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Level II Laboratory Lubricant Analyst (ISO 18436-5)

To become certified, an individual must meet the following requirements:

  • Education and/or Experience - Candidate must have at least 24 months experience in the field of laboratory-based lubricant testing and analysis for machinery condition monitoring, with a minimum of 2,400 hours of actual testing and analysis experience.
     
  • Complete one of these requirements:
    • Hold Level I Laboratory Lubricant Analyst (LLA) certification.
       
      OR
       
    • Qualify as a Mature Entry Candidate (without Level I LLA certification) by submitting documentation of:
      • At least 12 months additional work experience in the field of laboratory-based lubricant testing and analysis for machinery condition monitoring, including a minimum of 1,200 additional hours of actual testing and analysis. This brings total work experience to 36 months (and 3,600 hours) when combined with the 24 months (and 2,400 hours) already listed above.
      • Minimum 24 hours training relevant to the LLA I Body of Knowledge, accumulated through any combination of instructor-led events (such as workshops, seminars, or classes) and/or specific hands-on practice or observation.

      You may use this template letter to submit to ICML

  • Training - Candidate must have received 24 hours of documented formal training as outlined in the Body of Knowledge of the LLA II. For online or recorded training, exercises, lab tasks, practice exams, and review exercises may be included in the training time total but shall not exceed four hours of the required course time. These 24 hours are in addition to the previous 24 hours of training required for LLA I or Mature Candidate Entry, for a total cumulative training of 48 hours. Candidate shall be able to provide a record of this training to ICML that shall include the candidate’s name, the name and signature of the instructor, the dates of the training, and the number of hours spent in the training.
     
    Note: ICML does not require, recommend, endorse or authorize any specific training course as official or approved. It is the responsibility of each candidate to research the training options available in his/her area and make a decision as to the training provider of his/her choice. ICML recommends the outline of the course of choice be compared to the exam's Body of Knowledge. It is in the person's best interest and their responsibility as an ICML candidate to ensure they are being trained in the same subject areas in which they will be tested. It is also the candidate’s responsibility to ensure each instructor is currently certified at the level of instruction. (Candidates can do this by checking for an instructor’s name in our real-time directory of certified professionals.) ICML's Bodies of Knowledge are of public domain and can be utilized by companies in the development of courses, as well as by any prospective candidate for evaluating the appropriateness of chosen training.
     
  • Examination - Each candidate must successfully pass a 100 question, multiple-choice examination that evaluates the candidate's knowledge of the topic. Candidates have three hours to complete the closed-book examination. A score of 70% is required to pass the examination and achieve certification. Contact ICML about the availability of the exam in other languages.
The Level II LLA Body of Knowledge is an outline of concepts that one should have in order to pass the exam, in accordance with ISO 18436-5, Category II, Annex A. 

References from which exam questions were derived can be found in the Domain of Knowledge.

 I. Lubricant health monitoring (21%)
    1.  Kinematic viscosity 
    2.  Absolute (dynamic) viscosity 
    3.  Viscosity Index 
    4.  Total Acid Number 
    5.  Total Base Number 
    6.  Fourier Transform Infrared (FTIR) analysis 
    7.  Atomic Emission Spectroscopy 
    8.  Flash point test 
    9.  Thermogravimetric analysis (TGA) 
  10. Schiff’s reagent 
  11. Crackle test
  12. Co-distillation 
  13. Karl Fischer titration 
  14. Cyclic voltammetry 
  15. Insolubles 
  16. Rotating pressure vessel oxidation test 
  17. Air release characteristics 
  18. Foam stability characteristics 
  19. Gas chromatography 
  20. Water demulsibility 
  21. Data correlation
  22. Exception testing

II. Testing for wrong or mixed lubricants (4%)
    1.  Kinematic viscosity 
    2.  Fourier Transform Infrared (FTIR) analysis 
    3.  Atomic Emission Spectroscopy 

III. Water contamination (11%)
     1. Scope and significance of commonly accepted water oil analysis test methods. When to perform these and use of multiple test data to determine if results are reasonable 
     2. Causes of poor water demulsibility
     3. States of coexistence of water in oil
     4. Methods for assessing water contamination
        a) Crackle test
        b) FTIR analysis
        c) Co-distillation 
        d) Karl Fischer titration 
     5. Effects of water contamination on the lubricant
     6. Effects of water contamination on the machine

