INTERNATIONAL ISO

STANDARD 4406

Third edition
2017-08

Corrected version
2018-03

Hydraulic fluid power — Fluids

— Method for coding the level of
contamination by solid particles
Transmissions hydrauliques — Fluides — Méthode de codification du
niveau de pollution particulaire solide

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Reference number
ISO 4406:2017(E)

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Contents Page

Foreword......................................................................................................................................................................................................................................... iv
Introduction...................................................................................................................................................................................................................................v
1 Scope.................................................................................................................................................................................................................................. 1
2 Normative references....................................................................................................................................................................................... 1
3 Code definition........................................................................................................................................................................................................ 1
3.1 General............................................................................................................................................................................................................ 1
3.2 Basis of code............................................................................................................................................................................................... 2
3.3 Allocation of scale numbers.......................................................................................................................................................... 2
3.4 Determination of code using automatic particle counter analysis............................................................. 3
3.5 Determination of code using microscope sizing......................................................................................................... 4
4 Identification statement (reference to this document)...................................................................................................... 4
Annex A (normative) Graphical presentation of the code number....................................................................................... 5

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Foreword
ISO (the International Organization for Standardization) is a worldwide federation of national standards
bodies (ISO member bodies). The work of preparing International Standards is normally carried out
through ISO technical committees. Each member body interested in a subject for which a technical
committee has been established has the right to be represented on that committee. International
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ISO collaborates closely with the International Electrotechnical Commission (IEC) on all matters of
electrotechnical standardization.
The procedures used to develop this document and those intended for its further maintenance are
described in the ISO/IEC Directives, Part 1. In particular the different approval criteria needed for the
different types of ISO documents should be noted. International Standards are drafted in accordance
with the editorial rules of the ISO/IEC Directives, Part 2 (see www​.iso​.org/​directives).
Attention is drawn to the possibility that some of the elements of this document may be the subject of
patent rights. ISO shall not be held responsible for identifying any or all such patent rights. Details of
any patent rights identified during the development of the document will be in the Introduction and/or
on the ISO list of patent declarations received (see www​.iso​.org/​patents).
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World Trade Organization (WTO) principles in the Technical Barriers to Trade (TBT) see the following
URL: www​.iso​.org/​iso/​foreword​.html.
(standards.iteh.ai)
This document was prepared by Technical Committee ISO/TC 131, Fluid power systems, Subcommittee
SC 6, Contamination control. ISO 4406:2017
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This third edition cancels and replaces the 372d78b676bf/iso-4406-2017
second edition (ISO 4406:1999), which has been technically
revised.
The main changes compared to the previous edition are as follows:
— All year references for ISO 11171 have been removed to ensure that only the most recent version
of ISO 11171 is used. This is needed to ensure consistency in the usage and definition of the µm(c)
particle sizes used in this document.
— All year references for ISO 4407 and ISO 11500 have been removed to ensure that only the most
recent version of these standards are used.
This corrected version of ISO 4406:2017 incorporates the following corrections.
Following the first (and only) sentence in 3.4.5, the following text has been added: "Graphical
presentation of ISO Code results shall be as described in Annex A.”
Following the first (and only) sentence in 3.5.4, the following text has been added: "Graphical
presentation of ISO Code results shall be as described in Annex A.”
Figure A.1 has been replaced by a new Figure A.1 which includes the missing exponent in Y.

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 ISO 4406:2017(E)


Introduction
In hydraulic fluid power systems, power is transmitted, and controlled, through a liquid under pressure
within an enclosed circuit. Solid particle contaminant is always present in the hydraulic fluid and the
amount needs to be determined because the contaminant may cause serious problems.

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INTERNATIONAL STANDARD ISO 4406:2017(E)

Hydraulic fluid power — Fluids — Method for coding the

level of contamination by solid particles

1 Scope
This document specifies the code to be used in defining the quantity of solid particles in the fluid used
in a given hydraulic fluid power system.

2 Normative references
The following documents are referred to in the text in such a way that some or all of their content
constitutes requirements of this document. For dated references, only the edition cited applies. For
undated references, the latest edition of the referenced document (including any amendments) applies.
ISO 4407, Hydraulic fluid power — Fluid contamination — Determination of particulate contamination by
the counting method using an optical microscope
ISO 11171, Hydraulic fluid power — Calibration of automatic particle counters for liquids
ISO 11500, Hydraulic fluid power — Determination of the particulate contamination level of a liquid sample
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by automatic particle counting using the light-extinction principle
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3 Code definition
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The purpose of this code is to simplify the reporting of particle count data by converting the numbers
of particles into broad classes or codes, where an increase in one code is generally a doubling of the
contamination level.
The original code, in accordance with the first edition of this document, stated the reporting at two
sizes ≥ 5 µm and ≥ 15 µm. The sizes in this document account for the use of a different calibration
standard for optical automatic particle counters (APCs). The reported sizes are ≥ 4 µm(c), ≥ 6 µm(c) and
≥ 14 µm(c), the last two of these being equivalent to the 5 µm and 15 µm particle sizes obtained using
the ISO 4402:19911) method of calibrating APCs. Throughout this document the use of µm(c) means
that particle size measurements are carried out using an automatic particle counter that has been
calibrated in accordance with ISO 11171.
Measurement of particles using an optical microscope as specified in ISO 4407 establishes the size of
a particle as being equal to its longest dimension, whereas an automatic particle counter derives the
size of an equivalent particle from its cross-sectional area, a value different in most cases from that
determined using a microscope. The particle sizes to be reported for measurement by microscope
≥ 5 µm and ≥ 15 µm are unchanged from those specified in the first edition of this document.
CAUTION — Particle counts are affected by a variety of factors. These factors include
procurement of sample, particle counting accuracy and the sample container (where used),
and its cleanliness. Proper care should be taken during sample procurement to ensure that the
sample obtained is representative of the fluid circulation in the system.

