THE BEST TIPS FOR EXTENDING YOUR EQUIPMENT’S LIFESPAN

In the manufacturing industry, productivity is one of the most important factors in staying competitive. Taking care of your machinery and equipment is the first step in maximizing production and eliminating downtime.

By keeping an eye on equipment through routine checks, handling it properly and evaluating how each individual tool affects the system as a whole, you will better understand how to keep machinery functioning at full potential. Here are the best tips for extending the lifespan of your equipment:

Evaluate the risk of your equipment.
Analyzing the individual risks that each asset brings to the company is an important step. This will raise awareness of the crucial parts of certain equipment and how malfunctions or lack of maintenance will directly affect other machines.

Each piece of machinery should be categorized as having a critical, high or low risk. Critical risk assets can affect your entire system. If there is a malfunction or downtime, all other assets will be impacted. A high-risk asset will still affect other machinery, but not the entire system. These risks will also require downtime if a malfunction occurs, so it is important that they are caught early on to prevent damage. Low-risk assets usually only affect themselves. Downtime is usually minimal and the overall manufacturing system will not be affected. For low-risk equipment, it may be smart to have a backup or replacement parts on hand.

Consistently check for wear on machinery.
It is inevitable that with time, equipment is going to wear down. However, being aware of what causes the breakdown of equipment and consistently checking for it will allow you to slow down the wearing process.

In heavy machinery, vibration, shock, high temperatures, friction and age all contribute to the wear on equipment. Over time, belts wear down, seals dry and crack and bolts may loosen. Catching small effects of wear early on and correcting the issue will prevent further damage to machinery. Make sure you are always monitoring equipment to ensure it is aging properly and the process is elongated.

Make sure you have a structured maintenance schedule set in place.
Routine checks may seem obvious, but more often than not, routine check-ups are put off and forgotten about. It can be very easy for equipment to become overworked. Without a proper check to ensure all parts are running smoothly, machinery will wear down. By setting up a structured, pre-scheduled check-up, potential repairs and downtime will be reduced, boosting productivity and saving repair costs.

Fluids, tracks, and electrical systems should be checked regularly. These components are minor pieces to overall machinery, but damage to these parts could stir up larger problems for equipment. Some of the minor but necessary checks you should look for include the lubrication of all gears, seals should be checked for wear, perform torque checks on bolts and change filters frequently.

Make sure employees are trained on the equipment.
Every company at some point will experience employee turnover. New employees operating machinery need proper training on all equipment, from basic operation to understanding maintenance and how to locate a malfunction when it arises. Without appropriate training, machines may be used improperly and necessary preventative measures may be disregarded, leading to a shorter lifespan of equipment.



Want to learn more about extending your equipment’s lifespan?
Give us a call at 1.800.333.7519 or contact us online to speak with an ACI representative today.