The manufacturing industry wouldn’t be what it is today if it weren’t for the invention of machines that can streamline manual and laborious processes. And 21st-century technology has only made machines that much more vital to operations because businesses can’t seem to make progress without them.
Indeed, the presence of machinery has revolutionized the way people produce finished consumer goods. That’s why it makes sense for companies to invest so much money into maintaining their machines, especially because these pieces of equipment don’t come cheap.
Highly efficient and top-of-the-line machines are only built with high-quality materials to ensure their durability. All these factors can contribute to its market value, which is why the upfront costs of buying machines are usually high. And then there’s also the cost of maintaining heavy machinery.
After investing that much money into buying and maintaining your machines in the factory, as a business owner, it’s only practical to want to make sure that they will last. You should aim for machine longevity to get your money’s worth, and here are three ways to do it:
1. Keep up with the Best Practices in Your Industry
Most business owners keep up with their industry’s trends to see what developments and innovations are dominating their field. This allows them to be at par with their competitors so that business owners can ensure that they’re not getting left behind when it comes to the latest technologies.
This doesn’t only refer to the newest machines or pieces of equipment to enter the market; it can also refer to the best maintenance practices followed by their industry leaders. For instance, it could be about the latest solutions that can protect machines from deposits and sludge buildup.
If you’re currently dealing with varnish and organic deposits in your machine internals, you can look into what lubricant and hydraulic oil chemical solutions you can use to address this problem. While you’re on the topic, you should find a cleaning solution that won’t leave residues as it leaves the machines’ system.
Staying on top of the best industry practices will allow you to save more money because you can avoid trying out inefficient products for maintenance. You might also save more time because the practices that you’re following have already been tried by others, which means that you can minimize downtime.
2. Take Preventive Maintenance to the Next Level
Many operators fail to notice when their machines are showing signs of wear and tear or damages until it’s too late to make repairs. When this happens, the business owners will have to shell out money to replace the damaged parts, or worse, the whole machine. This is both a waste of time and money.
But if you were to practice preventive maintenance on all your machines, you can avoid having to lose productivity or potential profits during downtime. After all, prevention is still better than cure. If you could prevent problems from occurring in the first place instead of solving them after they happen, you can save more money.
It could also be beneficial for your business if you start practicing maintenance automation using management software systems. This will allow you to keep track of the status of your machines and the software system can be programmed to send alerts when repairs are needed so that they won’t get worse.
3. Conduct Comprehensive Training for Machine Operators
One of the most common causes of workplace accidents is improper handling of machines. This can be because the operators were not given ample training on how they need to handle the machines assigned to them, or because they were neglecting their duties and responsibilities while on the job.
Providing your operators with comprehensive training on handling heavy machinery should not only be done out of compliance with the regulatory requirements of the government. It should also be done to increase the safety of your employees in the workplace because you’re minimizing the chances of accidents occurring.
Another benefit of comprehensive training is that you can reduce your operational costs because you can eliminate the need to shell out money for emergency repairs due to neglected damages. If your operators learn how to properly handle their machines, it can also lessen the eventual wear and tear of your machines.
Taking these extra measures to extend the lives of your machines in the factory will not only lessen your potential headaches but can also be beneficial to the success of your business in the long run. Showing that you care about your employees like you do for your machines can also go a long way in establishing morale.
