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Dynamic Adhesive Contact with Molecularly Thin Lubricant at the Head-Disk Interface of Hard Disk Drives
2/3/2012

Vakis, Antonis I., Polycarpou, Andreas A.

Technical Paper
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Corporate Member Info Session Slides
1/31/2012

Industry Related News
Sales & Marketing
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Feb-March 2012 Webinar Ad
1/1/2012

Industry Related News
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On Tailoring the Nanocrystalline Structure of Zn0 to Achieve Low Friction
1/1/2012

Mohseni, H., Mensah, B.A., Gupta, N., Srinivasan, S.G., Scharf, T.W.

Technical Paper
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Oklahoma 2012 Meeting Schedule
12/20/2011

Section News
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Oklahoma Section Meeting Notice
12/20/2011

Section News
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January 2012 Webinar Ad
12/6/2011

Industry Related News
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2012 STLE Annual Meeting Education Courses
11/28/2011

Industry Related News
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STLE Oklahoma Section Meeting Notice
11/16/2011

Industry Related News
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NES Bearings Webinar Slides
11/8/2011

Industry Related News
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Nanoscale Friction and Adhesion Behavior for Few-Layer Graphene
11/1/2011

Liu, X.

Technical Paper
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Compressibility of Liquids Webinar Slides
11/1/2011

Industry Related News
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2011 IJTC Student Poster Participants
10/26/2011

Industry Related News
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Webinar Flyer: November and December 2011
10/24/2011

Industry Related News
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NREL Wind Turbine Tribology Seminar - Registration Form
10/13/2011

Industry Related News
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NREL Wind Turbine Tribology Seminar - Agenda
10/13/2011

Industry Related News
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NREL Wind Turbine Tribology Seminar - Logistics
10/13/2011

Industry Related News
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Bruker Brochure
10/12/2011

Sales & Marketing
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Rate Dependent Deformation Response of Articular Cartilage
10/1/2011

Bonnevie, E.

Technical Paper
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STLE Oklahoma Section Newsletter for September
10/1/2011

Industry Related News
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STLE Oklahoma Section Meeting Notice
10/1/2011

Industry Related News
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STLE University Instructions
9/1/2011

Kara Lemar

STLE University
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Oklahoma Section Meeting 9/22/11
9/1/2011

Section News
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2011-12 Alberta Section Calendar
9/1/2011

Industry Related News
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Hamilton Section Yearly Program
9/1/2011

Industry Related News
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Hamilton Section - Education Day Brochure
9/1/2011

Industry Related News
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Oklahoma Section News - September 2011
9/1/2011

Industry Related News
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A Cellular Automata Approach for Modeling Multiphase Flow Tribology
9/1/2011

Marinack, M.

Technical Paper
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Oklahoma Section Newsletter - June 2011
8/1/2011

Section News
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Oklahoma Section News - August 2011
8/1/2011

Section News
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Toronto Section News - September Meeting
8/1/2011

Section News
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Toronto Section News - October Meeting
8/1/2011

Section News
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Toronto Section News - November Meeting
8/1/2011

Section News
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2011 Annual Meeting Ideas
7/1/2011

Sounding Board
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2011 AM Education Course Description: Basic Lubrication 101
3/9/2011

Industry Related News
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2011 AM Education Course Description: Bio Fuels and Lubricants
3/9/2011

Industry Related News
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2011 AM Education Course Description: Condition Monitoring
3/9/2011

Industry Related News
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2011 AM Education Course Description: Hydraulics
3/9/2011

Industry Related News
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2011 AM Education Course Description: Synthetics 203
3/9/2011

Industry Related News
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2011 AM Education Course Description: Basic Lubrication 102
3/9/2011

Industry Related News
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2011 AM Education Course Description: Advanced Lubrication 301
3/9/2011

Industry Related News
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2011 AM Education Course Description: NLGI Grease 101
3/9/2011

Industry Related News
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2011 AM Education Course Description: Metalworking Fluid Hot Topics
3/9/2011

Industry Related News
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2011 AM Education Course Description: Synthetics 204
3/9/2011

Industry Related News
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MGAM Recruitment Tips
3/1/2011

Industry Related News
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Membership Testimonials for MGAM
3/1/2011

Industry Related News
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Glossary of microbial terms
2/24/2011

Technical Paper
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Webinar ad bearing damage analysis
2/18/2011

Sales & Marketing
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March Webinar Flyer
2/18/2011

STLE University
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February Webinar Flyer
1/24/2011

Technical Paper
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October TLT Best Practices
1/24/2011

Technical Paper
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automotive propulsion flyer
1/19/2011

Sales & Marketing
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Energy Efficiency of industrial oils
1/6/2011

Technical Paper
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Friction and Wear Characteristics of Advanced Lubricants
1/3/2011

Technical Paper
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Top 10 Reasons to Join STLE
1/1/2011

Industry Related News
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2011 STLE Annual Meeting Program at a glance
12/10/2010

Market & Technology Trends
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automotive propulsion webinar flyer
12/1/2010

Kara Lemar

STLE University
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November-December Tribology Transactions Technical Papers
11/24/2010

Technical Paper
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Tribology Gold Citation
11/19/2010

People in the News
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Tribology Gold Medal Winners
11/19/2010

People in the News
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STLE University brochure
11/15/2010

Kara

STLE University
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Tribology Transaction Articles
11/5/2010

Technical Paper
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Lubrication Selection and Anlysis Practices Seminar
10/14/2010

Industry Related News
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Philadelphia section meeting annoucement October 2010
10/8/2010

Industry Related News
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2011 AM call for papers: Surface Engineering
10/1/2010

Technical Paper
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2011 AM call for papers: Wind Energy
10/1/2010

Technical Paper
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Section leader handbook
10/1/2010

Technical Paper
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2011 AM call for papers: Ceramics
9/24/2010

Technical Paper
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2011 AM call for papers: Environmentally Friendly Fluids
9/24/2010

Technical Paper
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2011 AM call for papers: Grease Technical Committee
9/24/2010

Technical Paper
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2011 AM call for papers: Materials Tribology
9/24/2010

Technical Paper
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2011 AM call for papers: Nanotribology
9/24/2010

Technical Paper
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2011 AM call for papers: Tribo Testing
9/24/2010

Technical Paper
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2011 AM call for papers: Biotribology
9/24/2010

Technical Paper
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2011 AM call for papers: Engine and Drive Train
9/24/2010

Technical Paper
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2011 AM call for papers: Gears And Gear Lubrication
9/24/2010

Technical Paper
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2011 AM call for papers: Lubrication Fundamentals
9/24/2010

Technical Paper
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2011 AM call for papers: Metalworking Fluids Technical Session
9/24/2010

Technical Paper
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2011 AM call for papers: Power Generation
9/24/2010

Technical Paper
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2011 AM call for papers: Wear Technical Committee
9/24/2010

Technical Paper
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2011 AM call for papers: Seals
9/24/2010

Technical Paper
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2011 AM call for papers
9/24/2010

Technical Paper
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Instruction to access recorded webinar
9/24/2010

