Provided is a life evaluating device that evaluates the life of a lubricant in a machine including a motor and a transmission mechanism that is lubricated by the lubricant and transmits power of the motor to a movable unit. The life evaluating device includes a motor-heat-value calculating unit that calculates a motor heat value on the basis of a current value of the motor, a frictional-heat-value calculating unit that calculates a frictional heat value in the transmission mechanism on the basis of rotating speed of the motor and a coefficient of friction of the transmission mechanism, a lubricant-temperature estimating unit that estimates temperature of the lubricant on the basis of the calculated frictional heat value and the calculated motor heat value, and a life estimating unit that estimates the life of the lubricant on the basis of the estimated temperature of the lubricant.

Embodiments herein relate to oil condition sensing systems and related methods. In a first aspect, an oil condition sensing system is included having a control circuit, a temperature sensor, and a fluid property sensor, wherein the fluid property sensor measures fluid properties including at least dielectric constant and the oil condition sensing system is configured to automatically detect when an oil change event has occurred, record the fluid property sensor data as new baseline fluid property data after an oil change event has occurred, and evaluate the condition of an engine oil based on a comparison with the baseline fluid property data. The oil condition sensing system can be configured to automatically detect the oil change event by evaluating signals from the fluid property sensor and interpret a change in dielectric constant and/or viscosity crossing a threshold value as an oil change event. Other embodiments are also included herein.

A sensing system for detecting degradation of a machine fluid is disclosed. The sensing system may comprise a tag having electrical contacts. The tag may be configured to transmit a wireless signal when the electrical contacts are in electrical communication. The sensing system may further comprise a dissolvable element separating the electrical contacts and obstructing electrical communication between the electrical contacts. The dissolvable element may be configured to dissolve and allow electrical communication between the electrical contacts when an acid content of the machine fluid reaches a level indicative of the degradation of the machine fluid.

A method for determining when to change a lubricating fluid flowing within an apparatus includes monitoring the lubricating fluid flowing within the apparatus by passing radiation through the lubricating fluid from a radiation source. The lubricating fluid is analyzed for a presence of particles in the lubricating fluid based on the radiation passing through the lubricating fluid. A concentration of the particles in the lubricating fluid is determined when the presence of particles is detected. An alert to change the lubricating fluid is generated when the concentration of particles in the lubricating fluid exceeds a threshold.

Provided is a diagnosis technique with high reliability when a state of lubricating oil of a rotary machine such as a wind power generator is diagnosed by a state monitoring sensor. A diagnosis system of lubricating oil includes a lubricating oil utilization device, a lubricating oil tank for storing lubricating oil to be supplied to the lubricating oil utilization device, and a sensor which measures characteristics of the lubricating oil. In this system, the state of the lubricating oil is diagnosed by using sensor data obtained after a time required for air bubbles in the lubricating oil generated at the time of use of the device disappear elapses since the lubricating oil utilization device is regularly or irregularly stopped.

A device for estimating a temperature of a lubricant in a transmission that transmits power from a motor to a robot joint includes a thermometer and a processor. The processor includes hardware configured to: receive, as input from the motor, a current value of the motor and calculate, as output, a motor heat value based thereon; receive, as input from the motor and the transmission, a rotating speed of the motor and a frictional torque of the transmission, and calculate, as output, a frictional heat value in the transmission based on the rotating speed of the motor and at least one of the frictional torque of the transmission and at least one coefficient of friction of the transmission; and receive, as input from the thermometer, the room temperature, the frictional heat value, and the motor heat value and estimate, as output, the estimated temperature of the lubricant based thereon.

A method for determining when to change a lubricating fluid flowing within an apparatus includes monitoring the lubricating fluid flowing within the apparatus by passing radiation through the lubricating fluid from a radiation source. The lubricating fluid is analyzed for a presence of particles in the lubricating fluid based on the radiation passing through the lubricating fluid. A concentration of the particles in the lubricating fluid is determined when the presence of particles is detected. An alert to change the lubricating fluid is generated when the concentration of particles in the lubricating fluid exceeds a threshold.

Systems and methods for capturing fluid change history in a vehicle are provided. A method includes: detecting, by a computer device, a fill cap is removed from an inlet port of a fluid reservoir or a drain plug is removed from an outlet port of the fluid reservoir; activating, by the computer device and based on the detecting, one of a fill sensor and a drain sensor; obtaining, by the computer device, fluid characteristics data from one of the fill sensor and the drain sensor; determining, by the computer device, at least one fluid parameter based on the fluid characteristics data; and transmitting, by the computer device, the determined at least one fluid parameter to a remote system via a communication network that is external to the vehicle.

A fluid degradation monitoring system may detect a replacement of a fluid of a machine. The fluid degradation monitoring system may determine, after detecting the replacement of the fluid, a first degradation estimate of the fluid using a first technique based on characteristics relating to an operation of the machine. The fluid degradation monitoring system may detect a transition in a value of a dielectric constant of the fluid from a first phase to a second phase. The fluid degradation monitoring system may determine, after detecting the transition in the value of the dielectric constant, a second degradation estimate of the fluid using a second technique based on characteristics relating to the fluid.

A method and system for estimating the remaining useful life of a filter in a lubrication system is disclosed along with exemplary system components.