Whether you are a startup eco-company, you work in the food industry or you manufacture electronics, there is one thing that you will need to do – have your equipment’s oil analysed on a regular basis. Doing so will help you to catch any problems, such as contaminants, before they cause major problems for your equipment, business and wallet.
In order to have your oil correctly analysed, you will, of course, need to send off a sample to an oil analysis laboratory, which will be able to test it and give you a detailed breakdown of the state of your oil.
Unfortunately, oil analysis labs do vary in quality, which means that you will need to put a bit of effort into selecting the best lab to which to send your samples. Here are some of the factors you should consider before making your choice:
Industry accreditations
Ideally, you will want to work with an oil analysis lab that is certified to conduct tests designed for your specific industry. This will give you the best possible chance of getting an accurate analysis, which will really help you to make the right decisions regarding your lubrication.
Employee education
It’s always good to work with an oil analysis laboratory whose staff have a high level of education, which is at least equivalent to the standard of education of your own staff. By doing so, you can be assured that they will be able to handle any technicalities related to your company with ease. Sometimes, you may not be able to find an exact match for your company, but it is always worth trying to do so as it will help you to prosper.
Variety of tests
The more tests that any one oil analysis laboratory can carry out, the better for your company. This is true not only in terms of the number of analyses you can carry out, but also because it will enable you to keep up a long-term relationship with your lab as your business grows, expands and purchases new equipment.
Reputation
Of course, one of the best indicators of a laboratory’s worth is what people think of it. If there are a lot of clients willing to sing a company’s praises, then it’s a pretty good indication that good work can be expected. Numerous complaints would suggest quite the opposite, so do not neglect to check out the lab before you make any commitments.