Keeping particle processing equipment up and running is integral for bulk material handling companies. Properly maintaining processing equipment ensures a facility remains productive, while poorly maintaining it can lead to costly breakdowns and stoppages, as well as safety issues. Preventive maintenance is the foundation of this effort and also lengthens service life.
5 Ways to Preventively Maintain Particle Processing Equipment
Whenever processing equipment fails, it slows down operations, which in turn cost manufacturers time and money. For this reason, it’s important to use preventive maintenance plans to keep particle processing equipment running. Five ways to do this involve ensuring operators are properly trained, particle processing equipment is inspected regularly, machinery is kept clean, maintenance data is collected over time, and each machine is properly lubricated.
Skills Training
Particle processing equipment often runs around the clock. Even when automated, both operators and maintenance personnel need certain skillsets to ensure systems run properly. Those tasked with maintaining processing equipment should understand basic concepts like cleaning, maintenance checks and appropriate levels of lubrication. These stakeholders must also have knowledge of components critical to a machine’s operation to prevent them from breaking down and causing unplanned downtime. It’s also important to leverage the knowledge of experienced operators when maintaining processing equipment. Not only does this extend working life, but it empowers every operator to be responsible for maintaining processing equipment.
Regular Inspections
Daily, weekly, monthly, and annual inspections are necessary for properly maintaining processing equipment. Operators need to identify potential issues before they become big problems that require costly repairs. Critical equipment checklists should look for any signs of wear, leakage, or damage to ensure their continuing functionality. Additionally, regular inspections of particle processing equipment help extend their lifecycle and make workspaces safer.
Inspection checklists should include inspecting for:
- Driveshaft alignment
- Loose bolts or other connecting implements
- Noises caused by friction
- Overly high temperatures
- Proper lubrication of bearings and other components
- Signs of corrosion
- Unusual vibrations
- Wear and tear on particle processing equipment
All these can be signs of an imminent breakdown, which can shorten equipment lifespan.
Routine Cleaning
Scheduled cleaning activities play an important role in maintaining processing equipment and keeping it running optimally. By preventing contaminants from clogging, corroding, or otherwise reducing their effectiveness, the lifespans of particle processing equipment can be extended. Maintaining processing equipment’s filtering and sealing mechanisms is especially vital, as these parts can also cause inconvenient stoppages that reduce a plant’s productivity.
Document & Keep Data on Maintenance
Data is a key ingredient for preventive maintenance strategies in modern material processing facilities. When maintaining processing equipment, it’s imperative to consider previous issues with particle processing equipment. Tracking data on the state of essential equipment helps prevent serious problems from developing from minor concerns. Understanding what part of a system or piece of machinery has previously experienced difficulties helps prevent unplanned downtime for the same or similar reasons.
Data should be collected on anything that could potentially hinder production, including bearings, conveyors, driveshafts, filtering devices, gearboxes, lubricants, and other elements of particle processing equipment. When maintaining processing equipment records, it's important to record all maintenance activities, including the time of last inspection, replacement of parts, or other repairs. Combined with inspections, this documentation on the state of a processing system helps keep uptime at optimal levels.
Lubrication
Lubricants reduce friction around any moving part. Maintaining processing equipment lubrication at optimal levels goes a long way toward ensuring machinery will last. Lubricants at bearings, gears, joints, and other components should be done according to manufacturer requirements. Too much lubricant can create buildup that can eventually lead to downtime, while too little lubricant can cause premature failure and lower the lifespan of machinery.
Many components also require special kinds of lubricants. Those maintaining processing equipment should ensure the right lubricants are used for specific components. Additionally, extreme conditions can also affect the type of lubricant needed. Generally, high-quality synthetic oils are better for maintaining processing equipment, as they lengthen the lifecycles of machinery and optimize efficiency.
Maintaining Processing Equipment with Prater Industries
Prater Industries offers a range of support services to help keep particle processing equipment up and running longer. We encourage our customers to continue inspecting and maintaining processing equipment to keep it performing optimally.
Services we offer customers for our particle processing equipment include:
- History of parts ordered over time
- Information on warranties
- Inquiries on pricing and availability of parts
- Preventive maintenance agreements
- Repair and servicing on premises
- Replacement components
- Technical support
To learn more about our products and services, contact the material handling specialists at Prater today.
