Automation boosts productivity in lubricity testing of diesel fuels and gasoline

Paltro, the automation and A.I. division of Ducom, is excited to present fully automated A.I. powered HFRR 4.2 for diesel fuel lubricity testing. HFRR (high frequency reciprocating rig) utilises a ball on disc contact geometry with a steel ballloaded and rubbed against a steel disc, dipped in a bath containing the fuel under test.

The frequency, stroke, bath temperature and relative humidity are precisely controlled for 75 minutes. On completionof test, the ball wear scar is measured under a microscope. The mean wear scar is an indication of the fuel lubricity with lower values associated with superior lubricity. The test parameters and test sequence is governed by ASTMD6079 and ISO 12156 standards involving a prescribed protocol.

HFRR 4.2 is compact and easy to use making tests simple to set up with the automated humidity control system and wear scar measurement eliminating several manual activities by the operator.

Key features of HFRR 4.2 include a single integrated unit for the vibrator, electronic controller and humidity provides the smallest and most compact footprint in your lab. The humidity controller is salt-free and only needs distilled water to maintain precise humidity levels. This eliminates resources required to maintain and dispose salts that are used in other traditional systems. Moreover, electronically controlled system can achieve humidity levels quite rapidly compared to salt-based systems, thereby reducing the turnaround time between successive tests and enabling higher productivity. An intuitive software allows users to rapidly set up tests using preloaded ASTM and ISO protocols. Test reports can be generated and printed straight from our software at the click of a button. A.I. powered software automates wear scar measurement using proprietary edge detection algorithms. This removes user subjectivity andsignificantly improves precision in wear scar measurements. A single source supplier for instrument, test discs, ballsand accessories ensure better quality control

The fully automated HFRR 4.2 ensures unattended operation for a 75 minute test freeing up time for other productive activities.