benefits can be summarized as