Studies have shown that up to 50% of equipment downtime is due to abnormal wear. When implementing machine condition monitoring for machinery lubricating oils, typically the first strategy you implement is contamination control. Particle counting is the method used to monitor the solid contamination of new and in-service fluids.

Solid contamination sources include solid oxides from surface oxidation inside the machinery, sand and dirt from the environment, worn mechanical seals, filter blow-by and deterioration, and machinery burrs.