IV. Glycol coolant contamination (4%)
      1. Scope and significance of commonly accepted oil analysis test methods for glycol contamination. When to perform these and use of multiple test data to determine if results are reasonable
      2. Elemental spectroscopy
      3. Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) analysis
      4. Schiff’s reagent 
      5. GC (Gas Chromatography)
      6. Effects of glycol contamination on the lubricant
      7. Effects of glycol contamination on the machine

V. Soot contamination (4%)
     1. Scope and significance of commonly accepted oil analysis test methods for soot contamination. When to perform these and use of multiple test data to determine if results are reasonable
     2. Thermogravimetric analysis (TGA) 
     3. Fourier Transform Infrared (FTIR) analysis
     4. Pentane Insolubles
     5. Blotter Test
     6. Effects of soot contamination on the lubricant
     7. Effects of soot contamination on the machine

VI. Fuel contamination (8%)
     1. Scope and significance of commonly accepted oil analysis test methods for fuel contamination. When to perform these and use of multiple test data to determine if results are reasonable
     2. Kinematic viscosity 
     3. Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) analysis
     4. Flash point test 
     5. Gas chromatography 
     6. Effects of fuel contamination on the lubricant
     7. Effects of fuel contamination on the machine

VII. Air contamination (4%)
      1. Scope and significance of commonly accepted oil analysis test methods for air contamination. When to perform these and use of multiple test data to determine if results are reasonable
      2. States of coexistence of air in oil
      3. Methods for assessing air contamination
           a) Air release characteristics 
           b) Foam stability characteristics 
      3. Effects of air contamination on the lubricant
      4. Effects of air contamination on the machine

VIII. Particle contamination (6%)
       1. Scope and significance of commonly accepted oil analysis test methods for particle contamination. When to perform these and use of multiple test data to determine if results are reasonable
       2. ISO solid contamination code 
       3. Optical particle counting usage and calibration 
       4. Pore block particle counting
       5. Effects on the lubricant
       6. Effects on the machine

IX. Wear Particle Monitoring and Analysis (13%)
      A. Detecting abnormal wear
         1. Atomic emission spectroscopy methods
             a) Inductively coupled plasma (ICP) spectroscopy
             b) Arc-spark emission spectroscopy
         2. XRF spectroscopy
         3. Wear particle density measurements
      B. Wear debris analysis
         1. Ferrogram preparation
         2. Filtergram preparation
         3. Light effects
         4. Magnetism effects
         5. Heat treatment
         6. Chemical microscopy
         7. Basic morphological analysis
      C. Common wear mechanisms 
         1. Abrasive wear
             a) Two-body
             b) Three-body
         2. Surface fatigue (contact fatigue)
             a) Two-body
             b) Three-body
         3. Adhesive wear
         4. Corrosive wear
         5. Cavitation wear
      D. Size distribution of wear particles from common wear mechanisms

X. Data Interpretation (11%)
     A. Limits
        1. Understanding statistical limits (wear debris)
        2. Understanding aging limits (acid number, viscosity)
        3. Understanding targets (Water, ISO cleanliness)
        4. Establishing statistical limits
        5. Establishing aging limits
        6. Establishing goal based limits
     B. Graphical trend analysis
        1. Rate of change analysis
        2. Normalization of data
        3. Reference/baseline data comparison
        4. Effects of make-up oil
        5. Lock-step trending

XI. Quality Control (6%)
      A. Procedure writing
      B. Record management
         1. Record generation
         2. Record storage
      C. Quality control samples
         1. Types
         2. Control charts
      D. Procedures editing
      E. Audits
         1. Internal audit
         2. External audit

XII. Lubricant roles and functions (8%)
      A. Base oil
         1. Functions 
         2. Properties
      B. Additive types and functions
         1. Surface active additives and their functions
         2. Bulk oil active additives and their functions
      C. Synthetic lubricants
         1. Synthetic lubricant types
         2. Conditions dictating their use
      D. Lubrication regimes
         1. Hydrodynamic
         2. Elasto-hydrodynamic
         3. Boundary
      E. Baselining physical and chemical properties tests
      F. Identifying additive discrepancies
      G. Lubricant failure modes

