By implementing the Parker Ferrous Wear Meter (FWM) on more than 50 vessels, a major international fleet gains the upper hand on engine health and avoids costly failures – especially related to scrape down oil contamination, lube oil analysis, and wear caused by VLSFO fuel following IMO 2020 regulations.
Moving Beyond Maintenance by Intervals
In modern fleet management, relying on calendar-based maintenance is no longer enough. One of Europe’s leading product tanker companies recently recognized this challenge across its large fleet, where unplanned mechanical issues could not only lead to high repair costs but also lost sailing time and disrupted schedules.
The fleet manager was especially concerned with three recurring threats:
- Misaligned piston rings, causing abnormal wear on cylinder liners
- Cat fines contamination in fuel oil, damaging surfaces quickly if not detected early
- Incorrect lubrication dosing, where additive levels weren't optimized, leading to metal-on-metal contact and accelerated wear.
All of these issues can develop quietly but result in serious engine damage if not detected early
A Fleet-Wide Strategy for Early Detection
To prevent these problems before they escalate, the fleet manager made a strategic decision: equip every vessel with the Ferrous Wear Meter(FWM) – a compact and easy-to-use SDA device that allows crew to monitor iron wear particles in oil three times a week, without sending samples onshore. This supports a highly effective onboard oil testing equipment setup.
The SDA Test Kit is designed for:
- Rapid on-site oil analysis in under 3 seconds
- Measuring ferrous debris from cylinder liners, bearings, and gearboxes
- Identifying trends over time to guide proactive maintenance
- Reducing dependency on laboratory testing and enabling real-time oil monitoring.
Crew can now perform routine spot checks on used cylinder scrape down oil or lube oil and detect even small increases in wear, allowing them to act long before a failure occurs. This also supports smarter oil measurement routines.
Protecting Engines from IMO 2020-Related Wear
The transition to very low sulphur fuel oil (VLSFO) under IMO 2020 has introduced new wear risks, particularly from lower viscosity and increased abrasive particles.
The Parker FWM, part of a broader oil condition monitoring system, helps protect engines and cylinders from this kind of unwanted wear.
By trending ferrous wear measurements over time, crews and shore teams can monitor any increase in wear levels and take corrective actions - such as flushing fuel lines, adjusting lubrication dosage, or inspecting pistons - exactly when needed.
Machinery degradation is observed as it happens, and components are serviced based on actual condition rather than fixed intervals. This reduces unnecessary overhauls, saves manpower, and aligns with modern oil analysis condition monitoring practices.
“We used to rely on assumptions and fixed intervals. Now we see what’s really happening inside the engine, and we act before things go wrong. It’s a small test, but the difference it makes is big.”
- Fleet Superintendent, anonymous shipping company.
Preventing Multi-Million EUR Failures with a Test That Takes Seconds
With each vessel now equipped with its SDA Test kit, the company benefits from:
- Consistent data collection across the entire fleet
- Increased engine reliability
- Lowered maintenance costs by reducing unnecessary overhauls
- Avoiding catastrophic failures, such as piston seizure or ring damage - incidents that could cost millions of EUR in downtime and repair.
By identifying trends like increased iron content, maintenance teams can now determine whether to investigate a cylinder, flush the fuel line to remove cat fines, or adjust lubricant dosing, without guessing or waiting for lab reports.
From Reactive to Predictive – and Profitable
By making this proactive investment in Scrape Down Analysis (SDA) with the Parker FWM, the fleet operator has taken a clear step toward predictive maintenance, extending engine life and improving operational stability.
Want to Know More?
Curious about what oil condition monitoring can do for your fleet?
Talk to our specialists about how the Parker oil condition monitoring sensors and the SDA Test Kit can help you take control of wear — before it becomes a problem.
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