Industrial machinery is steadily becoming more high-tech, with cloud, Internet of Things, and other new technologies continually improving performance. However, that doesn’t mean you can skimp on old-fashioned machine maintenance.
Even the most high-tech machinery still needs ordinary maintenance. Poorly-maintained equipment can result in heavy equipment failures and even the risk of injury to employees.
Not sure if you’re maintaining your heavy-duty equipment correctly? Here are the top tips to keep in mind for machine maintenance.
Check Fluids
Checking machine fluids can help you stop problems before they start. Fluids also need routine filling, even when everything’s working correctly.
Check fluid levels and conditions to get an idea of how well your machines are functioning. Regular fluid analysis will help you catch problems early on before they cause big issues. If you notice fluid levels changing faster or slower than usual, that’s another possible sign of a problem.
Cultivate Familiarity
Good maintenance means not waiting until something goes wrong. The more familiar you are with your machines when they’re working well, the easier it will be to catch an issue.
Familiarize yourself with equipment manuals to learn what’s normal and what isn’t. Your manuals will also help you know when to schedule routine service.
Even if you don’t operate the machine regularly, someone does. Get your whole team on board with cultivating familiarity with the equipment.
Record Everything
Keeping a record of maintenance, breakdowns, and everything else that happens with your equipment creates a valuable body of knowledge.
From the moment you get a machine, start a record of everything notable about it. Modern technology makes it easy to keep this information online, where it can be accessed and updated by anyone involved with that machine.
Any scheduled servicing, unexpected repairs, and other notable events can go into this record. When something seems wrong with a machine, looking at its history can help you get an idea of what to do next.
Make a Preventative Program
It’s clear that the essential machine maintenance is preventative. If you wait until something’s seriously wrong, you’ve waited too long.
Make a scheduled servicing and preventative maintenance program to keep things running smoothly. Replace parts, inspect the equipment, refill fluids, and otherwise care for your machinery as needed.
It’s also good to periodically test the performance as part of this program. These tests will show when something is starting to go wrong before it becomes a serious problem.
Don’t Delay: Start Machine Maintenance Now
If you’ve been slow to do machine maintenance, your equipment is probably breaking down more than it should. Don’t wait to implement these practices. The sooner you begin, the more money you can save.
Maintenance doesn’t just save money by preventing equipment failures, though. It also helps keep you and your employees safe by avoiding dangerous mishaps. Workplace safety is one of the most important aspects of working with heavy machinery, and maintenance is a crucial part of safety.
Doing maintenance doesn’t mean you’ll never need to repair your equipment, but it will make those repairs less frequent. Are you looking for repair help? Check out our services here!