Technical Paper
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CHICAGO SECTION STLE TECHNICAL MEETING
9/13/2010

Practical Applications
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The Quest for Fire Resistance
9/1/2010

Jean Van Rensselar

Featured Articles
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environmental track IJTC 2010
8/20/2010

Featured Articles
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Strategic Oil Analysis: Time Dependent Alarms for Extended Lubricant Lifecycles
8/2/2010

Mike Johnson

Featured Articles

TLT: Oil analysis is a powerful tool in the machine condition monitoring toolbox—if used properly. Much like other technologies, it performs best within a well-developed plan. When accomplished, a well-devised plan can provide an effective long-term view into the health of any machine with lubricated components. TLT has provided STLE members with information about test methods, alarm methods and about the best alarm fit for the noted test methods to construct an effective oil analysis approach. The November 2009 TLT provides an overview that would be a worthwhile preview to this article. This article can be found on the STLE Web site. The 2009 article indicates that there are three common alarm types for grading the underlying problems for sumps and lubricated components.These are statistical (alarms used to identify machine wear problems), absolute (aka aging alarms, used to identify lubricant health and degradation) and percentage-based alarms(used for lubricant health and contamination monitoring).
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Presidents Report August
8/1/2010

Peter Drechsler

Featured Articles

STLE has thrived for more than 66 years due to the support of a very special group of companies.
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ISO 281: 2007 Bearing-life Standard
7/1/2010

Featured Articles

Every major industrialized nation in the world accepts the new bearing-life standard except the U.S. Why-and what does it mean for the industry?
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20 Minutes with John M. Burke
6/1/2010

Thomas T. Astrene

Featured Articles

TLT: How did you first become aware that the Southern California Air Quality Management District was looking into volatile organic compound content for MWFs and lubricants? Burke: It all started in March of 2008. I received a call from Mike Pearce of the W.S. Dodge Oil Co. in Maywood, Calif. Mike called me directly because at that time I was the chairman of ILMA’s Safety Health Environmental and Regulatory Affairs committee. He started the conversion by saying, “Do you know what is going on out here with the South Coast Air Quality Management District (SCAQMD)?”
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Executing an effective sump conversion
6/1/2010

Mike Johnson

Best Practices

For anything less than ideal circumstances, machines impose tremendous stress on the lubricants designed to protect the loaded surfaces. Through their routine operation, machine components can cause shear stress and heating. Often components rupture the protective fi lm and generate wear debris. Machines churn in or suck in air that creates bubbles and, within pressurized fl ow circuits, superheat and vaporize the lubricant. Human actions can complicate the picture as well, as routine repairs often introduce additional process and atmospheric contaminants. The act of opening the system to affect component replacement, and the components themselves, introduce contaminants. The routine work of machine lubrication, both oil and grease, offers numerous opportunities to further corrupt the sump with atmospheric solids, moisture, process chemicals and other lubricants.
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Seeing the start of sheer
6/1/2010

Drs. Wilfred T. Tysoe & Nicholas D. Spencer

Featured Articles

We previously reported in this column on an elegant method for measuring the real area of a static contact that was developed by professor Jay Fineberg and his group at the Hebrew University of Jerusalem in Israel. The interface between two contacting Plexiglas ® blocks was illuminated with a laser beam. The light was reflected from regions that were not in contact but was transmitted at the asperity-asperity contacts, thereby enabling the real area of contact to be measured from the amount of light transmitted.
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Loving the sound of 'no'
6/1/2010

Jerry L. Kennedy

Sales & Marketing

Here’s something to ponder. I think a successful sales career is based less on your ability to get people to say yes and more on your ability to get them to tell you no, faster and more often. Unless you want to be the kind of manipulative salesperson that everyone loves to hate, you can’t really get someone else to say yes to you. If, however, you want to be the kind of salesperson that’s admired and respected by your customers and prospects, you have to become a master of getting people to say no, as quickly and efficiently as possible. Why? Because in most cases, the alternative to saying no is not saying yes—it’s one of the 1,001 variations of maybe that prospects learn in sales avoidance class.
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Speaking their language
6/1/2010

Peter A. Oglevie

Featured Articles

Last year I worked with a young man who was helping me put in a driveway/patio. He was probably around the same as my daughter in college. Because of our generational differences, I had to be on my toes to keep up with speaking his language. I had to learn new terms like wazzup, yo, waz shakin’ and a few I could not quite get (street talk). I personally have nothing against using these words as long as I understand the meaning. For example, my job as a sales engineer(problem solver) was to sell and solve lubrication problems on the shop floor. To perform this task, I found it necessary to communicate on three levels. The first level is the purchasing department (dollars). The second level is engineering (technical). The last level is the shop floor supervisor and machine operator (practical).
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Faster, more durable lithium-ion batteries
6/1/2010

Dr. Neil Canter

Featured Articles

The potential for using lithium-ion batteries in a number of applications is due to their superior performance, which includes lower power loss compared to other battery types. But problems have been encountered with slow cycling (charge and discharge) rates of lithium ions and safety. In the latter case, lithium-ion batteries have been found to catch on fire during use. In a previous TLT article, a layered lithium battery was developed featuring a transitional cathodic material, which contains high levels of nickel in the core and high concentrations of manganese on the surface. The former generates high energy but is unstable while the latter is more stable. This cathode material provides the combination of high energy with better stability.
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High Performance Lubricants: Cost vs Performance
5/1/2010

Mike Johnson

Best Practices

From the purchasing manager’s viewpoint, there can be a fair amount of angst associated with the purchase of high-performance lubricants. This is driven by the combined issues of proof of performance and value vs. the inevitable spike in purchase cost. Proof of performance can be diffi cult. It is impossible to see into the invisible gap between the lubricant surfaces in the machine to judge precisely what the material is doing for its obvious price premium.
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Wind in the Willows
5/1/2010

Dr. Robert M. Gresham

Featured Articles
Tribology & Lubricants Fundamentals

In previous articles I have discussed the business and technical aspects of the wind energy movement. Indeed, the wind energy movement has certainly demonstrated that it has legs. There is a great deal of research funding dedicated to solving or resolving many of the technical issues affecting this industry. Many STLE members are enjoying this largesse. These issues are intriguing and challenging—good work for tribologists and lubrication engineers. By the way, if you want to learn more about how STLE members perceive the challenges of wind turbines, please see the Sounding Board article in last month’s issue of TLT.
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Real-world oil analysis: Part III
5/1/2010

Jack Poley

Featured Articles

Continuing our exploration of real-world oil analysis, here is a collection of four sets of data from a final drive (planetary gearset) on an earth mover that really presents no evaluation mystery at the macro level. Get rid of the dirt and water, flush out the sump best one can, resolve the reason (seal compromise, lube-handling practices or one-off extrahostile environmental or usage conditions) and have a fairly healthy gear system—assuming it hasn’t failed from neglect since the problem was detected two samples earlier. The lube was changed one sample ago; that’s drained, as in the entirety of the work that was done. This customer evidently believes or hopes that changing the oil makes the problem go away, as no maintenance effort beyond the change was undertaken, nor was a system flush attempted. Well, at least the numbers got smaller.
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Gas-expanded lubricants
5/1/2010

