UFM INTERPRETATION SYNOPSIS

SOSsm Services will now be reporting FT-IR results in a new format. The results for soot, oxidation,
sulfation, and nitration will be unitless whole numbers (UFM Unsubtracted FT-IR Method number) that no
longer represent % Allowable values. Please note that this new method is still to be utilized as a trending
module. There will be samples and oil types that do not fit this model. Please refer to the technical paper Un-
Subtracted FTIR Methodology for SOSsm Services for further details. Also note that all information in this
document was gathered utilizing a Perkin Elmer Oil Express FT-IR with Spectrum One software and the
SOSsm Services Manager laboratory information management software.
Shown below is a chart with comparisons for new soot values and the corresponding absorbance, %T, and %
allowable values. Since soot is only the measure of light passage through a sample, there is a direct relationship
between the absorbance value obtained at the instrument level and the resulting UFM, %T, and % allowable
values.

Soot % UFM
UFM # Absorbance %T Allow. Component Compartment Guidelines
2 0.02 95 10 Soot Diesel Engine 30
6 0.06 87 26 Oxidation Diesel Engine 34
13 0.13 74 52 Oxidation Nat. Gas Engine 20
20 0.2 63 74 Hydraulic &
30 0.3 50 100 Oxidation Non-engine 17
35 0.35 45 110 Nitration Nat. Gas Engine 12
40 0.4 40 120 Sulfate / COC Diesel Engine 34
45 - 46 0.45 - 0.46 35 130
52 - 53 0.52 - 0.53 30 140 * - Please note that this model does not include UFM guidelines for
soot, nitration and sulfation in non-engine compartments. Those
60 - 61 0.60 - 0.61 25 150 components do not provide crucial information for non-engine
69 - 70 0.69 - 0.70 20 160 compartments.
81 - 83 0.81 - 0.83 15 170
Water
98 - 102 0.98 - 1.02 10 180 Screen % Water UFM #
126 - 134 1.26 - 1.34 5 190 Possible 0.10% 31
231 2.31 0 200 Probable 0.50% 35
The UFM values for oxidation, sulfation, and nitration are not directly related to the absorbance value obtained
at the instrument level. Absorbance is a single point measurement, whereas our new method of FT-IR
analysis actually measures the peak area in a specific wavenumber range. Because this new measurement is no
longer a single point, we are not able to directly correlate previous % allowable values with the UFM values
you will see on your reports. Shown above is a table summarizing the values for oxidation, sulfation, and
nitration to be used as guidelines during oil interpretation. Please refer to the technical paper listed above for
more details.
The water screen information comes out of the Spectrum One software as Water Petroleum Lube. The value in
this area is also a UFM number, and does not represent % water in the sample (see above table). Also, the %
water and corresponding UFM number do not exhibit a linear relationship. Therefore, you cannot extrapolate %
water data using the UFM number. A sample with a water petroleum lube UFM number of less than 31 will be
negative for water screen. SOSsm Services Manager will assign a water test to this sample and complete the
test by entering a negative value. A sample with a water petroleum lube UFM number of 31 to 34 will indicate
a possible for water screen, SOSsm Services Manager will assign a water test, and it will remain incomplete
until a technician performs a physical confirmation of presence of water and enters the result. A sample with a
water petroleum lube UFM number of 35 or greater will indicate a probable for water screen, SOSsm Services
Manager will assign a water test, and it will remain incomplete until a technician performs a physical
confirmation of presence of water and enters the result.