Magazine : 
8 Tips For Maintaining Manufacturing Equipment
Regular maintenance is essential in any workplace. They are even more important in the manufacturing industry.
It’s with regular maintenance that you can keep all manufacturing equipment to be in optimal condition so you can continue to use them daily without needing repairs or replacements. Not to mention that regular maintenance also increases the productivity and efficiency of a manufacturing plant or facility.
In this article, we are going to talk about a couple of tips on how to maintain all types of manufacturing equipment.
1. Always Read The Manual
Equipment manufacturers also provide a manual that’s complete with instructions on how to use, maintain, and repair it in case it encounters some problems.
Nothing will tell you more about how to properly maintain manufacturing equipment than reading its manual. The manual will instruct you about all the regular maintenance tasks that you need to perform and why they should be done. The manual will also tell you whether you can do the regular maintenance tasks on your own or if it should be done by a trained and experienced professional.
2. Keep Them Dry At All Times
When it comes to preventative care, it’s important that you keep all manufacturing equipment dry at all times. By storing them in a place that’s far from elements that can cause rust and other issues, you can keep your manufacturing equipment in better working condition for a longer period of time.
3. Ensure Proper Lubrication
A good lubricant will help reduce friction and heat around the moving parts of manufacturing equipment. If you create a regular lubrication schedule, you can extend the life of your manufacturing equipment.
A good lubricant aims to reduce friction and heat especially around the moving parts of manufacturing equipment such as when you’re using toggle clamps wherein it can be difficult to calculate applied forces. However, it’s important to know that not all manufacturing equipment uses the same type of lubricant.
4. Provide Proper Operator Training
Manufacturing equipment is wide and varied and it should only be handled by a trained and experienced operator. Any scheduled maintenance task should include the proper operation of the equipment itself. Manufacturing equipment should be inspected first before it’s purchased and operator training should be provided as soon as possible.
Operator manuals should be revised and provided to each operator for easy reference. Providing training for operators will help them get familiar with the different kinds of manufacturing equipment to help avoid overuse and misuse which can lead to breakdowns and accidents.
5. Look For Signs Of Wear & Tear
There are many factors that contribute to the breakdown of parts in manufacturing equipment. Regular use, heat, friction, vibration, and rust are just some of the things that can cause equipment to break down.
Although these things are typical, it’s still a good idea to look for signs of wear and tear on all your manufacturing equipment. This will give you a heads up on possible breakdowns or issues which need to be addressed immediately.If you see wear and tear on some parts of your equipment, be sure to get on top of it as soon as possible.
6. Clean The Equipment Regularly
Regular cleaning is essential in maintaining manufacturing equipment. Unfortunately, not everyone is aware of this. Many companies pay little attention to proper cleaning, as a result, their equipment doesn’t last that long.
Dirt, dust, and soot can clog up filters, fans, seals, and vents which affects the overall performance of manufacturing equipment over time. So, make sure that you check your manufacturing equipment for any of these elements regularly.
7. Handle With Care
You might think that kicking or slapping big and heavy manufacturing equipment is going to make it work better, but you’re wrong. Although there are some cases that it can be true, pounding the equipment is actually doing more harm than good.
Even though manufacturing equipment is kind of made from durable materials, you still need to handle them with care, especially when using them. If you treat them as delicate equipment, the longer they’ll remain in good working condition and last.
8. Develop A Maintenance Schedule
Having a regular maintenance schedule is essential in making sure that your manufacturing equipment will stay in good working condition for a long period of time. Keeping a schedule of check-ups, inspections, and maintenance and keeping a record will help keep everything transparent.
Be sure to record everything that was done to the equipment such as the cost of repair, the parts that were needed to be replaced, the date of inspection and maintenance, and so on.
Final Thoughts
Remember that all theequipment in your plant or facility is essential for the day-to-day operations of your businesses, especially if you’re in the manufacturing industry. When these things are down, your company’s bottom line is going to be affected. To prevent this from happening you must ensure that all your manufacturing equipment works like it should, by providing regular maintenance and proper care.
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