In a factory, manufacturing, or warehousing working environment, safety and productivity are two of the most emphasized elements that should be perfectly balanced. Maintaining a perfect balance between observation of safety practices and optimized production and output ensures that your business experiences the highest level of return on investment. When seeking to optimize production, investing in the installation of cutting-edge machine technology ensures that your business can achieve machine-aided efficient production.
Safety, on the other hand, can be enforced by the installation of various safety features in the machines as well as sufficient training of the workers to avoid potential disasters that are imminent when working with machines. Machine maintenance is a crucial attribute of the entire factory production process as it ensures that the factory can continue to experience optimal production. Besides, machine maintenance gives you the opportunity to incorporate new features and accessories to optimize on worker safety. Here are 4 factory machine maintenance tips that can help improve your factory’s safety and productivity.
1. Installation of sensors on machines
Sensor technology has come as a crucial addition to the entire concept of machine-aided manufacturing and production. Strategically positioned sensors in your machine can help you to monitor various parameters which are of crucial importance when it comes to safety and production in your factory. For example, sensors that are installed on movable parts of a production system help monitor the pace at which machines move, thereby giving you an idea of how fast your production is. Such sensors can remotely relay crucial machine parameters such as vibration, temperature conditions, as well as the production and dissipation of heat by the machines. These parameters are crucial when it comes to working towards regulating machine downtimes as a result of breakdowns.
Integrated sensor technology, through the internet of things, can also greatly help to interconnect different machines. The ability of such machines to communicate with each other through data sharing helps to synchronize the entire manufacturing process, thereby ensuring that the entire factory operates seamlessly.
For example, in the event of a breakdown in the conveyor belt system that transports products from one zone to another, sensors can relay that information autonomously to the production machine, thereby prompting an immediate stoppage of production. The sensors can also issue instant notifications to the maintenance staff to immediately attend to the particular machine having an issue. Such sensors, therefore, come in handy in not only enhancing operational safety inside the factory but also enforcing optimal production.
2. Periodic audits
Whenever working with machines, the risk is exponentially high. Mitigating such risk is crucial towards ensuring that the workplace, in general, is safe to operate in. Conducting regular risk assessments gives you an opportunity to understand how various procedures and machines in the factory can generally be improved in order to uphold workers’ safety. The audit should focus on, among other things, equipment operation and handling practices which pose a risk to workers. Any identified areas of imminent risk should be included in an audit report. Recommendations can then be issued outlining the necessary risk mitigation such as overhauling of the entire system after a system shutdown.
The audit can also focus on production-based elements such as areas within the entire production system that experience a production snag and bottleneck. The production-based audit comes in handy in helping to configure production such that it is set at an optimal level. Precision-set machines that are appropriately configured using various machine accessories designed for accuracy can help you to adjust your machines' operations accordingly. When it comes to precision-setting of machines, you can be sure to learn more at Dynatect.com.
3. Make use of data and reporting systems
In a factory setting, data is a crucial indicator of how your business performs in general. You should install data collecting points that can help you collect crucial data that is essential in helping you understand more relating to how your factory performs. Crucial data parameters such as machine uptime and downtime, production rate, and energy consumption among other crucial disclosures should be collected for analysis. The data can help you make sense of how your factory works and point out areas where production can be revamped.
For example, in the event that your production data reveals that your factory machines experience a downtime average of about 2 hours in a day, then you will know that you lose so much time in production that you may want to have a systemic shutdown for repairs to be done.
In addition to data collection, data analysis comes in handy in helping you make sense of crucial revelations from your factory’s operations. Once processed, raw data can help you understand the entire production system with a view to increasing production and safety. Machines that cause various safety incidents in the workplace can be worked upon by the incorporation of new safety features. On the other hand, those which breakdown periodically can also be eliminated and new ones installed.
4. Integrate preventive maintenance
Machine maintenance is a crucial element of the entire process of facilitating operational safety and optimized production in a factory setting. Incorporating preventive maintenance as a crucial part of the entire factory manufacturing process allows you to regularly shut down the entire production system for maintenance. Preventive maintenance should focus on particular elements of the machines. Among the areas that should be focused on include the seven major milestones of preventive maintenance.
These include:-
· Testing the machines to evaluate their performance levels
· Servicing the machines by eliminating any imperfections and adding new accessories
· Calibrating the machines using high-precision accessories and machine parts
· Inspecting the machines for possible wear and tear as a result of repetitive use
· Adjusting the machines for optimal performance
· Alignment of the machines in terms of their performance to ensure that they are working in tandem with other machines and systems in the entire production line
· Proper installation of the machines while taking into consideration the operational efficiency, accessibility, and risk mitigation
Preventive maintenance, when undertaken from such a perspective, gives your factory an opportunity to avert potential disasters including safety lapses and production snags.