Today’s machine shop contains high tech and sophisticated equipment and these machines are well-made and designed to last for a long time. However, precision equipment must be properly maintained or you could experience a number of problems and unexpected downtime can set back your schedule and perhaps even cause you to lose a customer. Here are tips for maintenance and machine repair in Minneapolis, to help you maintain maximum efficiency.
An Ounce of Prevention
The best way to avoid problems associated with downtime is to be proactive. Here are some preventative maintenance tasks you should be performing on a regular basis:
- Lubrication – something as simple as keeping the machines properly lubricated is often overlooked.
- Replacing filters
- Replacing components and parts with short life spans before they break down or wear out. With some things, it doesn’t make sense to wait until you need machine repair in Minneapolis if you know it is inevitable.
- Routine machine inspections
Timing and Preventative Maintenance
The best time to perform routine maintenance is when the shop is closed. If you are performing simple tasks, they can be done during lunch periods or time right before the shop opens.
Dealing with Breakdowns
When a machine breaks down you should try to get it back into operation as quickly as possible. If you do your own machine repair in Minneapolis you can take care of the matter without waiting on another company to show up. However, when you have high tech, precision machines, you may be better off letting the manufacturer do the repairs. This is very important if the machine is still under warranty, and you won’t have to keep skilled maintenance personnel on your payroll.
Problems with Machine Operator Error
Mistakes machine operators make can result in breakdowns. In fact, errors are the most common cause of machine failure. If you are experiencing this kind of problem, you should make sure your operators understand how to correct common errors. In some cases, certain tasks may simply be too complicated and if you can find a way to simplify the process, you may greatly reduce your machine breakdowns and downtime.
Checking Your Stock of Critical Supplies
If you look into your inventory of maintenance supplies you may find it is often short and this can lead to a host of problems. For example, how can your people lubricate the machines if there is not enough lubricant on hand at all times? There should also be plenty of filters, coolants and a planned maintenance schedule which everyone is aware of. This can help to eliminate many problems with machine repair in Minneapolis.
