Why do it?
ENSURE THE HEALTH AND SAFETY OF YOUR OPERATORS
The condition of your equipment’s fluids can be vital to the safety of it's operators. Brake and steering fluids have obvious consequences in the event of failure. Engine, transmission or hydraulic failures may also place an operator in danger should they fail at an unexpected time.
Routine testing can ensure that the correct fluids are in place and that there is no abnormal wear or contamination occurring. It also gives you peace of mind as there’s a record that the equipment is being maintained with due diligence.
REDUCE ENVIRONMENTAL DAMAGE
The disposal of used fluids is an environmental concern that affects the entire planet. Regular testing and analysis can ensure that your fluids are not being dumped prematurely, which also reduces your operating costs.
INCREASE THE AVAILABILITY OF YOUR EQUIPMENT
Malfunctions, mistakes, negligence or even deliberate sabotage may lead to abnormal wear or contamination of an equipment compartment. Common contaminants such as dirt, water, fuel or coolant leaks can cause serious damage and even catastrophic failure to your machinery.
Advance warning of impending failure can allow scheduled maintenance to be brought forward with less danger and disruption to production. The cost of repairs prior to catastrophic failure is considerably less that having to replace an entire piece of equipment.
EXTEND THE LIFE OF YOUR EQUIPMENT
Even though all equipment wears out with time, ideally the rate of normal wear is slow and steady across the life of the equipment. However, operating conditions and loads and "driver styles" can vary, but the most efficient way to detect if the life of your machinery is being needlessly shortened is by testing fluid samples.
Not all fluid issues end up in catastrophic failure, however the long term profitability of that asset may be greatly reduced. You can take prompt action by implementing immediate changes which can quickly bring the life expectancy of your equipment back to normal. In some cases, it can be possible to extend the expected life well beyond the average for a particular machine.
OPTIMISE THE LIFE OF YOUR FLUID
The primary goal of fluid analysis is to extend the life of your equipment. However, there may be significant cost savings if a fluid is still fit for service and does not need to be discarded prematurely.
Both the equipment maker and the oil supplier guidelines for drain intervals are based on average conditions but not every application is classified as “average”. In some conditions, a certain fluid may need to be changed more often to extend the life of the equipment, or sometimes it may be found that the fluid can be used for much longer than was originally expected.
Even though warranty contracts and legal/contractual conditions override technical considerations, fluid reports can be used to assist discussion with suppliers, and also act as evidence when making educated decisions and taking calculated risks outside of warranty.
INCREASE THE RESALE VALUE OF YOUR EQUIPMENT
Fluid sampling provides a record of the maintenance and condition of the equipment which can add value to a prospective buyer. It should be noted that it is not necessary to have a perfect history of A results to mean the equipment has been well maintained. Alerts that are acted on promptly provide evidence of proactive care to a high standard.
Our database allows users to provide feedback and document action taken notes.
MONITOR THE QUALITY OF SERVICING
If a fluid drain or filter change has been missed this can be seen in the result history. If an incorrect (or alternative) fluid type has been used instead of the recommended product this also evident in the result history. If a maintenance procedure has not been successful or has allowed contaminants to enter a compartment this can acted on to prevent further damage.