Original Date: 08/26/1996
Revision Date: 01/18/2007

The Weirton Steel Corporation (WSC) oil analysis program was conceptualized in the 1960s as a method for improving steel mill machinery reliability while potentially reducing lubricant costs. In the 1980s, the introduction of new laboratory techniques and instruments improved WSC’s oil analysis capabilities, but the full potential of an oil analysis program was not being realized.

In 1992, the growing number of requests for oil analysis coming from various operations within WSC led to the revitalization of the company’s oil analysis program emphasizing preventive, predictive, and proactive equipment maintenance and corrective action. WSC evaluated potential oil analyses through major oil companies; independent commercial laboratories; and a WSC facility-wide, chemical management program. The company chose the chemical management approach as best fitting its needs, selected an outside company as a partner, and set up a pilot program of oil analysis focusing on machine wear and contamination.

With support from top management, the oil analysis program has identified the costs of necessary testing and needed equipment; identified an oil analysis survey process; and defined the staffing required to implement the program. which concentrates on the areas of wear, additive packages, viscosity, contaminant particles/metal, moisture, and oil safety. Goals of the program are to identify the factors of sampling frequency, service/standards to be met, reporting requirements, training needs, and cost/benefit analysis.

For more information see the Point of Contact for this survey.