Dr. Neil Canter

Featured Articles

Gas-expanded liquids have been widely studied in the chemical sector for a variety of applications since the 1990s. According to Andres Clarens, assistant professor of civil and environmental engineering at the University of Virginia in Charlottesville, Va., “These liquids are often a mixture of a gas such as carbondioxide and a solvent under elevated pressures. By controlling the pressure and the temperature of the mixture, it is possible to carefully specify the properties of the fluid, which has important implications in a lot of applications where tunability is desired.” These mixtures make for easy separation of carbon dioxide from a solvent. Clarens indicates that one other benefit is that these mixtures reduce the total amount of solvent required for a specific operation. He says, “Adding carbon dioxide reduces the amount of solvent required for a specific application, and this lowers the cost and reduces the environmental footprint.”
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Snow, ice and friction
5/1/2010

R. David Whitby

Featured Articles

With the cold and snow in Northern Europe and North America behind us, I am reminded of the value of high coefficients of friction in which well-designed rubber tires provide a good grip on dry roads. But why is it possible to drive on snow but much more difficult to drive on ice? Why is it more difficult to get moving on an icy road but easier to keep moving once you’re going? What about the problem of stopping? Friction, a force that opposes motion in a particular direction, occurs when the surfaces of two materials come into contact with each other. Since no surface is completely smooth, there will always be a frictional force that opposes motion. The magnitude of this friction depends on the surfaces’ materials, including their respective roughness, temperature, the normal force and other factors.
more >>
 
Strategic oil analysis: Onsite practices using sensory inspection
4/1/2010

Mike Johnson

Best Practices

Much can be determined from oil analysis by using our human senses. Seeing, feeling, hearing and smelling for changes in the operating stage represents the first stages of the analysis routine. This article is Part II of this five-part series and is intended to highlight oil analysis testing conducted with four of the five sensors that we are born with. LOW COST, HIGH-VALUE OIL ANALYSIS Launching an oil analysis program doesn’t have to mean waiting for the allocation of money and approval for a purchase request. The first tools are the senses of the technicians and skilled tradesmen involved in the work of manufacturing, and the first analysis reports are the reflections from technicians relying on specific knowledge, not just common sense. The overriding question is: What changed?
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Unleashing the potential of ionic liquids
4/1/2010

Jean Van Rensselar

Featured Articles

In other words, it's not easy. However, it's really more like trying to take care of two-year-old triplets then herding cats--if you're successful, the rewards are substantial. Those involved in IL research are wowed by the possibilities and--at the same time--frusturated by the complexities. While all new disciplines suffer from lack of coordination and focus, this is especially true with ILs because of the enormous range of options and the fact that they're relatively easy to formulate.
more >>
 
Tribology's Olympic research
4/1/2010

Drs. Wilfred T. Tysoe & Nicholas D. Spencer

Featured Articles

With the Winter Olympics behind us, now is a good time to reflect on the extent to which tribology contributed to the sports we enjoyed watching. Clearly the major reason for playing sports on ice and snow at all is that frozen water offers the possibility for human beings to move across the land at very high speeds. Skiing, which dates as far back as the seventh millennium BC, was introduced as an Olympic sport in the 1924 Winter Games in Chamonix, France, and remains a very popular winter pastime in many parts of the world. While wooden skis were the norm up until the middle of the 20th Century, the use of polymers began as a ski base in the 1950s, and ultrahigh molecular weight polyethylene (UHMWPE) has remained the standard surface for snow contact, both for amateurs and professionals.
more >>
 
Good Practices
4/1/2010

Peter A. Oglevie

Featured Articles

With the days getting longer and warmer temperatures, spring has finally arrived. While I enjoy this time of the year, I’m feeling a little stressed because I have to get my taxes done. So what do taxes and the shop floor have in common? For the sake of skipping the negative references, I’ll go straight to the one difference I enjoy. In my mind, neither are exact sciences. For example, you can take your taxes to 10 different accountants and get 10 different answers. On the shop floor, you can use 10 different metalworking lubricants and all make the same part. The difference from one lubricant to another is often process-driven.
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Drop friction
4/1/2010

Neil Canter

Featured Articles

A better understanding of friction at the macroscale and the nanoscale has been the subject of much research and a number of articles in TLT. We all know that a solid object placed on a surface can be moved once frictional forces are overcome. The force needed to push the object is proportional to the object’s weight or load. A heavier object has a greater contact area with the surface than a lighter one and, as a result, has more friction to overcome in order to move. This is the basis for Amontons’ laws of friction. In a previous TLT article, work was done to show that friction at the nanoscale is consistent with what is seen at the macroscale. Both effects are dependent upon the roughness of the surface. In the case of the nanoscale, roughness is defined by the number of atoms that interact between two surfaces.
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Operator-based lubrication practices
3/1/2010

Mike Johnson

Best Practices

Organizations improve manpower productivity and effectiveness in a variety of ways. The largest labor category is the production department. Where feasible, managers have incorporated operators in routine, orderly and sometimes sophisticated preshift machine checks to determine if the machine is ready for production. This concept is well established in some production environments because of the nature of the way that the operator interfaces with the machinery. Production of incremental parts lends itself well to this approach. Examples of this include the use of machines to assemble tires before they are cured, the machining of gears or stamping of metal frames for assembly into parts for finished goods.
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MWF heat treatment: Options for a critical process
3/1/2010

Dr. Neil Canter

Featured Articles

When the topic of metalworking is raised, most of us think of drilling a hole in a piece of metal or bending a metal part to form a component for an automobile. Not as many individuals realize that another process included under the realm of metalworking is heat treating or quenching. Heat treatment is utilized to adjust the physical and mechanical properties of metals so that they can be used in subsequent metalworking applications. These properties are changed by the controlled heating and then cooling of metals. In many cases, the objective of heat treatment is to increase the strength of a specific metal alloy. Most operations are conducted on steel alloys, but nonferrous metals such as aluminum and titanium also can be heat treated.
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Real-world oil analysis
3/1/2010

Jack Poley

Featured Articles

Let’s continue our discussion on concepts in oil analysis data evaluation from a worm gear drive in an industrial manufacturing plant. There are 17 reports available for this component, as we’ll inspect the most recent samples to present, as shown in Figure 1. At first glance this looks sudden but, looking at the Fe pattern now, we can see that the two previous samples were predictive of the wear event in the most current sample, perhaps not as boring as I claimed. Si (silicon) has dramatically increased, as well and, with no evidence to the contrary, is likely indicative of abrasive contamination.
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Feel of skin cream
3/1/2010

Dr. Neil Canter

Featured Articles

As an old surfactant chemist, I found out early in my career that there is a direct relationship between the components used in personal-care products and in lubricants. Formulators in both markets share components such as emulsifiers and lubricity additives. The latter are known to the personal-care industry as emollients. One personal-care product that we use everyday is skin cream. While we may not pay much attention to the product’s content, skin creams are complex emulsions that contain such additive types as humectants (attract and hold water in the skin) and occlusives (form a layer on the skin surface and moisturize by retarding water evaporation). In a sense, a skin cream has comparable components to an emulsified oil used in metalworking applications.
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Hydraulic fluids in wind turbines
3/1/2010

