A summer shutdown is the perfect opportunity to perform heavy equipment maintenance, and itโs one you absolutely shouldnโt miss out on for any reason. Regular maintenanceโwhen performed correctlyโis essential for guaranteeing the longevity of your critical equipment. Find out everything you need to know about preventive equipment maintenance with this Revelation Machinery blog.
Check out this Revelation Machinery blog to learn more about:
- Six essential maintenance tasks you need to perform every summer
- How those tasks contribute to preserving your equipment
- The importance of assessing your equipmentโs unique maintenance needs
Six Essential Machine Maintenance Tasks For The Summer
Before diving into our six essential tasks, itโs worth mentioning that you should always review the guidelines provided by your equipmentโs manufacturer. Each piece of equipmentโwhether a CNC mill or a shearโhas distinct engineering characteristics and operational requirements usually outlined in the documentation. This should be your first point of reference for maintenance.
1. Inspect Cooling Systems
Cleaning your cooling systems is one of the most essential maintenance tasks. As summer rolls around, machines accumulate dust, dirt, and debris in fans and vents. Summerโs elevated temperatures can put even more considerable strain on those components, which is why preventive machine maintenance is crucial.
Beyond the basic surface-level cleaning with compressed air or industrial vacuums (depending on your equipment), youโll also want to inspect your cooling systemโs components thoroughly. Go over coolant levels in equipment that uses liquid cooling. Summer temperatures can accelerate coolant evaporation, causing problems later on if youโre not thorough with your heavy equipment maintenance.
2. Lubricate Moving Parts
Rising temperatures can intensify friction and other forms of wear on critical components like bearings in fabrication machines. Proactively keeping these components lubricated will help you avoid increased resistance, potential overheating, and even failure in extreme cases.
Youโll want to start by identifying lubrication points; these should be outlined in your manual. Next, determine the proper lubricant for machine maintenance. Manufacturers also specify the ideal lubricant for their machines since certain parts might demand specific viscosities (like high-temperature lubricant for bearings.)
3. Test Electrical Connections
Thermal expansion and degrading insulation are common issues that can be avoided by preventive equipment maintenance. If left unchecked, the summer heat can worsen wiring issues and machine contacts in critical CNC systems, leading to intermittent power issues and failures.
- Inspect accessible wiring in your equipment, along with junction points for fraying or corrosion.
- Tighten loose connections (if any) and test your equipmentโs functionality with a multimeter to verify proper voltage.
- If you spot any corrosion, use the right electrical contact cleaner and apply a protective coating only when recommended by your equipment manufacturerโs documentation.
4. Check Hydraulic Systems
This machine maintenance task will not apply to every piece of equipment, but itโs incredibly important for manufacturers that rely on hydraulic systems in press brakes and other machines.
When conducting this task for heavy machine maintenance, youโll want to check hydraulic fluid levels in the reservoir. Extended equipment use, especially in higher temperatures, reduces fluid viscosity and potentially reduces your machineryโs ability to maintain pressure and power.
During your detailed check, focus on components like hoses and seals that might degrade faster in the heat. Check for leaks and cracking along hoses and replace overly degraded components.
5. Calibrate Precision Tools
Over time, extensive heat and humidity can cause metal components to expand, and moist air can interfere with sensors, subtly affecting tolerances. For machine maintenance, refer to your manufacturerโs calibration specs and adjust critical tools like gauges.
Calibration is a relatively straightforward part of the maintenance process. You can use diagnostic equipment designed for your machinery to run test cycles and fine-tune settings until you see precise performance. This is particularly important for computer-controlled equipment like CNC grinders.
6. Perform a Thorough Cleaning
Thorough, overall cleaning is a routine but essential part of heavy equipment maintenance. Accumulated contaminants, especially in dry environments, can threaten moving parts and strain mechanical systems if ignored. Including this step in your machine maintenance checklist can save you a lot of expensive downtime in the future.
Contaminants typically gather on components like control panels and machine beds. You should also keep an eye out for loose fittings or unusual sounds while performing this preventive equipment maintenance.
Boost Your Heavy Equipmentโs Longevity
A little maintenance goes a long way when it comes to heavy equipment. Consult your equipment manufacturerโs manual and build a custom checklist to ensure your machine stays in top condition.
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