Spectro Scientific – Battery Powered Oil Analyzers – FieldLab 58 – Portable Oil Lab
The Spectro FieldLab 58 is a rugged, portable expeditionary fluid analysis system that gives operators in the field the ability to perform comprehensive, mobile lubricant sampling. The battery-powered device enables complete lubricant assessment for condition monitoring and rapid results that permit informed maintenance decisions. It takes only 3 ml of oil to perform a comprehensive oil analysis and no chemicals or solvents are needed for sample preparation or cleaning. The complete analysis, with all four tests, only takes about 5 – 7 minutes, depending on oil viscosity.
The Needs for Portable Field Labs
Downtime for mission critical equipment, such as high value military assets on the ground or in the air, are costly terms of dollar expense, mission completion and human lives. Oil analysis is one of the most important and reliable techniques to keep these assets up and running. However, logistics hurdles including oil sampling, bottling and transportation to labs, delay the on-time delivery of oil analysis and reduce the effectiveness of the oil analysis program.
Military and commercial field service professionals managing fleets of high value assets require portable light weight devices that provide rapid oil analysis results with similar quality as oil analysis labs.
Funded by the Unite States Department of Defense (DoD) in 2009 then developed and commercialized by Spectro Scientific, the FieldLab 58 Expeditionary Fluid Analysis System (EFAS) was designed to fill this need.
Principle of Operation
The FieldLab 58 includes four oil analysis technologies into a case weighing only 15kg and powered by Li-Ion battery so a comprehensive oil analysis can be conducted in the field wherever the asset is located. The four technologies are:
- Energy Dispersive (ED) XRF for elemental analysis of 13 elements for particles larger than 5 micron. They are Al, Si, Cr, Fe, Ni, Pb, Cu, Sn, Mo, Ag, Zn, and V, common wear metals.
- Infrared spectroscopy based on patented FluidScan ® direct infrared spectroscopy with fliptop cell for simple sample introduction. The IR produces oil properties such as Oxidation, Nitration, Sulfation, TBN and/or TAN, anti-wear additive depletion, and contamination such as water, soot, and glycol.
- Viscometer based on patented split cell design used in MiniVisc 3000 Series . It measures kinematic viscosity at 40C.
- Pore blockage particle counter that measures particle count for larger than 4 microns. ISO code is also reported.
A filtergram coupon is used for the pore blockage particle counter; the remaining particles on the filter are scanned by XRF for elemental analysis. In the meantime, viscosity and IR tests are performed simultaneously to speed test results.
A Li-Ion battery provides enough power for up to 4 hours of continuous operation. An on board computer with a touch screen controls all the hardware, as well as the asset and reference fluid database and alarm limits for immediate oil analysis report. Data can be synchronized to a PC via a USB using Fluid Manager software.
Key Features
- Rugged design with battery power for on-site, field use
- No solvent, no chemical
- Only use 3ml of oil
- 4 complete oil tests, over 20 oil analysis parameters in 5 to 7 minutes
- On board computer with asset and reference oil database, alarm limits for immediate results
- Intuitive, touch screen user interface
Product Portfolio: FieldLab 58 Portable Oil Lab
See it in action: FieldLab 58 Portable Oil Analysis Laboratory
Brand
Spectro Scientific was founded in 1983 as Spectro Inc. and is one of the largest worldwide suppliers of oil, fuel, and fluid analysis instruments to industry, military and laboratories. With over 8000 instruments sold, and customers on six continents, Spectro Scientific is a leader in the field of condition based maintenance and oil in water analysis. Spectro Scientific, an ISO 9001:2015 company, develops a broad array of fluid analysis instruments for evaluating machine and lubricant condition in the field, in the lab and in highly mobile, handheld applications. The instruments provide critical data about machinery condition and can provide an early warning of equipment failure. Our core businesses are oil and grease analysis, fuel analysis and oil in water analysis for regulatory compliance.