R. David Whitby

Featured Articles

In November 2008 I wrote about the problems with lubricating the gearboxes of wind turbines. Now a solution may be close to practical application in replacing the gearbox with hydraulic power transmission. Edinburgh, Scotland-based, Artemis Intelligent Power has been developing Digital Displacement® hydraulic power technology since the 1980s. At that time, professor Stephen Salter and his colleagues at the University of Edinburgh were investigating how to extract energy from waves. Hydraulic transmission seemed to be the best solution, but energy efficiencies at low power inputs are comparatively low.
more >>
 
Measuring lubrication program health
2/1/2010

Mike Johnson

Best Practices

In recent TLT articles we’ve discussed the tools and methods used by reliability engineers and managers to deliver objective, quantifiable methods for plant lubrication decisions and actions, all focused on correcting incomplete or poor work practices. When work practices are derived through honest deliberation, objective and quantifiable practices, it leads to precise, efficient, quality results, which leads to improvements from the bottom to the top of the plant. Precise, clearly defined lubrication practices help improve quality (machine repeatability) and productivity (machine reliability), which produces wealth for the enterprise. Oddly enough, plant managers shy away from exercising a similar form of objective quantification for the entire program management practice/process. Without objective quantification of the whole, they can delude themselves into thinking that the parts of their programs are in much better shape than they really are.
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Supercritical fuel
2/1/2010

Dr. Neil Canter

Featured Articles

A wide range of approaches have been undertaken to determine how to reduce emissions from automotive engines. In a previous TLT article, the development of the homogeneous charge compression ignition (HCCI) engine was discussed. When used in place of a conventional gasoline engine, an HCCI engine can produce a 15% to 20% improvement in fuel economy and a significant reduction in NOx emissions. The HCCI process relies on spontaneous ignition of the gasoline, air mixture similar to the auto-ignition process in a diesel engine. As we all know, three specific states of matter (solid, liquid and gas) exist, and most substances can be found in one of these states at any given combination of temperature and pressure. When the temperature and pressure is increased above a value known as the critical point, the substance reaches a fourth state known as supercritical.
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Introducing new products
2/1/2010

Peter A. Oglevie

Featured Articles

My personal war with Old Man Winter rages on. He sends a blizzard, I get the snow blower (tool). He sends a dusting of snow, I get the snow shovel (tool). He sends a freezing rain, I get out the salt (chemistry). For every punch he throws, it seems I have a counterpunch. The problem is the time it takes to get back to normal after each punch. The shop floor is a lot like the weather. You never know when it will send its next nasty little surprise, and you do not know how much time it will take to overcome the difficulty. That is why shop floors spend so much time streamlining their manufacturing processes.
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The responsible salesperson
2/1/2010

Jerry L. Kennedy

Sales & Marketing

So far in our series about HERO selling, we’ve discussed the importance of two characteristics that are crucial to the success of a salesperson: being humble and ethical. So now let’s move on to the next characteristic on the list of HERO traits: being responsible. What does it mean to be responsible as a salesperson? Well, while being ethical means doing the right thing in a moral sense, being responsible means doing things the right way. It starts with following through on the commitments you make to your prospects and customers, and it’s an integral part of every future interaction you have with them. In other words, being responsible means behaving professionally.
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New products: How do we get them?
2/1/2010

Dr. Robert M. Gresham

Featured Articles
Tribology & Lubricants Fundamentals
more >>
 
How truly viable is wind energy?
1/1/2010

Dr. Robert M. Gresham

Tribology & Lubricants Fundamentals

Last year in TLT I discussed the wind energy issue and said that I couldn’t help but feel a little skeptical about the whole thing. Well, wind turbines haven’t gone away; indeed there is a new wind farm just a few miles north of where I live in Indianapolis. While my skepticism remains, there is a whale of a lot of activity and money being spent on what is clearly a hot topic. That is how problems are overcome. So what are the issues a year later?
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Stretching salt
1/1/2010

Dr. Neil Canter

Featured Articles

Salt or sodium chloride is a typical ionic solid that we all know well from both personal and professional perspectives. This compound contains sodium and chlorine ions organized in face-centered cubic crystals. Electrostatic interactions between these ions are the source of the bonding that holds this compound together. The presence of salt as a contaminant is a concern because it promotes metal corrosion. Salt is readily soluble in water and facilitates the movement of ions through metal, which accelerates the corrosion process. Salt is also a brittle material that readily shatters like glass when placed under pressure. But when placed in a humid environment, salt becomes more ductile. Nathan Moore, postdoctoral researcher at Sandia National Laboratories in Albuquerque, N.M., says, “It is possible to bend and twist large pieces of salt as long as they are not just single crystals but are made of smaller grains.”
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Defining synthetic lubricants
1/1/2010

R. David Whitby

Featured Articles

It’s been 10 years since the National Advertising Division of the U.S. Council of Better Business Bureau adjudicated on a dispute between Castrol and Mobil on the use of the word “synthetic” as a description of certain lubricants. The disagreement was over an advertising claim that began when the U.S. Mobil objected (despite allegedly having marketed hydroisomerised API Group III base oils as synthetic in Europe and elsewhere) that Castrol’s hydroprocessed Syntec® was not synthetic.
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Real-world oil analysis
1/1/2010

Jack Poley

Featured Articles

Let’s continue our discussion on concepts in oil analysis data evaluation by looking at a worm gear drive in an industrial manufacturing plant. There are 17 reports available for this component, all revealing interesting problems and anomalies regarding the analytical evidence. We’re faced with a problem in the very first sample, as shown in Figure 1, in the P (phosphorous) series. It’s flagged at Severity Two (abnormal) with the auto-evaluation system in use.
more >>
 
Strategic Oil Analysis: Estimating remaining lubricant life
1/1/2010

Johnson, M. & Spurlock, M.

