Heavy machinery such as road building equipment in sectors such as Mining, Farming, Excavators needs constant maintenance so that it stays in perfect operating order. On the other hand, poorly maintained large machines don’t stay operational for long. Breakdowns will not only cost a lot, they are a big safety concern as well.
Here is a list of five great tips that will help you maintain your machine better:
The operation of large machinery is usually carried out by multiple operators. The checklist of operational inspections should always include overseeing the correct operation of the equipment.
Inspection of large machinery should be done on purchase, at which point, operator training is usually done. It is necessary to provide training tips to all users at predefined intervals. The passage of time leads to decay of skills and changing employees leads to breakdowns.
For any specific function or work, the operator manual can be rewritten in simpler language. To promote easy reference, a handy one page checklist can be distributed to each operator with important tips. Ensure that operators are using the latest version of manual, which should be refreshed from time to time as older machines need more attention.
Identify practices that best work for your processes and apply them to other geographic locations and facilities. Learning about your equipment maintenance can prove to be quite valuable. Use this acquired knowledge in other applicable processes.
Lubricants are used to reduce friction between moving parts in a machine. For this purpose, it is necessary to maintain a good lubrication schedule to extend the life of parts and equipment. It is a maintenance check of great importance. Check for: grease buildup in pistons, excess oil, leaks in oil seals. Ensure use of the correct lubricant recommended in the manual as there are specific types of greases and oils for every component. Castrol has a wide variety of lubricants which help in easy maintenance & in extending equipment life.
Checking the lubricant is a good way to get the problem diagnosed in large machines. The particles present in used oil can be analyzed by expert. The contents of contaminants will show which component is possibly losing its integrity, which can predict the time for changeovers.
High temperatures, shock, friction, age and vibration contribute to the depreciation and breakdown of components in heavy machines. Belts and gears may be misaligned which may lead to vibration and wear. Shock, sudden loads, friction, extended use, worn parts and poor lubrication are a few reasons which can give rise to high temperatures. A lot of important components are affected by age. over time, seals will dry and crack, belts will warp and bolts will stretch out of shape and loosen.
It is important to monitor critical components in your machinery. Always replace worn out parts quickly as soon as you discover abnormality in any moving part in your heavy machines.
There are numerous filters and seals placed on heavy machinery in order to prevent it from contamination from the environment. Inspection of seals should happen at regular intervals to ensure they are in reliable condition. Inspection and replacement of filters must occur periodically. Regular cleaning of breathers is recommended to avoid creating a vacuum in the cab, as it can suck contaminants in. The cab contains electronics which can possibly break down if contaminated.
Tires, fluids, tracks, and electrical systems are among are some of the components that need to be diagnosed for preventive maintenance to avoid breakdown. Knowing what needs to be inspected and the time of inspection is important. Let's look at some examples :
In conclusion, the given 5 steps are of great importance to you if you want to extend the life of your heavy machinery. They will also improve the ROI from import purchases. The global manufacturing arena is competitive in terms of knowledge, and great value can be derived if you possess knowledge of machine maintenance and share it effectively across your company. This way, you will amplify your gains on a greater scale.