Chevron Products Co. bills Isoclean as a first-of-its-kind national program that offers a solution to particle contamination through products and in-plant services designed to assist customers in maximizing vehicle and machine life by meeting original equipment manufacturers’ quality control standards. The program includes Isoclean Certified Lubricants to meet OEMs’ fluid ISO Cleanliness requirements, plus Isoclean Services, which are in-plant services designed to clean up and manage contamination of in-service lubricants and operating systems.
Both offerings are dependent on each other and help to reduce wear, decrease unscheduled downtime and extend equipment life. Isoclean lubricants meet a specific ISO Cleanliness code at the point of delivery, which represents the most stringent cleanliness standards and specifications for lubricants placed in equipment, and is required by several leading OEMs. An important first step in controlling lubricant contamination is starting with a certified lubricant, Chevron engineers contend. Such products help reduce the expense and manpower required by end customers to pre-filter non-certified lubricants to meet OEM requirements.
Isoclean Services are performed on site by a certified network of providers. Controlling particle contamination for in-service equipment is another critical element in maintaining efficient operation. The portfolio of services performed may include fluid purification and dehydration; varnish removal and mitigation; high velocity flushing; reservoir and tank cleaning; condition monitoring and system audits; and, fluid handling consultation.
Chevron began rolling out its Isoclean program in early 2015 and has developed a national network of Certified Lubricant Marketers. Notes Vice President Americas Lubricants Doug Hinzie, “Our program with certified lubricants and services is proof that we are investing heavily in this crucial industry need. In response to the request for a turnkey solution from customers and OEMs, we developed this comprehensive national program because we know how important it is to provide a consistent solution which is certified and backed by Chevron, and delivered wherever our customers need it.”
The number one cause of lubricant-related failures in equipment is contaminant particles—most of which are so small that they are unable to be seen by the naked eye, he adds. Controlling fluid contamination early in the process can significantly reduce the costs to remove it later, which is a direct saving that goes to an end user’s bottom line. “It doesn’t matter if you are in mining, construction or own a fleet of trash trucks, it is all about lubricants and high pressure lubricants—the cleaner that oil is the longer it is going to last, because downtime is a killer,” affirms miner and Discovery Channel “Gold Rush” star Freddie Dodge.
Chevron offers more than 50 Isoclean Certified Lubricants for critical equipment components from hydraulics to gear oils to synthetics for construction, mining and manufacturing. They have undergone what company officials contend is one of the most rigorous testing processes in the industry to verify that lubricant performance is not compromised. All products delivered by Isoclean Certified Lubricant Marketers meet the required certification process. — www.chevronisoclean.com