Best Practices
more >>
 
Strategic oil analysis: Lubricant sampling for quality results
12/1/2009

Mike Johnson & Matt Spurlock

Best Practices

This is the last article of TLT's five-part series, which is intended to introduce and discuss key principles and parameters that determine oil analysis effectiveness. In previous articles we’ve suggested that oil analysis is the feedback loop that tells the practitioner whether the lubrication activities are delivering the expected results from the lubrication program. Oil analysis plans should be designed to provide information about the state of the lubricant condition, the cleanliness of the sump and the condition of the machine. Additionally, we’ve reviewed test types and organization of tests into a test slate for each of several machine types. Lastly, we’ve reviewed predefined alarm sets designed to create an alarm state anytime the actual data exceeds the alarm limit.
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The tribology of personal care
12/1/2009

Drs. Wilfred T. Tysoe & Nicholas D. Spencer

Featured Articles

While many of us in the tribology community concern ourselves with the sliding contact of metallic components, including their lubrication with oil and all the associated sealing, condition monitoring and additive technologies, we should not forget that tribological issues go far beyond this into the most personal aspects of our everyday lives. Tribological problems in the personal-care industry abound, whether they be in the design of hair-care products (which probably also involves some condition monitoring), the development of nail polish, where adhesion and wear phenomena are important issues, or the formulation of skin creams where the lubrication behavior of the cream during application can determine the degree of consumer acceptance.
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The ethical salesperson
12/1/2009

Jerry L. Kennedy

Featured Articles

In October we talked about the importance of being a humble HERO. By now I hope, you’ve had a chance to observe the effects of humility in your sales day. So let’s move on to the next characteristic on the list of HERO traits: being ethical. After all, there’s no such thing as an ethical salesperson, right? Strange as it might sound, I want to assure you that there are, in fact, a lot of ethical salespeople out there.
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When alligators bite
12/1/2009

Peter A. Oglevie

Featured Articles

The other day I was working on a major project at my house when I was reminded of the old adage: “When you’re up to your elbows in alligators, it is hard to remember that your original intent was to drain the swamp.” My swamp is my side yard where I am putting in a driveway/patio that also will drain the side yard year round. Winter is approaching, and the job must be finished soon. If not, I have to pay $15 a month and walk a block to a parking lot while Swamp Oglevie forms in the spring.
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Improved solar power reflector
12/1/2009

Dr. Neil Canter

Featured Articles

Development of alternative energy sources has been a daunting task from both the technology and economic standpoints. A case in point is capturing solar energy for use in generating electricity. In a previous TLT article, a heat transfer fluid is found to be an integral component in a parabolic mirror used to capture solar energy for the generation of electricity. The parabolic mirror efficiently captures and focuses solar rays onto a receiver pipe containing a heat transfer fluid. Keith Gawlik, senior engineer at the U.S. Department of Energy’s National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL), says, “The use of parabolic mirrors to capture solar energy dates back to the first installations in the 1980s. In a period between 1984 and 1991, the Solar Electric Generating Systems (SEGS) was established in the U.S. in the Mojave Desert in California. SEGS includes nine plants with a total capacity of 354 megawatts.”
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Strategic oil analysis: Selecting alarms, setting limits
11/1/2009

Mike Johnson & Matt Spurlock

Best Practices

This is Part IV of TLT’s five-part series, which is intended to introduce and discuss key principles and parameters that management should consider when implementing a oil sampling and analysis plan. In April we discussed how oil analysis is the feedback loop telling the practitioner whether the lubrication activities are delivering the results expected. Oil analysis should provide information about the state of the lubricant condition, the cleanliness of the sump and the condition of the machine. A variety of tests are used to deliver this type of information. The tests provide insight into machine operating states by focusing on lubricant health, sump/lubricant contamination conditions and changing machine health.
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Nanoparticle-based emission catalysts
11/1/2009

Dr. Neil Canter

Featured Articles

Reducing automotive emissions increases the need for more effective catalyst technologies. In the U.S., EPA has reduced the NOx emission requirements to 1.2 grams per brake hp hour in 2007. This emissions requirement will drop further to 0.2 gram per brake hp hour in 2010. In a past column, the benefits of a cerium oxide-modified Cu-ZSM-5 catalyst were described in reducing NOx emissions. The introduction of cerium oxide enabled the catalyst to function in the temperature range (between 325 C and 350 C) of diesel exhaust. The catalyst can remove 95% to 100% of NOx emissions.
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Extending lubricant life
11/1/2009

R. David Whitby

Featured Articles

The nature of lubrication is that lubricants deteriorate in service. This can be either planned and controlled or uncontrolled. Good lubrication practice is strongly focused on the former. Following are several factors that affect the useful life of a lubricant: • Oxidation • Thermal degradation • Contamination • Foaming • Air-release • Demulsibility.
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Interpreting oil analysis data
11/1/2009

Jack Poley

Featured Articles

In September we introduced the notion of spherical evaluation techniques, i.e., approaching the oil analysis evaluation problem from all directions and nuances possible like, for example, a puzzle. We started with a significantly out-of-spec viscosity difference in a gearbox with a straight-grade oil, almost always indicative of a mis-add such as putting the wrong product in the gearbox sump. Later we presented the same problem with a diesel engine, wherein viscosity decreased substantially, though we now had to also consider an operating problem, possibly in the fuel-delivery circuit. As a result, this added another layer of thought, which is still a rather simple diagnostic consideration. The report herein adds yet more complexity to the evaluation process. Note: The data flagged here were flagged against statistical determinants for similar components and applications.
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Shaken, not stirred
11/1/2009

Paul Hetherington

Featured Articles

Many years ago I worked for an organization with a medium-sized utility plant that had four 50-mw, steam-driven turbo-generators operating continuously for about 15 years with the same oil. Over time the oil started to develop a measurable amount of foam in the tanks, to a point where some action was warranted. The oil volume in each of the tanks was a little more than 6,000 liters, and oil changes would have been a fairly significant expense. Since I am a firm believer in avoiding “quick-fix” additive treatment products, I chose instead to take a much more systematic and due diligence approach. At least that was the plan!
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Rust & Corrosion Inhibition of industrial Lubricants
10/5/2009

Robert Baker

Speaker
Tribology & Lubricants Fundamentals
more >>
 
Synthetic submarine hydrualic oil
10/1/2009

Dr. Neil Canter

Featured Articles

Lubricant fluids used in submarine propulsion systems must meet very challenging operating conditions. Submarines function very independently, which means their operating systems need to perform reliably over long time periods. If a problem occurs with a submarine at sea, the chances for outside assistance are remote. A lubricating fluid in a submarine must therefore be very reliable. STLE members Dr. Richard Sapienza, CEO of METSS Corp., Westerville, Ohio, and William Ricks, senior research scientist for METSS Corp., say, “Space constraints in a submarine mean that it cannot carry too many materials. Lubricants must not only be reliable but also multifunctional.”
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X-rays by triboluminescence?
10/1/2009

Drs. Wilfred T. Tysoe & Nicholas D. Spencer

Featured Articles

The phenomenon of triboluminescence, the emission of light during rubbing, is well known and was first recorded by Francis Bacon in 1620 where he noted that, “It is well known that all sugar, whether candied or plain, if it be hard, will sparkle when broken or scraped in the dark.” Also, the emission of other particles such as electrons to produce a “triboplasma” at sliding interfaces is well documented. One might expect that this phenomenon would relate to the strength of the chemical bonds that are broken. However, it was found as early as 1939 that an adhesive tape affixed to a surface, which is thought to be held together by rather weak van der Waals forces, provided, upon peeling apart, an example of a triboluminescent system and generated light emission that could also be detected by the naked eye.
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Why HEROs are humble
10/1/2009

