What might not come to mind, however, is one of the most important parts of the game: the oil on the lane.

Many casual bowlers probably don’t even know there is oil covering the surface the ball travels down, but there always is. Most of the time, that oil is laid down in a pattern called a “house shot,” and it’s designed to help keep scores relatively high for bowlers of reasonable skill.

For more competitive bowling, however, the oil is laid down in any of a number of “sports shot” patterns that determine how much oil is put down and what portions of the lane it covers. This adds a significant layer of complexity to the game!

Competitive bowlers might not know exactly what oil pattern is on a given lane, but here’s something they do know: the oil is clean. It will reduce friction without damaging the ball as it rolls toward the pins.

So here’s a question for you: is the oil lubricating your equipment clean?

A Predictive Maintenance program that includes oil analysis can help you ensure the answer is yes.

Oil analysis involves taking an oil sample and testing it for viscosity, wear particles, the presence of water, and more. This is particularly important if your equipment is exposed to various contaminants like soot or ash.

To get started, create an equipment list with the machine type, name/asset number, lubricant type/grade/manufacturer, and whether or not the sample is filtered. All of this information is helpful to the testing lab.

Analyzed oil samples will reveal trends and those trends can help determine the optimal lubricant replacement intervals. The oil analysis process can serve as an early warning system for potential machine failure, as well, allowing you to keep your equipment running and reduce downtime.

Testing the oil in your critical equipment will help you roll a strike every time.