Unplanned equipment downtime can have a significant impact on any production line. If machines are idle, this causes delays in the production process and impacts your target throughput – ultimately affecting your business’s bottom line. Conducting routine equipment maintenance is an effective way to minimize any possible unforeseen manufacturing downtime.
Know your system and have a backup plan should a breakdown occur.
Do you understand how your equipment operates? Are you familiar with the various components which comprise of the system? Have you been informed of the safety concerns? Do you have a spare parts inventory? These are important aspects that your maintenance team should consider and be familiar with in order to create a proactive backup plan should an unexpected breakdown occur.
Be sure your maintenance technician is properly trained.
A good maintenance technician can typically spot a small problem before it becomes a big one – possibly saving the company thousands of dollars down the road. It’s also just as important that he or she has the tools and resources needed for your specific equipment needs.
Conduct a routine inspection of your equipment.
It’s important to inspect your product handling equipment on a routine schedule to ensure it’s running smoothly. Many times, you’re able to find a problem early on so that it doesn’t become a big problem down the road. We recommend conducting a comprehensive system audit of your equipment to safeguard your investment from any sort of catastrophic breakdown.
Have a preventative maintenance schedule in place.
Having a preventative maintenance schedule in place helps to keep your equipment running at peak performance for the long haul. The varying parts of your custom system also require various levels of maintenance. We can provide you with a preventative maintenance checklist customized to your particular equipment. The checklist contains weekly, monthly, quarterly, semiannually and annually interval activities associated with inspection, adjustments, tightening, lubrication, and cleaning of the components which make up your system.
Keep a critical spare parts inventory in-stock at all times.
What happens when your machine is down and the part you need is a custom-made part with a long lead time? In today’s competitive marketplace, your business can’t afford any unexpected downtime much less when you’re waiting for replacement parts. Keeping an in-house inventory of critical spare parts can help significantly keep production downtime to a minimum. And, your spare parts inventory doesn’t have to be large to be effective. Our parts specialists can evaluate your system to help define the critical spare parts needed to help support your business.
Downtime in your production line cannot only be a huge inconvenience but a costly one for your total cost of operation. With proper maintenance planning and training, you can significantly minimize these threats while improving your product throughout. To avoid any unexpected downtime, contact Shuttleworth to schedule a Wellness Check with one of our qualified field service technicians to ensure your equipment is running at optimal performance.