Jerry L. Kennedy

Featured Articles

After reading my August column, “Will You Be An Economic HERO?” several people have asked me why I included being humble as a factor in being a HERO salesperson. After all, humility isn’t normally a quality we associate with salespeople. On the contrary, many salespeople would consider humility to be a weakness in their sales efforts. One of the first things you’ll notice when you deal with a HERO salesperson, though, is that he or she is humble. Actually, you won’t so much notice the humility as you will notice the lack of the opposite—arrogance. While many of the salespeople you are used to dealing with are, for the most part, overconfident, arrogant know-it-alls, the HERO is noticeably different. How, though, is being humble an advantage in your sales career?
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Kill the buggers
10/1/2009

Peter A. Oglevie

Featured Articles

As a sailor I hate the words “what if?” For example, what if the weather was better? What if our winds were lighter? What if the bottom of the boat is clean and friction is reduced to a minimum? I crew on a sailing team and over the years the EPA has restricted the use of some paint additives that are effective in reducing the growth of algae on the wetted surfaces of the boat. These days, even while using the best-bottom paint available, we find moss growing on the bottom of the boat. We have to physically scrub the moss off before each race to reduce friction.
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Lean, mean manufactoring machines
10/1/2009

Dr. Robert M. Gresham

Tribology & Lubricants Fundamentals

Through our relationship with the Society of Manufacturing Engineers (SME), I have come to learn more about a new term called lean manufacturing. What does this word have to do with tribology and lubrication engineering? Actually, lean manufacturing has a lot to do with us. I suppose this subject resonates with me because of my industry experience working in manufacturing for both Du- Pont and E/M Corp. In those days life was actually pretty easy. All I had to do was ship the right quality at the right cost at the right time. I could put a number on each of these, and at the end of the day I knew in clear terms whether I had done the job. Better yet, these numbers were all compared to a standard.
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Industrial fluid contaminants and their effect
9/1/2009

Mike Johnson

Best Practices

Contamination control of sumps is a vital requirement to preserve machine function and component health for all mechanical systems. Without it few systems could achieve their intended purpose or lifecycle. Destructive contaminants enter lubrication sumps, both oil and grease, and initiate unwelcome chemical and physical reactions and interactions. The products and byproducts of the reactions harm both machine and lubricant in a variety of ways. A lubricant contaminant is “any amount of material or energy which constitutes a chemically reactive hazard or that mechanically impairs the proper functioning of the equipment and the performance of the system.”
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Why superconductivity = super opportunity
9/1/2009

Betty Catalina Kohanloo

Featured Articles

As the flat economy has stressed both industries and consumers worldwide, almost everyone, it seems, is seeking aggressive tactics to decrease variable costs stemming from energy consumption. With economic woes mounting, the energy efficiency concerns of the 1970s and ’80s are plaguing the world again. The rise of resource nationalism in foreign and domestic countries, a “no drilling in my backyard attitude” by many, increased demands from developing countries and a stagnant supply has led to escalating energy prices. Since greater than 63% of all electricity in the U.S. industrial energy sector is consumed by motors, and due to high electrical costs, implementing energy-efficient strategies could help reduce unnecessary spending. By emulating the energy policies of Germany, Japan and others in the European Union, the U.S. may be able to offset energy costs.
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Marketing vs. technology
9/1/2009

R. David Whitby

Featured Articles

Developing and selling new or improved lubricants depends ultimately on two critical factors: market requirements and technology implementation. If there is no market for a particular product or an oil or grease cannot be formulated and demonstrated to provide cost-effective lubrication, then the new product will not find buyers. Unfortunately, these two factors can sometimes seem to oppose each other. Enthusiastic lubricant marketers can assume that a product that meets a user need in one circumstance will be beneficial for all other users. Dedicated lubricant formulators may develop a product that suits one group of users but resist the promotion of competitors' products that might offer superior performance.
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Special Report: Boundary Lubricity Additives
9/1/2009

Dr. Neil Canter

Featured Articles

In a past additive column we explored the different types of extreme pressure (EP) agents and provided information on future trends to enable readers to learn more about how to use this important class of additives. We decided on the topic after surveying TLT readers. Considering the variety of additives used to boost the performance of industrial lubricants, we decided to do another readership survey in mid-2009 to see what additive type our readers would most like to learn more about. The majority of readers said lubricity additives have the greatest impact on lubricant performance and is the area they are most interested in learning more about. From the survey we determined there was some confusion about the differences between boundary lubricity additives and extreme pressure agents. In this article, TLT requested interviews with key manufacturers of boundary lubricity additives to obtain their insights on how these additives function, how to differentiate the performance of boundary lubricity additives, when to recommend a boundary lubricity additive instead of an EP agent and future trends.
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What's the point?
9/1/2009

Jack Poley

Featured Articles

We call it “oil analysis” and, as I’ve often noted, it’s a bit of a misnomer— actually, more than a bit to me. Following is a short quiz for which (suggested) answers have appeared in previous columns: The purpose of oil analysis is to: a. Garner pertinent data b. Make, preserve or conserve money c. Extend lube drains with minimal risk d. Make timely, useful maintenance and equipment utilization decisions. The answer is “all the above,” but if one adds the word: “primary” before “purpose,” the answer is (b.) to make or preserve money.
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The secret is in the formulation
9/1/2009

Dr. Roger Melley

Featured Articles

Back in the early 1970s I was working with the research department in the chemical division of a multinational rubber company. In addition to running R&D programs, I provided technical service to our plants around the United Kingdom. I remember receiving a call from the technical manager of one of our plants in Scotland requesting help with a particular formulation. It seems that batches mixed on day shift had a tendency to just fail the technical specs, while those mixed overnight were always perfect. They had monitored operations and, as far as they could determine, there were no differences at all in the procedures.
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Biological control in MWFs
8/1/2009

Peter A. Oglevie

Featured Articles

My daughter is about to spread her wings and fly. She graduated from high school with high honors and wants to be a medical doctor. This will require commitment and dedication, and she’ll be in school for a long time before she sees her first patient. Considering this, I asked her a simple question: “Is this what you want to do?” “Dad, I can’t see myself as anything else,” she said. I talked to her about the possibility of going into infectious disease research because she could save millions of people with her work instead of the hundreds as a cardiologist. She said, “That’s not what I want to do, Dad.” My daughter is a lot like me, she likes the challenge of diagnosing and treating the problems rather than the environment of the laboratory.
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Will you be an economic HERO?
8/1/2009

Jerry L. Kennedy

Featured Articles

Lately there has been a lot of talk about the global economic crisis. In fact, it seems to be all anyone is talking about. I hope you are ready to do something about it, because this article and the five to follow are a call to action for all sales professionals, regardless of industry. It’s my firm belief that the salespeople of the world (that’s you) hold the solution to the current economic situation in their hands. I believe this because, more than anything, what the economy needs right now is for people to feel comfortable buying again. At the moment most buyers are reluctant to part with any of their money out of fear for the day when they won’t have any more to spend.
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New test method for detecting microbes in MWFs
8/1/2009

