Spectro Scientific today announced the launch of the new MicroLab® Series all-in-one, automated lubricant analysis systems. The MicroLab platform is used in virtually every industry that operates equipment powered by engines, including automotive and trucking, energy, mining and heavy equipment, agricultural and the government sector at all levels from the military to local municipalities.
The ability to perform oil analysis on location eliminates the ongoing expense of outside testing services and dramatically reduces the time waiting for the results of those tests. This can save days or weeks which can be critical if you are a mechanic trying to diagnose a problem on a vehicle before it leaves the service bay or you are a maintenance operator responsible for keeping millions of dollars’ worth of the equipment running on a drill ship in the North Sea. The systems provide comprehensive results in less than 20 minutes, which enables companies to maintain the readiness of mission-critical assets, improve reliability at remote locations, while decreasing downtime and maintenance costs.
The MicroLab is a multi-component analyser used for engine, generator, gear box, power steering, and transmission fluids. It is offered in two versions: the MicroLab 30 provides key properties for oil chemistry, kinematic viscosity and concentration of ten wear and contamination metals. Additionally, the MicroLab 40 version offers an increase to 20 wear, contamination and additive metals along with the addition of a particle counter for analysing gear and hydraulic oils.
The programmed expert system of the MicroLab combines equipment information, analysis results and a proprietary database of more than 20 years of oil analysis rules to provide the user easy-to-understand reports which include colour-coded alarm limits and diagnostic statements of recommended maintenance actions. The test data can be printed or wirelessly transmitted to the company’s LubeTrak® data management and storage software to track and trend the key oil parameters necessary for optimising asset health and utilisation. The MicroLab does not require specialised lab personnel to run the instrument or to interpret the results so the fully automated system is easy to integrate into the workflow of maintenance or support staff.
The MicroLab was originally developed and introduced by On-Site Analysis, a company acquired by Spectro Scientific in November 2014. The MicroLab holds multiple patents and complies with ASTM 7417D-10.
Spectro Scientific CEO Brian Mitchell stated: "The launch of the new Spectro Scientific MicroLab series products, alongside the introduction of the CoolCheck 2 just a few months ago, marks the complete integration of On-site Analysis, Inc. into Spectro Scientific. This further solidifies Spectro Scientific as the leading provider of on-site lubrication, oil and performance fluid analysis solutions."