How to Extend the Life of Heavy Industrial Machinery

The purchase of heavy industrial equipment can be considered to be one of the most significant investments any company can make. No matter whether you are working at a manufacturing plant, at a construction site, or operate a large agricultural facility, your equipment is an important tool that allows for the smooth performance of work and helps to keep all processes going without delays.

Fortunately, the extension of the operational period of heavy industrial machinery is not a difficult task. In most cases, the reasons for the failure of a machine have nothing in common with some serious issues that cause a malfunction. The breakdown of a machine usually happens because of little problems that occur over the time and are neglected.

In case you have made an investment into EMC industrial equipment, the following recommendations will prove helpful to you.

Begin by Setting Up a Preventive Maintenance Schedule

One of the best things that you can do to keep your industrial equipment safe is to undertake preventive maintenance.

Preventive maintenance refers to periodic inspections and repairs performed on the basis of the number of hours that an equipment has been running, as well as according to manufacturer's guidelines. The aim of this method is to detect parts that need replacement, bolts that need tightening, or leaks.

It is significantly less expensive to replace a damaged belt before your machine breaks down than to fix a problem with it once the equipment stops working.

A maintenance schedule and proper maintenance documentation will make sure you don’t overlook anything.

Maintain Proper Lubrication of Equipment

One of the major reasons behind wear and tear of industrial machinery is friction. For efficient performance of bearings, gears, chains, and moving joints, it is necessary that their proper lubrication is maintained.

Proper lubrication will minimize the friction and prevent any heating of components and will keep them protected against premature wear.

The most crucial point to note here is that different machinery requires different kinds of lubrication. In case of using the incorrect kind of oil or grease, there is possibility of decreased performance and damaging of internal parts.

So, always use the correct lubricants recommended by the manufacturer and develop a lubrication schedule for all the machinery present in the fleet.

Cleaning of Machinery

Dirt, dust, moisture and various other kinds of contaminants constantly come in contact with the industrial machinery during its operation. They have potential to affect the cooling system, clog up filters, mask leaks, and cause corrosion.

Cleaning of machinery is an essential task as it helps in the process of maintenance of the machinery.

Cleaning includes pressure washing of the outer surfaces of the machinery, removing debris from air intakes and cleaning accumulated dirt near hydraulic fittings.

Train Operators to Utilize Equipment Properly

Even the best pieces of equipment can be worn out very quickly if it is used inappropriately.

Sharp acceleration, jerky braking, overloading, and neglecting warnings all cause additional stress to mechanical parts.

Apart from making the workplace safe, training operators properly will help in extending the lifespan of equipment. Trained operators will be more attentive to the unusual noises, vibration, and other factors that can show the beginning of any problems.

Prompt reporting of possible issues will allow fixing them by maintenance services in time.

Check Fluids and Filters

It is often said that fluids are the lifeblood of heavy equipment, and it is true. Engine oil, hydraulic fluid, coolant, and transmission fluid all have their jobs to do and help equipment run efficiently.

It is important to check the fluid level, but it is important to pay attention to its condition as well.

Watch out for signs like:

• ● Oil being milky/cloudy

• ● Strange smell coming from fluids

• ● Metal pieces in fluids

• ● Unusual coloration

• ● Insufficient level of coolant

Changing filters when needed is also very important. Clogged air, fuel, and hydraulic filters reduce system performance and make equipment work harder.

Inspection of Wear Components Regularly

There are a lot of wear components on a heavy-duty machinery. Belts, hoses, seals, bearings, tires, tracks, and cutting edges are some of the examples.

Checking the equipment allows maintenance workers to change the components before their unexpected failure.

The small cracks on the hydraulic hose or the worn bearing do not seem harmful while inspecting the machine, but they may cause breakdowns and expensive consequences.

Making checklists of all important elements guarantees their regular checking.

Equipment Protection When It Is Stored

Every machine does not work all seasons of the year. Some machines are used only during certain times of the year or are stored just for emergency cases.

Even though it may look as no problem, leaving a machine parked and unused can negatively affect its condition. The best thing that you can do is to store your machine in the shelter or dry place to save it from rain, snow, and sun. In case there is no such place, buy special covers for industrial machines. Clean the equipment properly, fill in fluids when necessary, remove the battery from the machinery, and make sure there are no problems with maintenance.

Do Not Exceed Machine Limits

Each piece of machinery has certain limitations within which it is designed to operate. Overloading of such machinery will only result in putting excessive load on the engine, hydraulics, transmission, and frame.

Overloading will allow completing certain tasks faster, but in most cases, it will lead to greater wear of parts, lower fuel consumption rate, and even malfunctions. Operators should be aware of their equipment's limitations and select an appropriate machine for each particular job.

Following the manufacturer guidelines will help protect both equipment and its operators.

Choose Quality Replacement Parts

Each machine sooner or later will require replacement parts. If it is necessary, it is important to choose quality components.

Cheap replacement parts from the aftermarket may seem cost-effective at first glance; however, poor quality material or improper manufacturing tolerances may have adverse effects on equipment performance and even affect the adjacent parts.

Selecting quality replacement components that fit the manufacturer's requirements will help keep machine performance stable and prevent future malfunctions.

Adopt Predictive Maintenance Tools

Technology has revolutionized how organizations conduct maintenance activities for their industrial machines. In addition to carrying out inspection at fixed intervals, most firms have adopted predictive maintenance technology in order to monitor the condition of their machines.

Through sensors, various parameters like vibration, temperature, and pressure among others can be monitored and potential faults detected before the machines malfunction. Some devices also alert the users when the parameters read are not within their normal range, thus enabling organizations to plan maintenance work during idle periods rather than during active operation.

Although there is some capital cost involved with the adoption of this technology, most of them pay off because of reduced unforeseen faults.

Document Maintenance Activities Properly

Apart from the scheduling of maintenance work, the documents serve other purposes in addition to serving as reminders. With proper documentation, it becomes easy to keep track of any recurrent faults, repair expenses, and schedule future maintenance operations.

The record should contain:

• ● Date of last inspection

• ● Work done

• ● Parts replaced

• ● Flows replaced

• ● Operation hours

• ● Notes made by technicians

These documents can also boost the resale value of your equipment.

Work With a Reliable Equipment Supplier

It's not enough to have reliable equipment. It's also critical to be able to turn to the right sources when it comes to equipment maintenance and repairs.

When working with trusted equipment providers, one will be able to enjoy greater variety in product selection, high-quality customer service, and equipment designed to survive in harsh industrial conditions. No matter whether your business needs to purchase new equipment or replace the old one, getting quality products from EMC industrial equipment might pay off in the long term.

Selecting the right supplier sets the best base for any maintenance program.

Final Thoughts

Despite being designed for heavy duty workloads, industrial equipment still needs regular care to function efficiently and safely for many years.

Maintenance programs that work best are those that emphasize prevention rather than reacting to breakdowns. The earlier the potential problem is detected and the more consistent the maintenance schedule, the better results companies are likely to see from their investments in equipment.

Regardless of whether it's one machine or a whole fleet, working together with a reputable company like EMC industrial equipment and sticking to a proactive maintenance strategy will make sure that the equipment works reliably and effectively for years to come.