Strawberries and cream, gin and tonic, salt and pepper are all classic things that go together. Oil and analysis might not strike you as a traditional match, but we can tell you they definitely are!
Evidence of using lubrication for machinery dates back as early as the 14th century BCE with the Egyptians using animal fats to ensure the smooth running of their chariots. After the advent of the Industrial Revolution, oil gradually became the most widely used lubrication commodity across the world, replacing animal fats and vegetable oil.
Despite being crucial for the automotive industry, lubricating oil was often used excessively and wastefully with machines being run until failure. There were no methods available to detect problems in equipment so components were either destroyed through over use or replaced far too early. Both were costly but accepted maintenance strategies.
Things began to change in the 1940’s when oil, fuel and machine parts had to be conserved as part of the war effort. The US military began the earliest forms of oil analysis at this point to save the maximum number of resources. It was soon taken up by the naval forces and automotive industry and by the late 1970’s, oil analysis was commonly used worldwide as a method for extending the life and reliability of machinery.
As you can see from this brief history, the relationship between oil and analysis has lasted a lot longer than most marriages (and without the messy divorce!) Today, oil analysis continues to be an important factor in ensuring the smooth running of machinery across the world and Oil Analysis Laboratories leads the way in oil testing for when failure is not an option.
Nowadays, most of the general population are not even aware of the concept of oil analysis or what it does despite it being crucial to everyday modern life, so let’s show oil analysis some love this Valentine’s Day! Food delivery trucks to shipping containers, NHS power generators to wind turbines, your family car to construction machines, oil analysis really is all around!
PS. If you spotted a reference to a famous rom-com in this blog, let us know the answer to get free postage on your first order!
