Analysts, Inc.

Many questions and answers regarding Analysts revolutionary new QSA^SM testing can be found in an article from the Q4 2005 issue of Combined Cycle Journal.
QSA^SM FAQ's
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First, make sure that your sample documents and bottles clearly show who the report goes back to and that they have the correct ID written on them. Second, mail your samples immediately after you take them. Third, use a reliable postal delivery service that allows you to trace any package that we do not receive in a timely manner.

If you want RUSH processing, there are two more keys to success:
First, write the word "RUSH" in large red letters on the outside of the mailing container, and again on the sample documents.
Second, call the lab to alert us that you have a RUSH request and make arrangments in advance for any additional charges this might incur. Have the sample information and ID handy in case the lab needs to record this data to spot your incoming package.

Regardless of whether you call or e-mail the lab, there are several tips to getting a quick answer to a "status of your sample" question. First, if you've sampled that system before, there is a number (up to six-digits) at the top right of your last report, to the right of a heading marked "Comp Ref No." or "Record Ref. #".
Provide that number right away when you call or write, as it directs us straight to the appropriate sampling point. Second, if you haven't sent a sample from that system before, be sure to tell us the name and ID exactly as it was written on the paperwork sent with the sample. If the information you provide when you call doesn't match the information sent in with your sample, there will be an unavoidable delay while we search for your file.

Many customers use our laboratories. Consequently, the high volume of service means an equally high volume of information moving through our systems. We have to interrupt that flow and pick out the piece you're interested in—and usually, that request comes without any warning. So when you call about a sample, please be patient if it takes a moment or two to bring up your files. Once we have them, we'll be happy to answer your questions to the best of our ability.

The most frequent cause of "history split" is a mismatch in the sampling point ID between one sample and the next. In many cases, even valid ID’s differ only in one number or letter from the next for the same customer.

Our computers are no different than any other—they are literal-minded. So any difference in the ID's—a slight difference in the wording, a period, an extra space, two dashes instead of one—any of these can cause a new file to be opened. Our data entry personnel are trained and skilled, but it is not possible to memorize the hundreds of thousands of ID configurations in order to recognize and eliminate duplicate entries.

If this happens it is usually easy to repair. We will ask you for the ID data from the previous and current reports, and quickly identify the discrepancy. Once this is done the records will be merged, a data analyst will review the combined file and make any updates necessary to the sample evaluation and a corrected report will be issued.

There are several ways this type of problem can be reduced or eliminated. First, double-check sample documents against your previous sample reports. Second, if you have several people taking samples and completing paperwork, make sure they are all working from a master list of sampling points and ID's. Third, identify your sampling points with fixed asset or tag numbers if possible; when descriptions such as "Bill's compressor" or "Northwest gearbox" are used, the likelihood that ID's will be inconsistent over time greatly increases.


And finally, once you have your points identified, ask us about our sampling ID labels. These preprinted labels give you all the correct ID's straight from our database—all you have to do is accurately affix them to forms and bottles for assured identification of your samples.

The Unit and Component ID’s are important for identification and evaluation support. In addition to providing the lab with a reliable way to permanently file and access your test results, they provide our Data Analysts with the starting point for their interpretation. The remaining data on the information form is even more important. For example, the operating times on component and oil are essential to trend analysis. To help illustrate why, imagine taking two identical machines in identical environments with identical rates of wear for the element iron. If one unit is sampled after 10 hours and the second after 100 hours, naturally the iron test results in the second sample would be 10 times higher than the first. If the time on oil is not provided then the assumption could be made that the wear severity was 10 times higher, when actually they were exactly the same—only one had 10 times longer for wear to accumulate in the oil. Also, during the break-in period the higher wear levels typical for this process can look very similar to abnormal wear. This information becomes even more important when "one-shot" samples are submitted for quick checks or problem investigations.

Trending is not enough; the trends need to be compared to make, model, and oil type to give you the maximum value for your oil sample. There are internal construction details that differ from manufacturer to manufacturer, and the oil itself must be matched to the correct product name and brand to ensure proper servicing and a correct evaluation of any problems that may change the oil’s properties. In the absence of oil and component data, evaluations are based on assumptions rather than actual knowledge. We rely on you to provide us with as much data as possible on which to base our recommendations and research.

Multigrade oils (i.e. 5W30, 15W40, 20W50) contain viscosity index (VI) improvers. The purpose of these additives is to keep the oil’s viscosity within range as temperatures increase. Depending on clearances, speed, oil temperature and additive chemistry, the molecular VI improvers can "shear" in service. This causes the oil viscosity to decrease. A very small change in viscosity can cause the sample to cross the boundary between one SAE grade and the next. When you see your oil SAE grade decrease from SAE 40 to SAE 30, for example, look at the actual change in the viscosity test result. This will tell you the severity of the change independent of the indexed SAE grade.

Please see our complete section on ASTM tests and analyses.