The analysis of particulates in oils, including the amount as a function of size and the type of particulate and its morphology, encompasses the most direct means of any class of instrumentation with which to assess for machinery condition and contamination. When a machine enters an abnormal wear mode, the size and population of wear particles increases. In the case of a diesel engine, large severe sliding wear particles are produced when the wear surface stresses become excessive due to load and/or speed. Spectro Scientific’s unique collection of particulate analysis tools, headlined by the LaserNet 200 series, widens the scope of complete particulate analysis. It enables extension of the analysis toolbox to encompass systems from aerospace hydraulic systems, which may generate particulates measured in the single particles per 100 milliliter of oil to over-the-road truck engines, which may have millions of particles in a single milliliter of oil. Particular emphasis is placed on providing information in addition to size-based counting, while ensuring that size-based counting is extremely accurate.

Comprehensive particle analysis includes an assessment of the morphology of generated particulates, as provided in ferrography and with the LaserNet. Established by over 40 years of research in machinery breakdown, particle morphology can directly pinpoint the type of wear (wear mode) and thus provide a gauge of the severity of the component wear, while helping to pinpoint the generation source, including external contamination. Finally, the most basic classification in particle analysis, whether the particles are due to wear or external contamination, can be determined by measuring ferrous debris particulates in the oil.

Of all the commercial systems available today, the LaserNet provides the most complete picture of machine wear and solid contamination at the lowest cost, highest throughput and highest data integrity. Since it only uses one oil sample, errors due to sample preparation are minimized. It is a revolutionary oil analysis tool for both on-site and laboratory oil analysis needs. 

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