1) ISO 4402:1991 has been replaced by ISO 11171.

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3.2 Basis of code

The code for contamination levels using automatic particle counters comprises three scale numbers
that permit the differentiation of the dimension and the distribution of the particles as follows:
— the first scale number represents the number of particles equal to or larger than 4 µm(c) per
millilitre of fluid;
— the second scale number represents the number of particles equal to or larger than 6 µm(c) per
millilitre of fluid;
— the third scale number represents the number of particles equal to or larger than 14 µm(c) per
millilitre of fluid.
The code for microscope counting comprises two scale numbers using 5 µm and 15 µm.

3.3 Allocation of scale numbers

3.3.1 The scale numbers are allocated according to the number of particles counted per millilitre of the
fluid sample (see Table 1).

3.3.2 A step ratio of generally two, as given between the upper and lower limits for the number of
particles per millilitre in Table 1, has been adopted to keep the number of scale numbers within a
reasonable limit and to ensure that each step is meaningful.
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Table 1 — Allocation of scale numbers
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Number of particles per millilitre
Scale number
More than Up to and
ISOincluding
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2 500 000 https://standards.iteh.ai/catalog/standards/sist/19554c48-a921-4c5c-86ae- > 28
1 300 000
372d78b676bf/iso-4406-2017
2 500 000 28
640 000 1 300 000 27
320 000 640 000 26
160 000 320 000 25
80 000 160 000 24
40 000 80 000 23
20 000 40 000 22
10 000 20 000 21
5 000 10 000 20
2 500 5 000 19
1 300 2 500 18
640 1 300 17
320 640 16
160 320 15
80 160 14
40 80 13
20 40 12
10 20 11
5 10 10
2,5 5 9
NOTE: Reproducibility below scale number 8 is affected by the actual number of particles counted in the fluid sample. Raw
counts should be more than 20 particles. If this is not possible, refer to 3.4.7.

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Table 1 (continued)
Number of particles per millilitre
Scale number
More than Up to and including
1,3 2,5 8
0,64 1,3 7
0,32 0,64 6
0,16 0,32 5
0,08 0,16 4
0,04 0,08 3
0,02 0,04 2
0,01 0,02 1
0,00 0,01 0
NOTE: Reproducibility below scale number 8 is affected by the actual number of particles counted in the fluid sample. Raw
counts should be more than 20 particles. If this is not possible, refer to 3.4.7.

3.4 Determination of code using automatic particle counter analysis

3.4.1 Counting shall be undertaken in accordance with ISO 11500 or another recognized method,
using an APC calibrated to ISO 11171.

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A scale number shall be allocated to the number of particles equal to or larger than 4 µm(c).

3.4.3 A second scale number (standards.iteh.ai)

shall be allocated to the number of particles equal to or larger than
6 µm(c).
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3.4.4 A third scale number shall 372d78b676bf/iso-4406-2017
be allocated to the number of particles equal to or larger than
14 µm(c).

3.4.5 The three numbers shall be written one after the other and separated by oblique strokes
(slashes).
EXAMPLE A code of 22/18/13 signifies that there are more than 20 000 and up to and including 40 000
particles equal to or larger than 4 µm(c), more than 1 300 and up to and including 2 500 particles equal to or
larger than 6 µm(c) and more than 40 and up to and including 80 particles equal to or larger than 14 µm(c) in 1 ml
of a given fluid sample.

Graphical presentation of ISO Code results shall be as described in Annex A.

3.4.6 When applicable, include either “*” (too numerous to count) or “—” (no requirement to count)
notation when reporting the scale number.
EXAMPLE 1 */19/14 means that this sample has too many particles equal to or larger than 4 µm(c) to count.

EXAMPLE 2 —/19/14 means that there was no requirement to count particles equal to or larger than 4 µm(c).

3.4.7 When the raw data in one of the size ranges results in a particle count of fewer than 20 particles,
the scale number for that size range shall be labelled with the symbol ≥.
EXAMPLE A code of 14/12/≥7 signifies that there are more than 80 and up to and including 160 particles
equal to or larger than 4 µm(c) per millilitre and more than 20 and up to and including 40 particles equal to or
larger than 6 µm(c) per millilitre. The third part of the code, ≥7, indicates that there are more than 0,64 and up to
and including 1,3 particles equal to or larger than 14 µm(c) per millilitre but less than 20 particles were counted
which lowers statistical confidence. Because of this lower confidence, the 14 µm(c) part of the code can be higher
than 7, indicating a particle count of more than 1,3 particles per millilitre.

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