Mechanical Maintenance: Extending the Service Life of Industrial Plant Machinery
Mechanical maintenance is essential for industrial plants. Poor upkeep often leads to the breakdown of equipment, and this leads to significant downtime and subsequent financial losses. Moreover, the constant wear and damage due to the lack of consistent care will cause the machinery to fail prematurely. Therefore, if you would like to maximise the service life of your industrial plant, ensure that the right maintenance practices are upheld. Here are crucial tips to help you protect your equipment.
Plan for Housekeeping
The accumulation of dirt in critical components of your industrial plant can lead to premature systems failure. Therefore, thorough cleaning is an essential maintenance task for keeping your equipment in good condition. Plan for regular professional cleaning to eliminate dust, grime and soot from the machinery. In most cases, a simple hose is enough for equipment cleaning. However, if your equipment has stubborn stains or difficult-to-clean components, consider power, steam or even acid washing. Housekeeping should also encompass checking and cleaning elements like filters, seals and fans in the machinery.
Prepare Upkeep Schedule
The most common mistake in mechanical maintenance is a lack of planning or scheduling. Keep in mind that the goal of preventive maintenance is to manage wear before the equipment breaks down. Therefore, you cannot afford to wait for signs of decline before conducting your upkeep tasks. The best approach is to prepare a maintenance timetable and adhere to it. Usually, heavy equipment manufacturers provide guidelines on the upkeep intervals for the machinery. However, you can improve on the recommendations by taking into account the usage demands, environment and age of the equipment. Also, consult a specialist in mechanical maintenance for guidance on the best maintenance schedule.
Conduct Inspections
Industrial plant machinery can experience a decline even with regular maintenance. The potential causes of failure include thermal inefficiencies, mechanical problems and general erratic malfunctions. These types of failures might seem sudden. However, in most cases, the signs of damage are underlying and might remain undiscovered until the equipment breaks down. For instance, thermal-induced failure might be caused by insufficient coolant due to leaks, poor lubrication or blockage of airflow. If these problems are not discovered in time, the equipment will experience a decline in potential service life. Therefore, you should plan for regular inspections to identify hidden plant machinery issues and resolve them. Finally, keep clear records of the usage of the plant machinery. Monitor the condition of the equipment and analyse the trends in performance to improve preventive maintenance efforts.