Technological breakthroughs were always one of the main driving factors behind various industries in existence. The companies that joined the early adopters were always the ones that gained a drastic market advantage over competitors. However, we all need to be aware that having cutting-edge equipment in itself is not a guarantee for success.
No matter how advanced equipment we are using in our facilities, these tools wear out, and their efficiency drops as time goes by. If it’s not properly maintained, all this expensive equipment can quickly turn from asset to liability.
Let us take a look then at some of the easiest ways to keep your industrial tools in top shape and make sure your facilities are running as smoothly as possible.
Table of Contents
Check the manuals and warranties
Much like the simplest gadgets we all have around our homes, complex industrial tools come packed with comprehensive manuals that contain detailed instructions about how the equipment should be used appropriately, maintenance schedule and guidelines, troubleshooting, and so on. Second, it should be a good idea to check all the warranty agreements, see what kinds of malfunctions are covered. There are a lot of business owners who postpone various maintenance duties deeming them too expensive without ever knowing they are eligible for the free repair by the manufacturer. Make these documents publicly available so your employees can always quickly react to the first sign of trouble.
Establish a company-wide maintenance plan
Of course, being quick to react when some breakdown occurs is only a part of the much bigger picture. The main goal of maintenance is to prevent these malfunctions from ever happening. So, be sure to make a detailed company-wide maintenance plan for every piece of the equipment your company is using. Heavy industrial equipment should be inspected by trained professionals at least once a year while your employees can perform regular fine-tuning on a monthly basis. Digital assets operate at a much faster pace, so they need more immediate attention. That is why your workers should perform system updates and troubleshooting checks at the end of each work week.
Replace smaller tools to prevent major breakdowns
All pieces of mechanical equipment work in unison with each other. Because of that, even the breakdowns of small pieces of equipment can cause major problems when left unchecked. Accordingly, replacing some tools that are already worn out for newer, more efficient alternatives can improve the efficiency of the entire system. One of the best examples can be found in the petroleum industry, where oilfield equipment vendors like OFMP ship large volumes of the latest gen valves, tubular, and various drilling tools all across North America. Regular upgrades like these are what keeps major disasters and breakdowns at bay.
Protect electrical wiring
Issues with electrical wiring are some of the most common malfunctions we can observe in industrial facilities. While heavy machinery can operate for years without considerable wearing down, electrical equipment is far more sensitive to outside interference. Of course, the biggest danger comes in the form of humid atmosphere conditions, so your primary task should be to protect your industrial tools from excessive moisture, especially during cold winter months. Also, you should make sure that your facilities are devoid of any needless liquid that could evaporate and condensate over sensitive wiring. Let your employees conduct monthly visual inspections of all vital electrical systems.
Train your staff in proper equipment handling
This should be conducted on all levels ranging from heavy industrial machinery to smaller office pieces. Machines wear out more quickly when they are not correctly handled, cleaned, and lubricated. What’s even worse, improper handling can lead to severe accidents, injuries, and, in some cases, even fatalities. In the case of office equipment, poor PC maintenance can cause severe data leakages and substantial financial implications. That is the reason why all members of your staff should undergo extensive training that will allow them to learn about basic operating principles of their assigned equipment, as well as get to know how that equipment is utilized in the safest and most efficient manner.
Keep detailed maintenance records
Last but not least, we would like to mention that tackling all these responsible duties would be virtually impossible if you are not keeping detailed maintenance records. Aside from being necessary to develop any kind of long-term technology strategy, keeping thorough maintenance records can help you establish comprehensive analytics, identify the tools that are most likely to break, make financial projections and extrapolate complex maintenance patterns. All these tasks can be put entirely under the jurisdiction of AI, which brings the margin for error near zero and provides far more reliable results.
Of course, these few suggestions are only a basic framework, but they should give you some general idea of which direction to push maintenance tasks within your company. Keeping your business equipment in good shape is far more affordable than replacing expensive tools every few months. Do your best then to develop the best possible maintenance strategy and provide your employees with the best possible training so they can keep up.
