In these days of supermarkets and ready-meals, there is a tendency for engineering families to consume a convenience-based diet of wishful thinking or, worse still, external consultants, to satisfy their appetite for optimised friction, lubrication and wear.
Such an imbalanced diet, focused on short-term problem-solving, can lead to immobile or leaky end products that are uncomfortable and embarrassing when exposed to customers. In time, this may also lead to severe health implications such as loss of competitiveness.
There is a growing realisation of the health benefits of a small concentration of tribologists as part of a balanced engineering diet.
Rather than continuing the "quick fix" approach, why not boost the long-term health of your engineering family by growing your own tribologist? It's not as difficult as it may sound!
First, select your seed carefully. The key characteristics to look for are an open mind surrounded by a tough outer shell.
The seed can be planted in any engineering environment, but it will be most productive in a team-based mulch of design, simulation and testing specialists. Appropriate nutrients may include books, test rigs and software. Ensure full germination by developing a fertile culture of enlightenment.
It is proven that tribologists thrive in the company of other tribologists, so if your solitary tribologist shows signs of neglect, consider transferring it for a short time to the highly nutritious soil of a seminar or training course.
Begin harvesting your tribologist before maturity, ideally as soon as the first buds start to open. Ensure that any dead wood is pruned away before it destabilises the main trunk. Some people even claim that talking to your tribologist occasionally can boost its growth and development.
For many companies, a balanced engineering diet may comprise one or two tribologists. One is often regarded as a safe minimum for the species, but when a second tribologist is planted alongside, the benefits of cross-fertilisation become apparent quickly.
The whole engineering family can get involved with helping the tribologist grow. The older family members enjoy imparting their wisdom, which is often strong in empirical value. Naturally, the younger family members run around more quickly and can be very enthusiastic about creating new and exciting challenges for "their" new tribologist to work on.
So why not get your engineering family together and share the satisfaction of growing your own tribologist? It can be a rewarding and enriching experience for everyone!