Machinery Lubrication India Jan Feb 14 10 | Page 6

Figure 3. Creating a route using a structured database

That information is generally not
available in the practice of their
business.
Today’s portable instruments used for
route-based oil analysis are able to
outperform lab instruments because
the information available at the point
of the test identifies the appropriate
test methods, analysis parameters and
alarm limits for each lubricant sample
on a sequential route. Simply stated,
route-based oil analysis allows
technicians to do a better job of oil
analysis and get it done quickly because
their instruments are programmed to
always select the correct protocol and
reference information for each point
along the route.
Six elements must normally be
addressed for a technician to conduct a
route-based analysis with a portable
analyzer in an industrial plant or around
a fleet of mobile equipment:
1. Create a structured database.
2. Populate the database with route
information associated with the oil
and equipment in the database.
3. Select a preferred inspection route.
4. Transfer route information into a
handheld analyzer.

5. Apply route information in the
analyzer during in-field analysis.
6. Upload measurements and findings
to the database.

Database Creation
A maintenance server is configured to
generate oil analysis routes based on a
set of analysis rules (see Figure 3). These
rules may be based on time, a previously
existing condition or specified by the
maintenance engineer. The route could
include
the
sequence,
asset
identification and/or reference oil
information, such as oil name, type,
property limits, etc.

Populating the Database
The generated route is synched between
the maintenance server and the device
to be used for the route-based analysis.
This can be accomplished in a number
of ways, including a straight database
synch, a file download/transfer or a
barcode list, which could serve the dual
purpose of a sample bottle label. For a
set of recurring routes, a binder could
be constructed of 8½-by-11-inch sheets
of paper that could be pulled out and
scanned whenever a given route is
indicated (see Figure 4).
Sample labels afford the benefit of

4| January-February 2014 | www.machinerylubricationindia.com

potentially including other data
independently collected from the lab or
other onsite test instruments into this
same sample record. Still another way
to accomplish this would be for the
user to print and laminate labels and
attach them to each sample point.
Then, when the technician walks the
route, he or she could scan the barcode
to add that location to the route in the
database.

Route Analysis
With the route information downloaded
into the handheld machine, lubricants
are analyzed at each asset in sequence.
The handheld unit operates in a selfguiding fashion so that the user is
presented with the next asset’s
information when finished with the
analysis of each asset. This may include
GPS coordinates of the asset, a picture,
serial number or simple instructions on
where to find the next asset. The
handheld device contains all the
calculation tools necessary to perform
the analysis.
The results of each lubricant scan are
stored in the handheld unit. The
technician can see the results as soon as
they are produced. This can include