Wear particles can cause mechanical failure that will not only cause costly downtime but also costly part replacements. Generally, wear particles are created when metal parts rub together, causing particles from one to grate on the other. In some cases, these particles flake off and flow into other mechanical parts via the lubricant. These abnormal wear particles build up and can cause nozzle blockage or bearing failure in rotating machines. Since normal wear occurs slowly but at a constant rate, one way to attempt to stymie the wear is by use of filtering systems. However, this does not stop the occurrence of wear, leading manufacturers and machinists to search for other means to analyze wear particles.
Since wear particles are going to happen regardless of fresh lubricant, the goal then becomes preventing abnormal wear so that the concentration and size of the wear particles remains small enough for the filters to catch. If wear particles are larger in number and size, quality control teams must take preventative measures in order to reduce the likeliness of failure. In order to assess if the particle wear is abnormal, wear particle analysis can quickly and accurately determine the state of the inclusions within the mechanical system.
While several methods for wear analysis are viable, often times a combination of methods is needed to keep all aspects of the machinery in working order. Maintaining a strict quality control program that includes both monthly lubricant analysis and equipment monitoring analysis programs is essential. To aid manufacturers and machinists, Aspex has created its Advanced Quality Control (AQC) software for its Personal Scanning Electron Microscope (PSEM) in order to analyze the number and size of particles within the mechanical system. The PSEM can be placed practically anywhere, even on the shop floor, easily going wherever the analysis is needed.
Since the PSEM has X-ray capabilities, it offers not only a larger particle range but also identifies elemental composition, allowing manufacturers to trace the wear particle contamination to the source of the problem. By understanding which mechanical parts the wear is originating from, the manufacturers can assess if the part needs replaced before the mechanical failure occurs. If after replacing the part, the wear particles are still present, further preventative steps might be taken, including moving the PSEM upstream to analyze other part quality or analyzing the components from the supplier.
The AQC is an integrated solution for the automated detection, identification, and characterization of micron-level debris that other optical and gravimetrical devices miss. With its easy-to-use interface and powerful particle analyzers, the AQC for the PSEM by Aspex is changing the way manufacturers see wear particles.
Reference:
Aspex, http://www.aspexcorp.com/industries/industrial-automation.html
Scribd, http://www.scribd.com/doc/15076322/Applying-Wear-Particle-Analysis-to-Rotating-Machinery
