Ferrous Particle Quantifyer (FPQ)

The ferrous particle content of an oil sample is one of the most reliable indicators of machinery health. It is reflecting the true condition of components long before visible symptoms appear.

The Ferrous Particle Quantifier (FPQ) by CMT was developed to meet the demands of serious condition monitoring: combining unmatched precision with a wide analytical range to deliver laboratory-grade results with the speed and simplicity modern testing environments require.

In any engine or machinery system, mechanical and physical stress produces fine ferrous debris from wear on steel and iron components: Pistons, liners, bearings, gears, and more. This debris accumulates in the oil over time, and its concentration is a direct, quantifiable reflection of the wear occurring inside the system. For laboratories and condition monitoring services, ferrous particle analysis is a key diagnostic parameter, used across marine, industrial, and heavy machinery applications to detect developing wear at an early stage, enabling scheduled intervention before minor issues escalate into serious failures.

Not all ferrous particle tests deliver equal results. Most conventional methods assess iron content by measuring the surface area of particles in the sample. The problem is that surface area does not scale linearly with particle size. A result that appears within normal limits may be concealing a significant wear event.

The highly sensitive electromagnetic sensors of the FPQ measure the magnetic mass of particles in the oil, entirely independent of particle size. The result is a measurement that laboratories and condition monitoring professionals can rely on with confidence. The FPQ is built to the quality standards expected of professional laboratory instrumentation, while remaining fast and straightforward to operate. A large touchscreen guides users through the measurement process, with in-device analysis and trend visualization delivering immediate results without the need for additional software.

An adapter ring extends compatibility to sample sizes as small as 2 ml, ensuring the FPQ can handle the full range of sample volumes encountered in professional testing workflows. All measurements are stored onboard, enabling direct comparison across samples, sources, and time periods.