Your expensive and valuable manufacturing equipment is the lifeblood of your company. Keeping it clean is essential for getting the best and longest service from your machinery. Here are some helpful tips for keeping your manufacturing equipment clean and at peak operating efficiency.
Clean manufacturing equipment is a must for shop safety!
Always Follow the Care Instructions for Each Specific Machine
Every manufacturer provides a set of care and cleaning instructions for their products. This helps you to maximize the life and service you receive from each piece of manufacturing equipment. These guides commonly cover such vital factors as:
- Specific cleaning products to use
- Cleaning products to avoid
- Proper methods of cleaning, including any necessary disassembly instructions
- Routine maintenance guide
- Troubleshooting guides for problems
Keep these publications nearby each machine for regular reference when cleaning and performing any maintenance tasks.
Follow Manufacturer’s Recommended Maintenance Schedule
Routine maintenance should be a high priority to keep your high-value manufacturing equipment in top working order. This includes thorough cleaning and lubrication, changing filters, removing debris and excess materials, and keeping all glass and safety shields clean. Some maintenance may require a professional machine repair company’s services.
Keep Machines with By-Products Away from Other Equipment
Grouping all your machinery in a single area is not always wise. Some manufacturing equipment produces excess materials or by-products that can be harmful to other machines. For example, a machine that produces large amounts of small plastic pieces that accumulate should occupy its own space away from other equipment. This can prevent small plastic beads from finding their way into other machines and causing problems. You should also regularly remove excess materials to prevent large buildups.
Keep a Cleaning Schedule
Similar to a routine maintenance schedule, or in tandem with it, keep a routine cleaning schedule. Remove debris and excess materials, sweep up all dirt and debris from floors and wipe down every machine to prevent dust and grime accumulation. Keep a record of each cleaning procedure, including any notations for items removed or replaced while cleaning.
Designate a Team Member for Routine Cleaning
Having a single team member in charge of cleaning all the manufacturing equipment in your plant can be a wise idea. Larger plants may designate a few team members, each with specifically assigned machines to keep clean. Their job is to clean machines daily between production operations and otherwise maintain them for optimal use. This should include keeping the cleaning and maintenance records up to date. You may find it beneficial to train team members in how machines operate and how they are to be disassembled and reassembled for cleaning.
Accurate Machine Tool Services offers routine maintenance packages to help keep your manufacturing equipment in prime condition. We can also recommend cleaning and upkeep measures to help your machinery last longer. Contact us today for more information.