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Enhanced 5200 Minilab Offers Improved Oil Analysis

Ray Garvey, Emerson Process Management

On-site oil analysis can help achieve high cost savings for your program. Benefits such as immediate results, immediate retest when needed and on-site ownership can defer maintenance costs, reduce lubricant consumption, improve credibility and predict mechanical failures. The 5200 minilab (Figure 1) detects problems in hydraulics, gearboxes, pumps, engines, motors, turbines, presses, rolls and other oil-lubricated industrial machines.


Figure 1. 5200 Minilab Setup

Quotes from the Experts

Here’s what some industry experts are saying about on-site oil analysis: “Every successful oil analysis program I’ve observed has passionate technicians performing the work. And almost without exception, they include some degree of on-site oil analysis.” Drew Troyer, Noria.

“CM work, produced through the efforts of GM Linden’s lubrication team for a 28-month term, exceeds the $1.6 million dollars already identified as savings. (Production opportunity costs are not included in these figures) … 738 percent return on investment, a two-month payback.” Ed Bohn, General Motors. “

A good oil analysis program catches faults before they progress to a stage detectable by even the best vibration analyst.” Jaime Viramontes, El Paso Electric.

“This new program was designed to meet the plant’s reliability objective by extending the mean time between failures and predicting failures before they occurred.” Danny White, Southern Company.

“On-site oil analysis prevents contaminated oil from being delivered to the site and provides a basis for returning oil that does not meet cleanliness specifications.” Mike Weiksner, Westinghouse Savannah River Site.

Parameter Description
Ferrous Index ferrous density for iron particles greater than 5 micron
PPM 4 to 6 parts per million by volume for debris 4 to 6 micron
PPM 6 to 14 parts per million by volume for debris 6 to 14 micron
PPM >14 parts per million by volume for debris greater than 14 micron
PPM total parts per million by volume for debris greater than 4 micron
Particle counts particles per ml in 8 sizes, select ISO 4402 or 11171
ISO codes select ISO 4402 or 11171
Water percent water-in-oil
Dielectric permittivity or dielectric constant
Chemical index change in dielectric x 100
WDA analysis determines size, composition, classification for each debris group
WDA severity alarm status determined from detailed wear debris analysis
Observations logic-driven and user-selected indications from oil analysis data
Actions logic-driven and user-selected actions based on observations
Table 1. Comprehensive Analysis
The 5200 minilab measures and reports oil chemistry, lubricant
system contamination and machine wear using these parameters.

Efficient Analysis

This minilab provides comprehensive oil analysis results including particle count, parts per million (ppm) distribution, ISO codes, ferrous density, oil chemistry, water-in-oil, viscosity and detailed wear debris analysis. This analysis is more comprehensive than results from most off-site oil labs.

Fast – Most industrial plants can test 100 samples in approximately two days.

Simple – The four-step procedure is guided and checked by software.

Affordable – Costs as low as $5 per sample for comprehensive industrial oil analysis at some plants with high volume, and competitive with off-site labs processing 50 samples per month.

Accurate – Multiple measurements for particles larger than five microns practically eliminates false findings. Often discovers critical problems overlooked by other labs.

Second-generation Minilab

The 5200 minilab was released four years ago, replacing the 5100 minilab. The upgraded model offers improved speed, accuracy, calibration, cleaning, sensors and procedures. Since its introduction, several major software upgrades have been implemented, including the following:

  • PPM distribution – graphing and computing the volume of particulate debris in the oil as a function of size (Figure 2)
  • Statistical alarm limit determination methods
  • Improved wear debris analysis methods (Figure 3)
  • Expanded laboratory information management system (LIMS)
  • Improved reporting capabilities
  1. Sample summary report
  2. Parameter exception report
  3. Point configuration summary report
  4. Oil usage report
  5. Schedule summary report
  6. Sample trend report
  7. Sample ISO report
  8. Contact statistics report
  9. Alarm statistics report
  10. Reliability trend plot


Figure 2. Example from PPM Distribution Report


Figure 3. Wear Debris Analysis Software Module

Features of the 5200 Minilab

The A520010 comprehensive minilab is commonly purchased including all the necessary hardware and software, however, pieces such as the following may be purchased separately:

  • 5200 Trivector analyzer
  • 52DV digital viscometer
  • 52ZM stereo zoom microscope
  • 51CV camera video capture kit
  • all OilView® software modules
  • 4-day on-site startup service

Modular Oil Analysis Software

The 5200 minilab uses OilView® software to trend, database, analyze and report. OilView® software consists of three modules that may be used stand-alone, all together or fully integrated with Emerson’s AMS suite of software solutions, such as: Minilab software module, Laboratory information management software (LIMS) module, Wear debris analysis (WDA) software module, OilView® lite.

5200 - The Industrial Oil Analyzer

The analyzer keeps the oil clean, dry and fit for use. This instrument is set apart by its ability to detect and analyze the wide size range of wear and contamination particles found in troubled industrial machinery, according to the manufacturer.

The 5200 is a CSI product manufactured and sold by Emerson Process Management Asset Optimization, Machinery Health Management division. Other MHM products and services for industry include vibration, oil, ultrasonics, thermography, balancing, alignment and motor analysis condition-monitoring using portable and on-line instrumentation. CSI, now called MHM, was formed in 1984 and is a subsidiary of Emerson Electric.

Learn more about Emerson Process Management by visiting its Web site at: www.assetweb.com.

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