The OFI Testing Equipment (OFITE) EP and Lubricity Tester is a high-quality instrument used to measure the lubricating quality of drilling fluids, provide data to evaluate the type and quantity of lubricating additives that may be required and predict wear rates of mechanical parts in known fluid systems.
EP (Extreme Pressure Test)
This test produces an indication of the film strength of the fluid being tested by applying a measured force to a torque-sensitive bearing cup with the torque arm. The EP test is typically run at a high shear rate, 1,000 RPM, with fluid pressures ranging from 5,000 to 100,000 PSI between the steel surfaces.
Lubricity (Surface to Surface Drag Test)
The more common lubricity test measures the fluid resistance of various lubricating additives. For the standard lubricity coefficient test, 150 in-pounds of force (the equivalent of 5,000 to 10,000 PSI pressure on the intermediate fluid) is applied between two hardened steel surfaces, a block, and a ring rotating at 60 RPM.