Dr. Neil Canter

Featured Articles

Microbial contamination continues to be an ongoing problem in managing metalworking fluid systems. If left untreated, bacteria and fungi can degrade the components in a metalworking fluid and present health risks to the workers at an end-user facility. Degradation of metalworking fluids leads to a reduction in fluid performance. Such detrimental issues as corrosion, increased tool wear and replacement and increased parts rejection rates also can occur in systems dealing with microbial contamination. One other factor is the generation of biofilms that can lead to filter plugging. Determination of the level of microbes is mainly conducted by using dipslides. STLE-Fellow Dr. Fred Passman of BCA, Inc., in Princeton, N.J., says, “The purpose of the test is to detect microbes by placing a sample of the metalworking fluid in a growth medium for 36 to 48 hours. On one side of the paddle, red spots characteristic of bacteria can grow while on the other side fuzzy white spots characteristic of fungi are seen.”
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Hip surface science
8/1/2009

Drs. Wilfred T. Tysoe & Nicholas D. Spencer

Featured Articles

One of the most astonishing tribological systems in nature is that found in our hips and other articular joints. These joints show exceedingly low sliding friction and contain their own lubricant- producing machinery. In most cases they last for many decades without significant wear. Obviously there are good reasons for trying to understand how these remarkable tribosystems work, not least because our aging population is reaching the end of the useful life of their hip or knee joints in ever-increasing numbers. Over the years there has been a multitude of different mechanisms invoked to describe the lubrication of articular joints. These have included boundary lubrication, elastohydrodynamic lubrication, microelastohydrodynamic lubrication, squeeze-film lubrication, “weeping” lubrication, “boosted” lubrication, electrostatic lubrication, biphasic lubrication, brush lubrication and gel lubrication to name but a few! In fact, many of these mechanisms may be involved to a greater or lesser extent, or in combination, under different conditions of joint use.
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Green redux
8/1/2009

Dr. Robert M. Gresham

Featured Articles

Based on my experiences last fall attending STLE's International Joint Tribology Conference and the Annual Meeting held by the American Oil Chemists Society, I have waxed a bit about all things green, particularly as they pertain to our industry—probably more than you ever wanted to read. In these articles I’ve tried to add perspective and make a few key points. First, green technology has to be financially sound. The global price of crude oil controls these economics. Green technology has certain inherent costs, as do all technologies, and while we can, through science and engineering, work to reduce these costs, at the end of the day they are what they are. When the global price of crude is high, exceeding these costs by a respectable margin, these green technologies look pretty good. Conversely, green technologies don’t look so good when the global price is low, as it is at the time of writing this article. The biggest problem is price swings, which create a moving target.
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Strategic oil analysis: Developing the test slates
7/1/2009

Mike Johnson & Matt Spurlock

Best Practices

Lubricant-based machine con- di- tion analysis has become one of several mainstream technologies used by reliability engineers and machine owners in their efforts to improve machine performance. It took many years for the quality of the end product—a machine condition assessment—to achieve broadbased respect. The end product—the machine condition report—has improved for many reasons. Certainly, developments in instrumentation have enabled service providers to improve the consistency and quality of each analysis technique. These same improvements also have enabled service providers to conduct tests more effi ciently, quickly and cost-effectively.
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Test efficacy in oil analysis
7/1/2009

Jack Poley

Featured Articles

In recent columns we’ve addressed the fact that oil analysis is cheaper and implied that overall it was also better. But what does better mean? Oil analysis consists of a variety of selected tests that reveal accessible information for practical maintenance decisions. Previously, I’ve discussed that most information tested for has remained the same over four decades, but the testing methods changed due to development of increasingly sophisticated instrumentation. Such development added desirable capabilities and reduced costs.
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Correcting seal failures
7/1/2009

R. David Whitby

Featured Articles

In May we discussed why seals are vital to the maintenance of operating machinery. Unfortunately, seals can either wear out or fail. To determine whether a seal has worn or failed, the wearable face should be examined. For most lip seals this is the face manufactured from some type of elastomer (rubber). Since the seal face is the only sacrificial part of a mechanical seal, a worn out seal has no elastomer nose piece left at the time it started to leak. A failed seal still has substantial elastomer remaining at the time it started to leak.
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Contact conundrum conquered?
6/1/2009

Drs. Wilfred T. Tysoe & Nicholas D. Spencer

Featured Articles

One of the central issues in tribology is correctly determining the true area of contact between two surfaces. In large-scale contacts, the real contact area is made up of a number of contacting asperities. One of the central ideas behind using atomic force microscopy (AFM) to study friction is that the sharp tips used in this technique model a single-asperity contact. Moreover, it was thought that the contact mechanics could be described using analytical theories developed by Hertz, which showed that the area of contact was proportional to (Load)2/3. This theory has been modified to include the effects of adhesion between the contacting surfaces but still yields analytical formulae with sublinear dependences of contact area on load.
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Upgrading biodegradable lubricant performance
6/1/2009

Dr. Neil Canter

Featured Articles

Interest in the use of biodegradable lubricants continues as more emphasis is placed on using fluids that are derived from sustainable raw materials. One area of concern with current biodegradable lubricants is inferior performance compared to synthetic lubricants, particularly from the standpoint of oxidation stability and low-temperature characteristics. Readily available feedstocks such as soybean oil often do not provide sufficient oxidation stability because of very high levels of polyunsaturated fatty acid chains such as linoleic in the triglyceride structure. These fatty acids are particularly vulnerable to oxidation and, as a consequence, the generation of insoluble varnishes and residues can occur.
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How do you make an orange?
6/1/2009

Jerry L. Kennedy

Featured Articles

“How do you make an orange?” When I ask business owners and sales professionals that question, I get a lot of different responses: “I buy them at the store.” “I pick them off a tree.” “I start with a seed.” “So what you’re telling me,” I reply, “is that you have no idea how to make an orange.”
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Lessons from home
6/1/2009

Peter A. Oglevie

Featured Articles

Much of what I am is the product of the lessons learned from my parents. Dad always told me, if you have to do a job, do it to the best of your abilities. He was also the man who taught me much of what I know about the shop floor and manufacturing processes. Mom was the one who taught me patience and understanding. They both taught me that if you fail you get back up and try again. They both taught me to look for the good in everyone. Their lessons bring to mind a bittersweet shop floor story.
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Waste treatment in tough times
6/1/2009

Dr. Robert M. Gresham

Tribology & Lubricants Fundamentals

During tough times it’s important for managers to stay focused and disciplined regarding the things that made their company successful during the good times. This is not to say you don’t embrace positive change or hang on to old things that aren’t working—those changes should come in good or bad times. Rather, we can get so caught up in trying to reduce costs and increase sales that we forget the basics. The management of a company’s waste stream is an example of a behind-the-scenes activity that should not be a major drain on profitability. With proper management waste treatment can result in such positives as reducing new lubricant purchases, lowering the cost of waste treatment, improving the environment and eliminating fines and a negative societal image. You also can generate sales of certain wastes as boiler fuel. In other words, a business case can and should be made for proper waste management and recycling—even in tough times.
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Selecting the ‘perfect’ metalworking fluid
3/1/2009

Jerry P. Byers

Best Practices
MWF Special Section
more >>
 
The Possibilities and Limitations of DRY MACHINING
3/1/2009

Dr. Neil Canter

MWF Special Section

Dry and near-dry machining won’t replace traditional metalworking fluid technology anytime soon, but they do offer advantages for some niche markets.
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20 Minutes wtih Dr. Maura Sheehan
3/1/2009

