Test Equipment and Measurement Instrument Blog

In 2019 and 2020, the United States was, by far, the largest producer of corn across the globe, reaching an astonishing 345 million metric tons of corn in one year alone, or over one-third of the whole global corn production.

Have you heard about the acronym FAT TOM? It’s shorthand for those in the food production and food-grade crop industries and refers to the factors and conditions that allow bacteria and other contaminants to grow, which can lead to food spoilage.

Soybean crops typically begin to reach their full maturity in late September as the seasons start to change. When the days get shorter and temperatures start to cool, leaves on soybean plants slowly turn yellow. By mid-October and November, these leaves turn brown and fall off, leaving the mature soybean pods behind, ready for harvest. 

While most growers understand that in an ideal world, corn crops would all be harvested when they reach the standard moisture level of 15.5 percent, these same growers would be quick to tell you that when it comes to farming, there is no “ideal world,” and that each growing season brings it's own unique set of challenges. 

Are you developing pharmaceuticals, processing food, or manufacturing chemicals? If precision and contamination control matter to your business, a composition analyzer can be your most valuable quality assurance tool.

Today’s regulatory environment means that companies have a legal obligation to prevent their products from contamination, but it’s not just about compliance. Consumers want to know that they can trust the products they buy. You also want to avoid the reputational damage that can happen when stories spread through word of mouth, social media, or news reporting about your products being unsafe or damaged.

We rely on plastics and polymers for just about everything in our lives, from cars to toothbrushes, heart stents to eyeglasses. Even parts of the most technologically advanced airplanes like the Boeing Dreamliner are made from plastics. 

We live in a world where we are increasingly surrounded by "smart" technology. From smartwatches and other wearable devices to virtual assistants and even smart lawnmowers, and ceiling fans, smart technology is all around us.

As evening frost begins to gather on our grass at home, we pull our fall sweaters out of storage and temperatures start to dip at night, it’s time to start thinking about those crops that are still waiting in the field for harvest.

The Old Farmer’s Almanac was first published in 1792. It was created by Benjamin Franklin to predict things like the times for the rising and setting of the sun, as well as the patterns of the tides, and overall weather predictions. And, as the name suggests, the Almanac served as a helpful guide, providing dates for farmers to know when to plow up the strawberry bed, or when to plant rutabagas. 

As of 2018, the global production of polymers reached 360 million metric tons. And by the year 2050, it’s estimated that the production of polymers will triple, accounting for one-fifth of total global oil consumption.