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.
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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.
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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.
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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.
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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
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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.
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Strategic Oil Analysis: Estimating remaining lubricant life
1/1/2010 Johnson, M. & Spurlock, M. Best Practices
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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
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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
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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.
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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
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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.
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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?
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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.
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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
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Spotlight on Metalworking Fluids
3/1/2009 STLE MWF Special Section
Cover and table of contents
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Download free collection of Lubrication Fundamental articles reprinted from STLE’s membership magazine
11/26/2008 Tribology & Lubricants Fundamentals
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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.
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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.
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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
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What'sTribology?
8/1/2007 Robert Gresham Tribology & Lubricants Fundamentals
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Viscosity: The Resistance to flow
8/1/2007 Tribology & Lubricants Fundamentals
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Lubricant Base Oils
8/1/2007 Tribology & Lubricants Fundamentals
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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.
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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.
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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.
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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.
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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.
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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.
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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.
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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.
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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.
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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.
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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.
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Taking Stock
2/1/2006 Kathryn Carnes Featured Articles
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Rethinking the Basestock Equation
1/1/2005 Dr. Neil Canter Featured Articles
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Lubricant base oils
4/1/2004 Dr. Robert M. Gresham Tribology & Lubricants Fundamentals
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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.
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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.
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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?
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Centrifugal Artificial Heart Pump
10/1/1996 Technical Paper
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Back to Basics Part 1-5.pdf
12/1/1995 Douglas Godfrey and W.R. Herguth Practical Applications
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Starting from Scratch
1/1/1995 Fred Litt Practical Applications
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Tribology: The Science of Combating Wear
1/4/1981 William A. Glaeser Practical Applications
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