Level I Machine Lubricant Analyst (ISO 18436-4, I)

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• Requirements
• Requirements
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• Body Of Knowledge
• Body Of Knowledge
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• Domain Of Knowledge
• Domain Of Knowledge
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• Requirements for Recertification
• Requirements for Recertification
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To become certified, an individual must meet the following requirements:

• Education and/or Experience - Candidates must have at least 12 months experience in the field of lubricant-analysis-based machinery condition monitoring (based on 16 hours minimum per month of experience).
  
  
• Training - Candidate must have received 24 hours of documented formal training as outlined in the Body of Knowledge of the MLA I. 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. 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 I MLA Body of Knowledge is an outline of concepts that a candidate shall have in order to pass the exam, in accordance with ISO 18436-4, Category I, Annex A.

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

I. Maintenance Strategies (10%)

   A. Why machines fail

   B. The impact of poor maintenance on company profits

   C. The role of effective lubrication in failure avoidance

   D. Lube routes and scheduling

   E. Oil analysis and technologies to assure lubrication effectiveness.

   F. Equipment tagging and identification.

II. Lubrication Theory/Fundamentals (18%)

   A. Fundamentals of tribology

   B. Functions of a lubricant

   C. Hydrodynamic lubrication (sliding friction)

   D. Elasto-hydrodynamic lubrication (rolling friction)

   E. Mixed-film lubrication

   F. Base-oils

   G. Additives and their functions

   H. Oil lubricant physical, chemical and performance properties and classifications.

   I. Grease lubrication

      1. How grease is made

      2. Thickener types

      3. Thickener compatibility

      4. Grease lubricant physical, chemical and performance properties and classifications.

III. Lubricant Selection (10%)

   A. Viscosity selection

   B. Base-oil type selection

   C. Additive system selection

   D. Machine specific lubricant requirements

      1. Hydraulic systems

      2. Rolling element bearings

      3. Journal bearings

      4. Reciprocating engines

      5. Gearing and gearboxes

   E. Application and environment related adjustments.

IV. Lubricant Application (18%)

   A. Basic calculations for determining required lubricant volume.

   B. Basic calculations to determine re-lube and change frequencies.

   C. When to select oil; when to select grease.

   D. Effective use of manual delivery techniques.

   E. Automatic delivery systems.

      1. Automated deliver options.

          a) Automated grease systems

          b) Oil mist systems

          c) Drip and wick lubricators

      2. Deciding when to employ automated lubricators.

      3. Maintenance of automated lubrication systems.

V. Lube Storage and Management (10%)

   A. Lubricant receiving procedures.

   B. Proper storage and inventory management.

   C. Lube storage containers

   D. Proper storage of grease-guns and other lube application devices.

   E. Maintenance of automatic grease systems.

   F. Health and safety assurance.

VI. Lube Condition Control (10%)

   A. Filtration and separation technologies.

   B. Filter rating.

   C. Filtration system design and filter selection.

VII. Oil Sampling (10%)

   A. Objectives for lube oil sampling

   B. Sampling methods

   C. Managing interference

      1. Bottle cleanliness and management

      2. Flushing

      3. Machine conditions appropriate for sampling

VIII. Lubricant health monitoring (10%)

   A. Lubricant failure mechanisms

      1. Oxidative degradation

          a) The oxidation process

          b) Causes of oxidation

          c) Effects of oxidative degradation

      2. Thermal degradation

          a) The thermal failure process

          b) Causes of thermal failure

          c) Effects of thermal degradation

      3. Additive depletion/degradation

          a) Additive depletion mechanisms

          b) Additives at risk for depletion/degradation by the various mechanisms.

   B. Testing for wrong or mixed lubricants

      1. Baselining physical and chemical properties tests

      2. Additive discrepancies

   C. Fluid properties test methods and measurement units - applications and limitations.

      1. Kinematic Viscosity (ASTM D445)

      2. Absolute (Dynamic) Viscosity (ASTM D2893)

      3. Viscosity Index (ASTM D2270)

      4. Acid Number (ASTM D974 et al)

      5. Base Number (ASTM D974 et al)

      6. Fourier Transform Infrared (FTIR) analysis

      7. Rotating Pressure Vessel Oxidation Test (ASTMD2272)

      8. Atomic Emission Spectroscopy

IX. Wear Debris Monitoring and Analysis (4%)

   A. Common machine wear mechanisms

 

Domain of Knowledge

• ASTM D4378-20, Standard Practice of In-Service Monitoring of Mineral Turbine Oils for Steam and Gas Turbines
• ASTM D 6224-16, Standard Practice for In-Service Monitoring of Lubricating Oil for Auxiliary Power Plant Equipment
• Bannister, K. (2007) Lubrication for Industry, Industrial Press, Inc., New York, USA
• 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
• Evans J.S., & Hunt T.M. (2008) Oil Analysis Handbook. Coxmoor Publishing Co., Longborough, England
• Hodges, P. (1996) Hydraulic Fluids, Arnold Publish, London and John Wiley & Sons, New York, USA
• Landsdown, A. (1994) High Temperature Lubrication, Mechanical Engineering Publications, Ltd., London, UK
• Landsdown, A. (2004) Lubrication and Lubricant Selection, Professional Engineering Publications, Ltd., London, UK
• Scott, R., Fitch J., & Leugner, L. (2012) The Practical Handbook of Machinery Lubrication, Noria Publishing, Tulsa, OK USA
• NLGI, (2017) Lubricating Grease Guide, 6th ed., The National Lubricating Grease Institute, Kansas City, MO USA
• Ludema, K. (1996) Friction, Wear, Lubrication: A Textbook in Tribology, CRC Press, Boca Raton, FL USA
• Pirro, D. M., & Wessol, A. A. (2016) Lubrication Fundamentals, Marcel Dekker, Inc., New York, USA
• Roylance, B., & T. Hunt (1999) The Wear Debris Analysis Handbook. Coxmoor Publishing, Oxford, UK
• The Lubrication Engineer's Manual, (2010) Association of Iron and Steel Engineers, Pittsburgh, PA USA
• Toms, L.A., & Toms, A.M. (2008) Machinery Oil Analysis. Co-published by STLE, Park Ridge, IL USA
• Troyer, D., & J. Fitch (2010) Oil Analysis Basics. Noria Publishing, Tulsa, OK USA

These references can be purchased from the following organizations:  

• Amazon.Com
• ASTM
• Barnes and Noble
• Noria Corporation

MLA I Certification is valid for three years from the date of issue. Individuals certified as Machine Lubricant Analysts (MLA) 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:

Category	Points	Maximum	Documentation
Training	1 point per day	10 points	Proof of attendance (certificate or letter from training company on its letterhead) and a copy of the course outline
Employment	4 points per year	12 points	Letter from employer, on company letterhead, with title of signer shown
Publication or Presentation	2 points per work	6 points	Copy of publication, table of contents of the book, proceedings, magazine or journal in which it was published. Proof of conference presentation
Conference Attendance	1 point per conference day	6 points	Proof 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 MLA I 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:

• Activities related to elimination and/or prevention of lubricant failure
• Development of lubricant procedures and best practices
• Development of lubricant specifications
• Development of lubricant-related work management systems
• Lubricant program auditing tasks

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