Field Rating Services

The rating process is a very precise activity for determining the relationship of various components to other parts enduring similar service. Southwest Research Institute (SwRI) offers field rating services to assist manufacturers of gears, engine components, fuels, and lubricants to quantify the durability, dependability, and longevity of their products.

At SwRI, calibrated raters provide rapid responses to client needs for rating services, even when travel to remote locations to provide high-volume rating services is required.

Established guidelines and parameters help trained, skilled raters assign numerical values that accurately reflect visual or measurable changes. Written reports are issued following each rating session, and photos of rated parts or components can be provided as requested.

Qualifications of Raters

• years of experience in automotive research
  
  
• many hours of technical training
  
  
• regular participation in comparative rating sessions to assure that their rating techniques mirror those of other raters in the industry
  
  
• attendance at additional rating workshops at different locations several times a year

Engine Components

Engine test parts reveal critical data and provide important insight into the effectiveness and quality of the fuels and lubricants run in various engines. Following the end of a standardized or specially designed industry test, engines are dismantled and various engine test parts are examined and rated for:

• wear
  
• distress
  
• deposits
  
• changes to original structure and appearance

Hydraulic and Transmission Gears

In addition to the evaluation and rating of hydraulic and transmission gears at the end of standardized fuel or lubricant tests, rating services are available for specialized tests that have been customized to meet specific client needs.

Rating services are also available on:

• cars
  
• trucks
  
• buses
  
• tractors
  
• earth-moving equipment
  
• snowmobiles
  
• boats
  
• ships
  
• locomotives
  
• large machinery
  
• industrial service equipment
  
• lawn and garden equipment
  
• specialized internal mechanical applications

A pinion from a heavy-duty axle is one of many parts rated for distress following the end of a standardized, industry-recognized evaluation and endurance test. On-site rating of in-service vehicles provides critical information about performance quality and service predictability of these vehicles and the fuels and lubricants used in them.

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