Condition Monitoring with Prediction Based on Diesel Engine Oil Analysis: A Case Study for Urban Buses

Abstract

This paper presents a case study and a model to predict maintenance interventions based on condition monitoring of diesel engine oil in urban buses by accompanying the evolution of its degradation. Many times, under normal functioning conditions, the properties of the lubricants, based on the intervals that manufacturers recommend for its change, are within normal and safety conditions. Then, if the lubricants’ oil condition is adequately accompanied, until reaching the degradation limits, the intervals of oil replacement can be enlarged, meaning that the buses’ availability increases, as well as their corresponding production time. Based on this assumption, a mathematical model to follow and to manage the oil condition is presented, in order to predict the next intervention with the maximum time between them, which means the maximum availability.