Early online oil analysis, before the particles form and vibrations start

Efficiency, reliability and lifetime of large gearbox and other ‘oil-machine’ systems is often determined by the oil quality, directly or indirectly. Current technologies such as vibration monitoring and particle counting only detect after some damage has occurred.

Now there is WearSens® from cmc Instruments GmbH, a unique, new oil condition monitor, online and continuous. WearSens® detects the changes in oil which are the precursors to raceway cracks and particle formation.

Many oils have additives that will bind to the broken oil molecules that are the precursors to damage so that the problems are not identifiable until the additives have been consumed. However WearSens® is not only highly sensitive but also fast. Faster than the rate at which the additives work. Academic trials confirm this.

During the past two years papers have been presented at many conferences on tribology, wind power and gears, including the International Conference on Gears in 2013. The reason for the interest? Asset protection and low downtimes are key to profitability. Predictive maintenance clearly has benefits over rigid inspection and maintenance intervals. 

cmc Instruments believe that WearSens® is set to become the new standard for continuous monitoring of oil quality in many oil critical applications. One of the patented features is the temperature compensation. Readings are fully temperature compensated for accurate comparison of data over long periods of time.

Applications include wind turbine gearboxes, high voltage transformers, compressor systems, large industrial gearboxes and cogen electricity plants.

WearSens® is easy to install or retro-fit. The decentralised, web based monitoring system makes results available anywhere in the world.

cmc Instruments GmbH manufacture trace moisture analysers, gas generators, filter systems for process gases and the new OilQSens® and WearSens®- patented, online system for oil condition monitoring.