The
Level III MLA Body of Knowledge is an outline of concepts
that a candidate shall have in order to pass the exam, in
accordance with ISO 18436-4, Category III, Annex A.
References
from which exam questions were derived can be found in the Domain of Knowledge.
I.
Lubrication Fundamentals (20%)
A. Lubrication Regimes
1. Hydrodynamic
2. Elasto-hydrodynamic
3. Boundary
B. Base oils
1. Common mineral
oil characteristics
a)
Paraffinic
b)
Naphthenic
2. Common synthetic oil characteristics, advantages and disadvantages
a)
Synthesized hydrocarbons
b)
Phosphate esters
c)
Dibasic acid esters
d)
Polyglycols
C. API and other base oil classifications
D. Basic lubricant additive functions
1. Antioxidants/oxidation
inhibitors
2. Rust inhibitors
3. Corrosion inhibitors
4. Demulsifying agents
5. Viscosity index
(VI) improvers
6. Detergents
7. Dispersants
8. Pour-point depressants
9. Foam inhibitors
10. Anti-wear (AW)
agents
11. Extreme pressure
(EP) agents
II.
Fundamentals of Machine Wear (15%)
A. Common Machine Wear Mechanisms
1. Abrasive wear
a)
Two-body abrasive wear
b)
Three-body abrasive wear
2. Adhesive wear
3. Surface fatigue
4. Corrosive wear
5. Fretting wear
6. Erosive wear
7. Electrical wear
8. Cavitation wear
a)
Gaseous cavitation
b)
Vaporous cavitation
B. Common Machine-specific Wear Modes
1. Gearing
2. Plain bearings
3. Rolling element
bearings
4. Hydraulics
III.
Wear Debris Analysis (21%)
A. Analytical ferrography
1. Wear debris analysis
techniques
a)
Light effects
b)
Magnetism effects
c)
Heat treatment
d)
Chemical treatment
e)
Morphology
f)
Surface detail
2. Wear particle
types, origins and probable causes
a)
Cutting wear particles
b)
Spherical particles
c)
Chunky particles
d)
Laminar particles
e)
Red oxide particles
f)
Black oxide particles
g)
Corrosion particles
h)
Non-ferrous particles
i)
Friction polymers
B. Atomic emission elemental spectroscopy
1. Basic determination of wear particle metallurgy from elemental
composition
2. Evaluating sequential
trends
3. Evaluating lock-step
trends
4. Particle size
limitations of common atomic emission spectrometers
5. Advanced techniques
a)
Acid/microwave digestion
b)
Rotrode filter spectroscopy
6. X-ray fluorescence (XRF) and other advanced elemental spectroscopy
methods
IV.
Analyzing lubricant degradation (25%)
A. Oxidative base oil failure
1. Causes of oxidative
base oil failure
2. Recognizing at-risk
lubricants and applications
3. Strategies for
deterring or mitigating base oil oxidation
4. Recognizing the
effects of base oil oxidation
5. Strengths, limitations and applicability of tests used to detect and
troubleshoot base oil oxidation
a)
Acid number
b)
Viscosity
c)
Fourier Transform Infrared (FTIR) analysis
d)
Rotating Pressure Vessel Oxidation Test
e)
Sensory inspection
B. Thermal failure of base oil
1. Causes of thermal
degradation
a)
Hot surface degradation
b)
Adiabatic compression induced degradation
2. Strengths, limitations and applicability of tests used to detect and
troubleshoot thermal failure of the base oil
a)
Acid number
b)
Viscosity
c)
Fourier Transform Infrared (FTIR) analysis
d)
Thermal stability test (ASTM D 2070-91)
e)
Ultracentrifuge detection of carbon insolubles
f)
Sensory inspection
C. Additive depletion/degradation
1. Assessing risk for common additive depletion/degradation mechanisms
a)
Neutralization
b)
Shear down
c)
Hydrolysis
d)
Oxidation
e)
Thermal degradation
f)
Water washing
g)
Particle scrubbing
h)
Surface adsorption
i)
Rubbing contact
j)
Condensation settling
k)
Filtration
l)
Aggregate adsorption
m)
Evaporation
n)
Centrifugation
2. Strengths, limitations and applicability of methods for measuring
additive depletion/degradation
a)
Atomic emission spectroscopy
b)
Fourier Transform Infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy
c)
Acid number
d)
Base number
e)
Viscosity index (VI)
f)
Rotating Pressure Vessel Oxidation Test
g)
Blotter spot test
D. Detecting wrong lubricant addition
1. Viscosity
2. Neutralization
number (AN/BN)
3. Elemental spectroscopy
4. Fourier Transfer
Infrared Analysis
5. Other Tests
V. Oil analysis
program development and program management (19%)
A. Machine-specific test slate selection
B. Optimizing frequency of analysis
C. Setting alarms and limits
1. Setting goal-based
limits for contamination
2. Statistically
derived level limits
a)
Editing data
b)
Calculating averages
c)
Calculating standard deviation
d) Setting upper and lower limits using the mean and standard
deviation
e) How changes in system operation or maintenance influence
statistically derived inferences
3. Rate of Change
Limits
a)
Calculating rate of change
b)
Slope-based alarms
c)
Statistically derived rate of change limits
4. Setting aging
limits for fluid properties
a)
Physical properties
b)
Chemical properties
c)
Additive properties
D. Managing oil analysis information
E. Creating and managing oil analysis procedures
F. Scoping oil analysis training for reliability technician, trades people
and management
G. Performing cost/benefit analysis for oil analysis and contamination
control programs
1. Calculating program
costs
2. Estimating program
benefits
3. Calculating return
on investment metrics
4. Generating an
effective business proposal
H. Quality Assurance
1. Of onsite oil
analysis
2. Of offsite oil
analysis providers