VIM & VPR
This comprehensive course is designed to meet the ICML VIM (Varnish Identification and Measurement) and VPR (Varnish Prevention and Removal) certification standards, equipping lubrication professionals with the skills and knowledge needed to tackle varnish-related challenges in industrial systems.
Participants will delve into:
- Mechanisms of Varnish Formation: Understanding how varnish forms from lubricant degradation, the conditions that promote its buildup, and its impact on equipment reliability.
- Detection and Measurement Techniques: Learn about advanced varnish detection methods, including membrane patch colorimetry (MPC), Fourier Transform Infrared (FTIR) analysis, and particle quantification techniques.
- Varnish Prevention Strategies: Explore best practices for minimizing varnish formation through lubricant selection, system design, and operational controls.
- Removal Technologies: Gain insights into effective varnish removal methods, such as electrostatic oil cleaning, ion exchange resin systems, and chemical cleaning processes.
The course emphasizes practical applications, teaching participants how to integrate varnish monitoring into predictive maintenance programs, interpret analysis results, and develop proactive strategies to mitigate varnish risks.
This training is ideal for lubrication engineers, maintenance managers, and reliability professionals looking to enhance equipment reliability, reduce downtime, and extend lubricant life. By the end of the course, participants will be well-prepared to implement varnish management best practices and pursue ICML VIM and VPR certifications.




Course Syllabus
Problems with Varnish and Deposits
- Flow restriction, filter plugging, and starvation
- Stiction, silt lock, and increased friction
- Impaired heat transfer and accelerated lubricant degradation
Factors Leading to Breakdown
- Base fluid breakdown (oxidation, hydrolysis, thermal degradation)
- Contamination effects (acids, wear metals, water, process chemicals)
- Temperature impacts (oxidation, microdieseling, additive dropout)
Proactive Breakdown Prevention
- Temperature control, clean and dry oils
- Antioxidants, aeration/foam control, and electrostatic discharge management
- Formulations with high impurity-holding capacity
Removing Breakdown Products
- Filtration, electrostatic precipitation, centrifugal separation
- Ion exchange resins, chemical flushes, and solubility enhancers
- Detergents, solvents, and spark-free filters
Varnish and Deposit Composition
- Breakdown products from oxidation, hydrolysis, and thermolysis
- Contamination sources: coolants, gases, incompatible lubricants
- Radiological contamination in nuclear applications
How Breakdown Becomes Deposits
- Solubility, polarity, and temperature effects
- Agglomeration and impurity-holding capacity
Oil Analysis Techniques
- MPC varnish potential, FTIR, and RULER for antioxidants
- Acid number, TOST/RPVOT, ultracentrifuge, and Noack volatility
- Advanced physical inspections and panel coker tests
Who is this course for?
Condition Monitoring Technicians
Laboratory Analysts
Lubrication Engineers
Industrial Lubricants Salespeople
Maintenance Managers/Supervisors/Superintendents/Leaders
Operations Managers
Reliability Engineers
Rotating Equipment Engineers
Meet the expert

Rafe Britton, the Lubrication Expert, is known within the industry for his YouTube channel and podcast, and works with mid-size industrials improve their equipment uptime while reducing the cost of their lubrication program. He is a mechanical engineer with 13 years of experience on both sides of the industry; both as an operator, and lubricant supplier. Rafe holds a Bachelor of Aerospace Engineering and a Bachelor of Physics from UNSW.
Rafe is a technical committee member for the Australian Lubricants Association, a Precision Lubrication Magazine editorial board member, an advisory board member of Lubricant Expo, exam board member of the International Council of Machinery Lubrication and a technical editor of TLT, the monthly publication of the Society of Tribologists and Lubrication Engineers. Rafe is ICML MLE, MLA III, MLT II, VIM and VPR certified and is a Chartered Professional Engineer through Engineers Australia.
$100.00/ month
+50 Lubrication courses
Snapshot
- Lubricant Breakdown Mechanisms
- Varnish Formation Cycle
- Varnish Measurement Techniques
- Varnish Prevention
- Varnish Removal
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