Machine Maintenance is always a unwanted cost, doesn’t produce any direct benefit, but can be reduce to a minimum with some simple tasks.

Cleaning:

Look after your equipment by the simple routine of cleaning. Don’t accumulate clutter around them and designate a person or implement a strict policy of cleaning among the operator that uses your equipment. If the equipment or machinery require some specific skills for cleaning because involve the dismantling of section of this, then you can provide a training to one of your operator to complete this task. Cleaning will avoid deterioration and prevent some components become rust for excessive expose to water or high humidity.

Lubrication:

The lubrication of your equipment doesn’t need to be completed by an expert, the person in charge only need enough knowledge of when and how to lubricate, so with a proper training you can keep your equipment with the proper lubrication.

Any spindle or rubbing components will require lubrication, the period of lubrication and description of the lubricant will be specified by the fabricator is most of the case.

The main purpose of lubrication is to reduce friction and abrasion between metals. The lubricant will create a very thin coat between the surface to avoid direct contact, preventing wear and deterioration.

If you buy a new equipment the manual indicate the lubrication recommended by the fabricator and if it is a second hand equipment you can verify the lubrication point by yourself or call some external company for advice.

Food manufacturing equipment require edible lubricants, keep in mind that it is “illegal” use common lubricants in a food manufacturing equipment.

Proper use of your machineries:

This is one of the most common problems in maintenance. All your machineries have method and procedure to use them, so if you overload or tray to complete a task that the machine is not prepare to do you will damage your machinery, if not immediately but will accumulate those overload until the fail will be unavoidable.

The creation of Standard Operation Procedure, is the best way to protect your machineries from bad practice of use, at the same time you will keep the knowledge of how to use your machine in a document, remember knowledge is power.

Adolfo Trujillo