Dynamic Image Analysis in Fuel & Lubrication: Bridging ISO 11171 and ISO 21018-1#
Can image-based particle analysis match the gold standard? Yes—and go further.
The Industry Shift: From Light Obscuration to Image-Based Insight#
Automated Particle Counters (APCs)Medium Test Dust (MTD)ISO 11171ISO 21018-1particle shape, morphology, and source identification
What Makes the Raptor Different#
Raptor Dynamic Image Analysis (DIA) systemcompliments comparable particle countshigh-resolution thumbnail imagesshape-based classificationhow manywhat they arewhere they may have come from
Testing Protocol: Raptor vs. APCs#
- APC – Beckman Coulter PODS system was used as the APC (Automated Particle Counter.
- Vision Analytical Raptor system with a 200micron width sample cell was used as the PCM (Particle Contamination Monitor)
- A calibration standard was made using the ISO 11171 as a guideline.
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- Typical ISO 11171 calibration standards is made using MTD (Medium Test Dust ISO12103-1, A3 Medium Test Dust – obtained from Powder Technology Inc)
- MTD was suspended in aircraft grade hydraulic fluid
- Typical loading as required is 2.8mg/ml, however, loading was made for this test at 10mg/ml.
- The freshly made calibration material was dispersed well, shaken and run on the Beckman HIAC PODS system. Approximately 100ml were suspended in a clean sample bottle for the APC test.
- An aliquot of 5ml was then drawn into a sterile syringe. The Raptor system has the flexibility of having numerous ways to suspend a sample. In this case, in order to eliminate any outside contamination, a sterile syringe was used to draw in the same sample analyzed with the APC and a new sample cell was used. A second sterile syringe was used to capture the analyzed sample. This allowed us to run the sample more than once and eliminate the possibility of any contamination.
- Raptor Particle Contamination Monitoring System
- As can be seen from the picture above, the Raptor has the capability of running typical bottles used in sampling for fuel and lubrication industries. It also has the ability to run samples as a single-pass or recirculate using the same sampling bottle and a self-contained stirring system to ensure proper sample suspension.
- In addition, the use of syringes is a nice option because they serve as sample collection devices and by running samples using the syringe option, a user can keep their original sample without worrying about any external contamination. Because of this, it was the best suspension option for running the MTD calibration fluid.
Test Results: Raptor vs. APCs#
- Raptor analyzed Medium Test Dust in hydraulic fluid, achieving results in close agreement with traditional APC systems.
- Thumbnail images captured by the Raptor provided visual confirmation of particle integrity, useful for distinguishing between soft contaminants, metallic wear particles, and fiber-based intrusion.
- Shape descriptors enabled early detection of irregular or failure-prone particles, empowering preventative maintenance decisions.
To show the results side-by side…….
Comparisons and observations#
What else can the Raptor offer that the APC can’t?#
ISO Alignment Without Compromise#
image-based technologies can still deliver quantifiable and reliable data
The Value of Visual Data#
- Size and shape metrics for each particle
- High-resolution thumbnails
- Classified results based on morphology (e.g., fibers, flakes, spheres, irregular particles)
root cause analysisfilter performance studiesearly failure detection
