Condition monitoring specialists, WearCheck, have now extended their fuels, lubricants, air and coolants (F.L.A.C) maintenance programme to include unique bypass filters, which minimise contaminants, thereby extending the life of the oil or fuel.

The filters were initially trialled at a chrome mine on three GHH machines running air-cooled motors. Once proven effective, the filters were then fitted to a further 27 machines in the same mine. The mine has already recorded savings of R1.7 million after paying for the implementation of the WearCheck programme.

Also known as depth filters, the bypass filters are bolted externally on each component, and the oil or fuel of that component passes through the filtration system, similar to how an individual dialysis machine would assist a patient to filter their own blood.

Oil or fuel typically passes through three filters – first the OEM water separator, next the OEM diesel filter, and finally WearCheck’s depth filter, which is last in line, and which provides extremely fine microfiltration, screening particles between 0.5 and 1 microns in diameter.

Chris Hattingh (operations/ technical support for WearCheck), outlines some of the advantages of the process, ‘By ensuring the fuel at the injector tip in a diesel engine is super-clean, it protects the moving parts and keeps these within spec for much longer, allowing for better atomisation.

‘Cleaner fuel burns with more power, therefore there are less by-products passing into the oil, such as soot. This means that lube oil can potentially last longer – and the additive packages don’t have to work as hard, so they last longer too.

‘By using scientific data on the oil’s condition, we can advise customers when it is feasible to extend the oil drain interval without risk, thereby saving them money. The filters function best as part of a comprehensive condition monitoring programme.’

Caption: Bolted externally onto the machine is one of WearCheck’s bypass filters for the transmission. The filters have already saved a mine over R1.5 million during an initial trial process.