5 Factory Maintenance Tips to Reduce Production Downtime

Are you struggling with downtime?

Keeping your equipment running is vital for meeting tight manufacturing deadlines. To do that, you need to run a tight ship for maintenance but even then there can be pitfalls and things you might forget.

Keep reading for five factory maintenance tips that will help keep you on track.

1. Get Quality Equipment With Ongoing Support

The first tip is to make sure you’re using high-quality equipment like C&B Equipment. Work with specialists and tell them your downtime woes. They’ll likely have solutions to your problems that will help keep you running.

Also, make sure that your manufacturing equipment comes with ongoing support. This is vital if you’re using factory equipment from a variety of manufacturers. No matter how amazing your technician is, they’re not an unlimited encyclopedia.

Having expert tech support on hand for troubleshooting more complex issues is a must. You want to have the contact details of a trained technician for each piece of equipment. A maintenance contract is even better, where they agree to help keep you running.

2. Have a Regular Maintenance Schedule

If you own a car or motorbike, you’ll be familiar with a regular maintenance schedule. Maintaining equipment in your factory shouldn’t be any different. This will reduce the chance of breakdowns and equipment repair jobs.

It will also improve safety and increase productivity. You can’t expect your machinery to run 24/7 without any care or attention. If you run your equipment into the ground you’re increasing the chance of long periods of downtime. Not to mention the extra cost of fixing something you could have nipped in the bud earlier.

3. Provide Training For Your Staff

Hardware errors are the most common cause of downtime, but user error comes in a close second. And it’s more common in manufacturing than in any other sector. A good operator needs to know how to use the machine and spot signs of trouble.

This is why it’s important to provide training on all the machines you use. You also need to provide staff training for any new machines you bring into the production line.

If the operator is confident with running a machine production will go up as a result. It’s also a production boost if the operator knows how to troubleshoot the basic errors. This reduces the downtime of waiting for a specialist technician to come in.

4. Use Sensors to Spot Potential Breakdowns Earlier

You can usually detect signs of an imminent breakdown with three aspects. Vibrations the device produces will increase to a higher level than usual. The temperature will increase faster and higher than usual and the noise will get louder.

These signs aren’t always easier to spot by the operator at first, that’s where sensors will help. You can get cost-effective sensors that aren’t too expensive and don’t take up too much space. Make sure you use them, as they could be the thing that saves you a costly breakdown.

5. Make Use of Your Data and Reporting Systems

If you haven’t already, it’s time to move away from manual data collection. This will only increase the amount of downtime you experience and cost you more money. There are more efficient options that will automate this process.

By using data and reporting software, you gain access to real-time information. You’ll know the exact date and time your machine broke down and what activities it stopped. With this information, you can react faster with a more targeted approach.

Don’t Neglect Your Factory Maintenance

Downtimes in manufacturing can be costly not only in repairs but in lost revenue too. You must reduce their frequency and length, and you need a fast response. Keep up with factory maintenance, train your staff and invest in high-quality equipment.

If you found this article helpful, make sure you check out our blog for more business and tech tips.