Thomas T. Astrene

MWF Special Section
People in the News

She chaired the OSHA committee responsible for a landmark study on MWFs and offers a 13-point plan for improving industrial health and safety.
more >>
 
Relationship between the presence of mycobacteria and non-mycobacteria in metalworking fluids
3/1/2009

Drs. Frederick J. Passman, Katalin Rossmoore & Leonard Rossmoore

Case Studies
MWF Special Section

Researchers investigate test samples to get a better understanding of the microbial population in MWF
more >>
 
Challenges in formulating metal-forming fluids
3/1/2009

Dr. Neil Canter

Featured Articles
MWF Special Section

Developing metal-forming fluids for specific applications and increasing manufacturing productivity are just some of the problems facing lubricant suppliers.
more >>
 
Sounding Board Survey March 2009
3/1/2009

MWF Special Section
Sounding Board

Please describe the most difficult problem you observed in a manufacturing operation that involved metalworking fluids. How did you resolve the problem?
more >>
 
I get misty…no more!
3/1/2009

Robert Gresham

Featured Articles
MWF Special Section

Controlling mist contamination is a top priority for metalworking fluid managers in protecting the environment of their operations.
more >>
 
Metalworking Fluids, Second Edition Book Review
3/1/2009

Dr. Robert M. Gresham

Editor's Choice
MWF Special Section

Edited by Jerry P. Byers, Milacron, Inc., Cincinnati, Ohio Co-published by CRC Press (Taylor & Francis Group) and STLE
more >>
 
Spotlight on Metalworking Fluids
3/1/2009

STLE

MWF Special Section

Cover and table of contents
more >>
 
Download free collection of Lubrication Fundamental articles reprinted from STLE’s membership magazine
11/26/2008

Tribology & Lubricants Fundamentals
more >>
 
Selecting the correct lubricant
3/1/2008

Mike Johnson

Best Practices

Before making a decision, evaluate the component function, lubricant film requirement and lubricant capability.
more >>
 
Creating an effective lubrication survey
1/1/2008

Mike Johnson

Best Practices

You start with a criticality assessment, an in-depth analysis of the key operating factors and environment of a plant’s machinery.
more >>
 
20 Minutes with Ronald Reich
1/1/2008

Karl Phipps

People in the News

As this technical consultant in Alcoa’s tribology division can attest, developing lubricant formulas for rolling aluminum is a complicated and subtle busines.s
more >>
 
What'sTribology?
8/1/2007

Robert Gresham

Tribology & Lubricants Fundamentals
more >>
 
Viscosity: The Resistance to flow
8/1/2007

Tribology & Lubricants Fundamentals
more >>
 
Lubricant Base Oils
8/1/2007

Tribology & Lubricants Fundamentals
more >>
 
20 Minutes with Andreas Polycarpou
5/1/2007

Karl Phipps

People in the News

This mechanical engineering professor is dedicated to his profession and enjoys teaching and mentoring the next generation of future tribologists.
more >>
 
20 Minutes with Dr. Michael Kotzalas
1/1/2007

Karl Phipps

People in the News

This engineering specialist is developing new technology to reduce friction in bearings used in various machine applications.
more >>
 
Are you ready for sales sucess?
9/1/2006

Jerry L. Kennedy

Sales & Marketing

Achieving growth as a good salesperson involves discovering new opportunities, being prepared and treating your customers with the quality service they deserve.
more >>
 
Knock Em Dead - Part Three
8/1/2006

Jerry L. Kennedy

Sales & Marketing

Want to keep your sales career moving in a positive direction? Focus on these four self-attributes-desire, enthusiasm, awareness and discipline.
more >>
 
Alkylated Naphthalenes as High-Performance Synthetic Lubricating Fluids
8/1/2006

Michel J. Hourani, Ed. T. Hessell, Richard A. Abramshe, and James Liang

Award Winning Research

Edmond E. Bisson award winner for best-written contribution dealing with tribology, lubrication engineering or allied disciplines.
more >>
 
Getting the "DROP" on your customers
7/1/2006

Jerry L. Kennedy

Sales & Marketing

How do you make those you sell to feel like royalty? Treat them with Dignity, Respect,Optimism and Professionalism.
more >>
 
Improve your sales - Part One
6/1/2006

Jerry L. Kennedy

Sales & Marketing

Want to be a great salesperson? First commit to becoming a great person.
more >>
 
A Transient Mixed Lubrication Model of a Rotary Lip Seal with a Rough Shaft
6/1/2006

Dawei Shen and Richard F. Salant

Award Winning Research

Frank P. Bussick award winner for outstanding published technical paper written on sealing systems technology and materials.
more >>
 
A Novel Approach to Predictive Maintenance:
5/1/2006

John K. Duchowski, Ph.D and Horst Mannebach, Ph.D.

Award Winning Research

Wilbur Deutsch Memorial award winner for outstanding paper written on the practical aspects of lubrication.
more >>
 
Ultra High Pressure Tribometer for Testing CO2 Refrigerant at Chamber Pressures up to 2000 psi to Simulate Compressor Conditions
5/1/2006

Nicholaos G. Demas and Andreas A. Polycarpou

Award Winning Research

Walter D. Hodson award winner for best paper written by a youthful STLE member.
more >>
 
Effect of Oil Evacuation on the Static and Dynamic Properties of Tilting Pad Journal Bearings
5/1/2006

W.M. Dmochowski and B. Blair

Award Winning Research

Captain Alfred E. Hunt award winner for best paper dealing with lubrication or an allied field.
more >>
 
Taking Stock
2/1/2006

Kathryn Carnes

Featured Articles
more >>
 
Rethinking the Basestock Equation
1/1/2005

Dr. Neil Canter

Featured Articles
more >>
 
Lubricant base oils
4/1/2004

Dr. Robert M. Gresham

Tribology & Lubricants Fundamentals
more >>
 
Biotribology: The Tribology of Living Tissues
12/1/2003

Market & Technology Trends

Science continues its pursuit of wear reduction on the most advanced of machines – the human body.
more >>
 
Possibilities and Limitations of Dry Machining
11/1/2003

Neil Cantor

Market & Technology Trends

Dry and near-dry machining won’t replace traditional metalworking fluid technology anytime soon, but they do offer advantages for some niche markets.
more >>
 
GTL: Transforming the Future of Lubricant Production?
10/1/2003

Peter Fairley

Market & Technology Trends

Gas-to-liquids synthesis promises an abundance of high-performance lubricants, but is the technology viable?
more >>
 
Centrifugal Artificial Heart Pump
10/1/1996

Technical Paper
more >>
 
Back to Basics Part 1-5.pdf
12/1/1995

Douglas Godfrey and W.R. Herguth

Practical Applications
more >>
 
Starting from Scratch
1/1/1995

Fred Litt

Practical Applications
more >>
 
Tribology: The Science of Combating Wear
1/4/1981

William A. Glaeser

Practical Applications
more >>
 
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