Volvo Construction Equipment has unveiled its new Fluid Analysis program, tapping into the artificial intelligence realm to identify wear metals and contaminants on equipment or changes in fluid conditions.
The solution expands on its existing Oil Analysis program and encompasses lubricants, diesel fuels, AdBlue and coolants, and comes alongside a 250% increase in global testing capacity, which is equal to 20 labs globally.
The new digitised process – including a cloud-hosted customer portal and Fluid Analysis mobile app – uses AI data analysis to provide customers with easy-to-understand reports and insights with the highest levels of accuracy which can help them make better informed decisions, it says. This allows customers to take preventive actions against contamination and wear, leading to improved uptime and contributing to a lower total cost of ownership (TCO).
Volvo CE says: “AI accelerates the testing process, making analysis quicker and easier. This allows lab technicians to focus on more sensitive testing issues – such as analysing abnormal or critical samples, those of greatest concern to clients – and, thereby, offer more useful insights and recommendations.”
Alongside the expansion of the program, Volvo is partnering with an industry-leading testing provider to, it says, ensure consistency and efficiency on a global level. Besides leading to a significant increase in testing capacity, this partnership will also reduce lead time and simplify the sampling and analysis process.
With 75% of repair costs and equipment downtime traceable to the use of contaminated lubricants and fuels, and up to 65-75% of all bearing failures traced back to to lubrication issues, the importance of effective fluid analysis cannot be overstated, the company says. Through early identification of possible contamination or wear, customers can take proactive action before any unplanned downtime occurs, helping them to maintain productivity and avoid any potential repair costs.
Volvo CE says the expanded program has taken the potential of fluid analysis to the next level, providing customers with efficient and easy-to-understand reporting. The digitised process is quick, straightforward and provides reports to the highest levels of accuracy.
Once a sample is taken from the machine it is sent to Volvo’s newly expanded global laboratory network. Here it is analysed with a diagnosis performed as required based on any trace elements found.
Once testing is complete, reports – along with recommended actions – are made immediately available via the Volvo Fluid Analysis customer portal. This cloud-based platform features a user-friendly interface which presents reports in a highly visual and easy-to-analyse format, the company claims. It is also the first fluid analysis solution on the market which uses AI data analysis, providing an intuitive solution to deliver consistent and easy to understand recommendations.
The process is made easier still with the Fluid Analysis mobile app. This enables users to register their samples from anywhere in the world, quickly and easily access sample reports, and receive notifications should anything require urgent attention.
Routine fluid analysis is proven to reduce downtime by 15%, Volvo CE says.
“Through a more efficient testing process, increased testing capacity and intuitive reporting, Fluid Analysis from Volvo has made it significantly easier for customers to gain the insight needed to take corrective actions which can help avoid expensive repairs and unexpected downtime.”