Fluid Life Overview

What types of oil do you analyze?

Generally, we try and offer testing on all fluids that a particular industry may rely on. That way, we are helping those industries to monitor all of their critical assets.

For example, mining and construction companies generally utilize a fleet of mobile assets. Each unit basically consists of a diesel engine, along with powertrain gearing (transmission / torque converter, differentials, and final drives), and hydraulic components. Engines are usually the most expensive component, so a lot of care and attention is given to monitoring them. We can perform analysis on engine oils and other engine fluids such as coolant/antifreeze, diesel fuel/gasoline, and Diesel Exhaust Fluid / DEF. This allows us to provide a more complete picture of the engine’s overall health so fleet managers can schedule necessary work in advance of any impending problems.

On the other hand, most industrial plants and factories rely on a series of gearboxes (conveyors, agitators, etc.), bearings (motors, fans, pumps, mills, crushers, etc.), hydraulics, air compressors, and turbines. For the industrial plant sector we would analyze engine oils, transmission oils, hydraulic oils, pumps / bearings, gearbox oils, compressor oils, turbine oils, greases and more.

How quickly can you get results?

Detecting and correcting problems at an early stage is one of the fundamentals of oil analysis. Therefore, it is important to get results back and respond before the problem escalates. Most “routine” test results are available on the following day they are received. Some of the more advanced tests take a bit longer (3 or 7 days), and we have the ability to RUSH samples within 3 hours if needed.

What’s the Cost of getting oil analyzed?

Depends on the exact tests performed, but generally in the $20 – $50 range. Mobile equipment testing is a bit more basic, while industrial plant tests are a bit more advanced.

What other services does Fluid Life provide?

Aside from our testing services, we offer three additional services

• Reliability Services: Many customers wish to utilize oil analysis data, but are unsure what this data means, and therefore how to respond. As such, we offer expert support to help customers adopt ‘best practices’ around lubrication and condition monitoring. This can range from basic services, such as site audits, and can be as elaborate as managing their testing program or conducting failure investigations.
• Training: We offer certification (MLA/MLT I and MLA II) and non certification courses that can be taught on-site or on demand.
• IT Data Integration Services: Our laboratory generates a lot of valuable data that we need to communicate with our customers. We send results via email, and make it available on our myLab web portal. However, many customers want to have this data integrated into their own work management systems. As such, we have a large team of IT specialists that help customers integrate our data with other databases.

What industries do you serve?

Many people perceive oil analysis as being related to the oil and gas industry. While we do provide services for the oil and gas sector, we actually provide services to virtually every industry that you can think of. Essentially, we are in the business of ‘Equipment Reliability’, which important across all industries.