Do’s and Don’ts of Industrial Equipment Maintenance

Maintaining industrial equipment is crucial to get the most life out of the machine. Modern heavy equipment and machinery are built to last and perform even in the harshest conditions. This is only possible when periodic maintenance is undertaken as per manufacturers’ specifications. Ensuring this will prevent individual parts or the machine as a whole from breaking down unexpectedly. This will ensure minimized downtime and a safer work environment for employees.
For those of you who are serious about maintaining your equipment in top condition, here is a list of do’s and don’ts to be aware of.

DO’s

Follow service schedules: You can tell that an equipment manager is smart when he follows recommended service schedules. It is an essential aspect to maximize the life of your equipment. Experts who put in a lot of hard work initially for building the equipment are also the right evaluators for determining maintenance guidelines. As far as possible, try and follow the manufacturers’ guidelines for things like maintenance schedules and OEM part swaps. Doing so will ensure that the parts that keep your industrial equipment in running condition are at their best - at all time. Following regular service schedules may seem like a waste of money, however, over a period of time, when done right, you will be able to maximize Return on Investment (ROI).

Perform regular inspections: Give practical lessons to operators on how to perform daily/regular inspections. This will ensure that your equipment stays in tune and in good health. Inspections done on a regular basis can help determine easily (or small) fixable issues in time before it is too late and becomes a major problem. What’s more, your employees will be happier in a safer work environment.

Clean equipment and parts: Industrial equipment, irrespective of their size and strength will always be vulnerable to dirt and contaminants overtime. Realize that the larger the equipment, the more moving parts are used in its design. Cleaning the dirt (grease and muck) should be done periodically with a industrial parts washer detergent to ensure that grease left-over by strenuous operation of the equipment is cleaned away. If your device is equipped with filters, ensure you change them on a regular basis. Not doing so can lead to expensive repairs later. Dirty parts not only look bad, they also have a tendency to corrode and damage, leaving you with expensive repairs. 

DON’Ts

Cut corners: There is never a time to select an inexpensive product or trust unreliable sources when considering industrial equipment maintenance. Using top-notch products and working with a reputable service provider will help you reduce operating costs, get rid of safety concerns and also extend the equipment’s life.

Ignore warning signs: Signs that cannot be ignored include declined performance, strange sounds from the engine, low fluid levels and leakage, smell of noxious fumes or smoke coming from the exhaust system. When you get one of these warnings, make sure you get it checked by an expert.

Consider these points and look for a reliable industrial parts and service provider as per your requirement.

Author: The author is a blogger and the article is about industrial parts maintenance.