Professional Tips for Maintaining Machinery and Electrical in Manufacturing
- Keep Up to Date with Operator Training
Operators should be trained in visual inspection as well. When a piece of equipment is first introduced into a manufacturing facility it should be thoroughly inspected by the operators who will be using the machine. This is also a good time to provide critical operator training and to put in place a training schedule. When machinery is updated all operators need to be included in additional training. Not only is there employee turnover to account for, but overtime operators will become relaxed which will lead to breakdowns in proper techniques. On going training helps to eliminate this.
Equipment manuals should be kept up to date and revised as needed. These manuals should be kept within the vicinity of the equipment so that operators have access to them when needed. A shorter manual can be used for ease of reference on common everyday operations.
- Apply Lubricants Liberally and Frequently
Lubrication is one of the most importance aspects in machine maintenance and should be checked on a regular basis. It is critical that signs of excess oil and grease build-up are tracked as well as cracks in oil seals and leaks.
Using the correct lubricant for the machine and the components within is important. Be sure to use the oil and grease that is recommended by manufacturers when lubing up electrical components. Checking lubricants helps in the diagnosis of problems in large machinery. Experts can analyze the particles in used oil. The makeup of the contaminants can indicate the part of the machine that is suffering from excess wear and breakdown.
- Examine Machinery for Signs of Wear
- Machine vibrations come from belts and gears that are not in alignment.
- Shock comes from accidents and poor operation techniques.
- Increased temperatures come from extensive use, friction, improper lubrication, and worn our parts.
- The age of key machine components can cause deterioration. Belts can warp, seals can crack and dry out, bolts loosen and stretch. The age of large scaled machinery needs to be tracked and monitored to avoid a compromise to the safety of your machine.
- Keep the Facility Clean and Maintain Clean Equipment
- Maintain a Record of Maintenance and Repairs
- Moving components create friction. These items need to be inspected for wear and replaced on a regular basis.
- Gears need to be lubricated often.
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