 

Domain of Knowledge

  • Annual Book of ASTM Standards (Section Five) Volume 05.04 Petroleum Products and Lubricants
  • ASTM D4378-20, Standard Practice of In-Service Monitoring of Mineral Turbine Oils for Steam and Gas Turbines
  • ASTM D6224-16, Standard Practice for In-Service Monitoring of Lubricating Oil for Auxiliary Power Plant Equipment
  • Bloch, H., Bannister, K (2017) Practical Lubrication for Industrial Facilities, 3rd Edition. The Fairmont Press, Lilburn, Georgia, USA.
  • Denis, J., J Briant, & J. Hipeaux (1997) Lubricant Properties Analysis & Testing. Editions TECHNIP, Paris, France.
  • Fitch, J. (2001) Sourcebook of Used Oil Elements, Noria Publishing., Tulsa, Oklahoma, USA.
  • Hunt, T.M. (1993) Handbook of Wear Debris Analysis and Particle Detection in Liquids. Springer, Netherlands
  • Prichard, E. (1995) Quality in the Analytical Chemistry Laboratory, John Wiley & Sons, Chichester, West Sussex, UK.
  • Prichard, E., & Barwick, V. (2007) Quality Assurance in Analytical Chemistry, John Wiley & Sons, LGC, Teddington, UK.
  • Roylance, B., & T. Hunt (1999) The Wear Debris Analysis Handbook. Coxmoor Publishing, Oxford, UK
  • Shugar, G., & Ballinger, J. (2011) Chemical Technicians' Ready Reference Handbook, 5th Edition, McGraw Hill Professional
  • Toms, L.A., & Toms, A.M. (2008) Machinery Oil Analysis. Co-published by STLE, Park Ridge, Illinois, USA
  • Totten, G.E., & De Negri, V.J. (Eds) (2012) Handbook of Hydraulic Fluid Technology, Marcel Dekker, Inc., New York.
  • Troyer, D., & J. Fitch (2010) Oil Analysis Basics. Noria Publishing, Tulsa, Oklahoma, USA
These references can be purchased from the following organizations:
Amazon.Com
ASTM
Barnes and Noble
Noria Corporation

LLA II Certification is valid for three years from the date of issue. Individuals certified as Laboratory Lubricant Analysts (LLA) must recertify their competency every three years. The purpose for recertification is to ensure that certified individuals keep their skills current and up-to-date.

Recertification is achieved by a points system. To recertify by points, individuals must accumulate 15 recertification points over the three-year period and submit a completed application to ICML. Points may be claimed using the following criteria:

CategoryPointsMaximumDocumentation
Training1 point per day10 pointsProof of attendance (certificate or letter from training company on its letterhead) and a copy of the course outline
Employment4 points per year12 pointsLetter from employer, on company letterhead, with title of signer shown
Publication or Presentation2 points per work6 pointsCopy of publication, table of contents of the book, proceedings, magazine or journal in which it was published. Proof of conference presentation
Conference Attendance1 point per conference day6 pointsProof of attendance (certificate, badge or letter from conference organizer on its letterhead) and copy of program

 

Criteria of Acceptability

  • Employment - Employment must be in a field related to industrial lubrication and/or oil analysis.
  • Training/Conference Attendance – Topics related to oil analysis, lubrication or other topics important to effective equipment maintenance and management.
  • Publication/Presentation - Publications (articles, journals, magazines, books, proceeding, etc.) and presentations about a topic within the body of knowledge for oil analysis, lubrication or equipment maintenance or management.

All points must be earned during the time the LLA II certification is in effect. Points earned before or after the certification period will not be accepted. Points may be applied to multiple ICML certifications held by the individual, assuming that the points are applicable and approved for each individual recertification.

If a candidate’s only source of recertification points is employment, the extra points required may be earned via participation in employment-related best practices activities, as per below criteria:

  • Testing related failure elimination and/or prevention activities
  • Test inspection procedures (writing and/or implementation)
  • Industry Standard feedback/betterment activities
  • Laboratory Procedure and Best Practices (writing and/or implementing)
  • Quality control activities (i.e., charting, limits, feedback, etc.)
  • Laboratory program auditing tasks (writing, implementing and/or assisting)
  • Training, coaching and/or mentoring of new hires



  


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