Large Particle Analysis

Don’t Overlook the Big Picture

The Importance of Large Particle Analysis

Large particle analysis is a vital, but often overlooked, component of a comprehensive oil analysis and condition monitoring program.

Traditional ICP/AE spectrometers have a known limitation: they lack sensitivity to particles larger than approximately 5–10 microns. As a result, wear particles over 10 microns are essentially invisible to standard spectrometry-based oil analysis.

Yet these larger particles carry critical diagnostic value. Particles greater than 10 microns often serve as early indicators of abnormal wear, bearing fatigue, and potential transmission failure. Monitoring them provides a deeper view into machine health and enables earlier, more informed maintenance interventions—well before catastrophic damage occurs.

SEM-EDS Wear Debris Analysis

When ICP/AE Spectrometry Isn’t Enough, Turn to SEM-EDS

If standard ICP/AE spectrometer results aren’t identifying the root cause of a wear or contamination issue, Scanning Electron Microscopy with Energy Dispersive Spectroscopy (SEM-EDS) from Fluid Life offers a powerful next step.

SEM-EDS provides a comprehensive analysis of wear debris and large particles across a wide range of sample types—including lubricating oils, greases, filter media, and magnetic plugs. Unlike traditional SEM, which is limited to analyzing only a few particles per sample and can be cost-prohibitive for routine use, Fluid Life’s SEM-EDS method evaluates hundreds of particles per sample—delivering far greater insight into particle size, morphology, and elemental composition.

This advanced approach offers a clearer, more complete picture of contamination sources, wear modes, and failure risk, making it a superior diagnostic tool for condition-based maintenance strategies.

Fluid Life’s SEM-EDS analysis helps you:

Detect abnormal wear before failure occurs
Improve root cause analysis of contamination and fatigue
Minimize unplanned downtime and reduce maintenance costs

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Advantages of SEM-EDS Analysis

Detects Large Particles missed by spectrometry
Determines size, elemental composition
Detects abnormal wear modes including spheres, cutting and fatigue wear
Determine the cause and source of Copper wear: Differentiate between cooler core leach, bearing wear and bushing wear.
Monitor the progression of bearing wear through multi-layer bearings and monitor bearing overlay, nickel barriers, intermediate layers and abnormal wear into the support shell.
Differentiate Aluminum wear from outside contamination
Perform accurate particle counts on in-service Diesel Engine Oils
Monitor Cleanliness and Contamination against baselines and target

This method and world class laboratory automation enables complete SEM analysis and critical component protection to become a cost-effective pillar of your ROUTINE condition monitoring program.

Test Packages

SEMO: Basic Oil

Sample Type: Oil
SEM Analysis: Defined report and deliverable
Outputs: Basic Report, SEM micrographs, particle count & classification, observations, and Reliability review
Sample Volume: 20mL

SEMX: Basic Other

Sample Type: Filters, Spinner Filters, Grease
SEM Analysis: Defined report and deliverable
Outputs: Basic Report, SEM micrographs, particle count & classification, observations, and Reliability review
Sample Volume: 20mL

SEMS: Custom Analysis

Sample Type: Any suitable sample – specific situational analysis
SEM Analysis: Open ended custom service tailored to needs
Outputs: Variable – based on requirements. Includes SEM micrographs, particle count & classification, observations and Reliability review. Structured to address a specific concern.
Sample Volume: 20mL

Filter Analysis

Filter debris analysis was first developed by the aviation industry many years ago. It has gained acceptance as a powerful diagnostic tool for many machinery components over the past decade or so. Unfortunately, traditional oil analysis techniques like spectrometry have detection limitations – normally effective of around 5 microns. These techniques are also restricted to only those particles that can pass through the filtration system. As a result, oil analysis alone is not enough to predict impending machinery failures. The only way to capture larger particles is to extract them from the filter since it is a ‘chronological data bank ‘ for machinery components. The filter traps the larger wear metals and contaminants (metallic and non-metallic) over a period of time, thereby retaining both present and past failure mode indicators.

Our analytical procedure using SEM-EDS analysis includes a thorough examination to determine the amount, size distribution, type and morphology of the filter debris. Filter debris analysis unlocks the wealth of information found inside your filters and offers a comprehensive assessment of machine wear.

Resources

Comparison of existing analysis technologies

Typical Applications

SEM-EDS Analysis General Applications include:

Critical Asset Monitoring
Life Cycle Monitoring
- Break-in wear vs. metallurgical wear anomaly
- Mid-life routine
- End-of-warranty
- End-of-life
Post Failure Analysis
Component Life Extension Projects
- Particle count + cleanliness
- Filter efficiency
- Monitor wear progression
Warranty
- Start-of-warranty
- Ongoing compliance
- End-of-warranty
Pre-purchase Analysis
Extended Drain Interval
- Monitor for evidence of abnormal wear or contamination
Troubleshooting
- Follow-up on results from oil analysis, inspections, routine maintenance, sensors, operating condition, or alarms
- Monitor and confirm sensor data

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SEM-EDS Analysis Engine Applications include:

Extended Drain Interval
- Particle count and size
- Monitor wear progression
- Indicate abnormal wear
Monitor Ingress of Contamination (Low – Moderate Dusting)
- Particle count and size
- Abnormal wear
Life-Cycle Monitoring
- Break-in wear vs. metallurgical wear anomaly
- Mid-life routine
- End-of-warranty
- End-of-life
Component Life Extension
- Particle count and cleanliness
- Detect wear and particles invisible to routine analysis (particles >10um)
- Detect early warning of abnormal wear
- Detect bearing wear, underlay, electric discharge spheres, high alloy steel, and valve wear
Filter and Spinner Analysis
- Particles hidden from your routine oil analysis
- Requires trending and consistency
- Note: Filter sampling and shipping procedures
Troubleshooting
- Follow-up oil analysis results (triggered or requested)
- Follow-up from sensor results, alarms, inspections, or maintenance
- Follow-up on operating conditions
- Determine if copper is wear or leaching
- Fuel injector / exhaust valve (Inconel alloy)

Case Study

Fluid Life’s SEM-EDS Analysis is far superior for determining the size and composition of particles in a sample. Get information about machine health, component wear and contamination in a single test.

But what do the reports and results look like? How do they relate to results on routine analysis reports? Do they make decision-making easier?

Get the Interpreting SEM-EDS Results case study which takes a look at some real-world SEM-EDS analyses conducted for one of our mining customers in the Canadian Tundra.

Want more information about SEM-EDS?

Call: 1-877-962-2400

Talk to a Fluid Life Representative