Diagnostics of impurities in oils using a laser counter

Oil talks. This is applicable especially to car production machines and lines of Škoda Auto. To work smoothly, they need high quality hydraulic oil. Impurities in oils causes wear of key components, higher friction, power consumption, leakage or lubricant degradation. This might lead to car production line downtimes, and therefore to huge financial losses. To analyse hydraulic oil, we use our tribodiagnostics laboratory the part of which is represented also by machines for analysis of such impurities. Initially, however, our department used an analogue instrument for the analysis of impurities in process fluids, which measured only impurities larger than 10 micrometers without analysing their shape and did not meet the requirements of the new standard ISO4406 / 99. For such reason, we tested and acquired a new LaserNet Fines device allowing us to analyse number, size and shape of mechanical particles in fluids. Based on results of this analysis, we are now able to determine the condition of lubricant, and at the same time of the car production machinery itself. Thanks to this timely and precise detection of problem, we are able to save costs and prolong the lifetime of lubricants and machinery.