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In January 2011, the Food Safety Modernization Act (FSMA) became law in the United States. With roughly 15 percent of the U.S. food supply imported, this law was intended to strengthen the food safety system. Previously, the Public Health Security and Bioterrorism Preparedness Response Act had been signed into law following the events of Sept. 11, 2001. It gave the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) the detention authority over food items if there is a credible threat of serious health consequences or death.

The lubricant is arguably one of the most essential components of a machine, but it also happens to be one of the most vulnerable. Greatly influencing this vulnerability is the temperature, which has an inverse correlation to the most important lubricant property – viscosity. By becoming aware of the potential effects that temperature can have on your lubricants, you can better understand how a machine could fail and hopefully prevent future failures.

Seed oil components of an ornamental flower could be used to design a new class of environmentally friendly lubricants, according to a recent study in Nature Plants. Researchers at the School of Science at Indiana University-Purdue University Indianapolis (IUPUI) identified the compound in the seed oil that is produced in a manner unlike any other fatty acid.

The blotter spot test dates back to the early 1950s. It is one of the oldest techniques used to identify excessive engine soot, evaluate a lubricant’s dispersancy and detect the presence of glycol, diesel fuel and other contaminants in diesel engine crankcase lubricants. Several different field methods and even sophisticated instruments are used to take advantage of this simple technique.

No warning or short-warning failures are the worst kind. Think of a tire. It can wear out slowly over thousands of driving miles or rupture suddenly, at full highway speed, from a random piece of road debris. You can monitor tread loss over time and conveniently schedule a tire change. Conversely, who could predict the sudden appearance of a sharp piece of iron?