5 Reasons Why Industrial Equipment Maintenance Matters

According to data published in 2021, the manufacturing industry contributed $2.3 trillion to the US economy, which makes up about 12% of the total GDP. Industries and manufacturing goods are integral to any thriving society. There is always a need for new goods and infrastructure production on a massive scale. This is why, for workers to do their job well, they need industrial-level equipment. These include bulldozers, tractors, and jackhammers that are technical to control and are highly sturdy equipment.

However, like any tool, industrial devices also need regular maintenance. Prolonged usage can weaken them, making them rusty, blunt, and slow. Stats published by “Go Codes” can further accentuate the importance of maintenance. According to them, predictive maintenance, which is intentionally choosing to get equipment services, saves up to 40% of costs compared to getting the equipment fixed urgently.

As an industrialist, you cannot afford setbacks or losses in your cash flow, so here are some reasons why you need to maintain your equipment well:

1. Ensures You Are Not Harming the Environment

Surplus Industrial equipment is notorious for harming the environment. Your workers’ tools may produce noise, air, and chemical pollutants, which can impact the surroundings. Certain facilities like water treatment plants use large quantities of this fluid, which can disrupt the natural ecosystem and hurt marine life. Furthermore, dumping water rich in chemicals and low in pH is also hazardous to the environment, including aquatic life and people dependent on these water bodies.

Therefore, to ensure your equipment is not overusing water, filtering it appropriately, and has no visible leaks causing contaminated water to mix with a clean body, you must conduct a water monitoring session on your system. This comprehensive analysis informs you if your equipment is using water as it should and is not suffering from any water damage that can compromise the integrity of your facility.

Water monitoring also ensures that water getting used is drained correctly and flows down multiple channels instead of pooling it into one area. As a result, you save the environment from possible flooding and prevent people and marine life from interacting with contaminated water while ensuring you’re not misusing more water than you should.

2. Enhances Worker Safety

Workers operate heavy machinery and equipment in an industrial setting, which can often injure them. This is because, with time, machines start clamping up and require maintenance. For instance, the machine’s blades may get clogged, the drill may become blunt, or the machine may become unbalanced as a worker tries to operate it, causing it to topple over. In all these cases, poorly maintained machinery is a hazard to workers. It can injure them, vibrate more than they should, and, in some cases, require the worker to put in more strength than needed to use them effectively.

There is nothing more tragic than witnessing your employee get hurt. In severe cases, the injuries may be fatal. You need to maintain your industrial equipment better to avoid these situations.

Ensure you carry out monthly services and annual inspections to confirm everything is running as it should. You should also conduct training sessions and workshops to update workers on safe equipment management and learn to recognize warning signs before it is too late.

3. Keeps You on Your Timeline

In the manufacturing sector, you must stay on schedule to meet supply and demand on time. If equipment breaks down in the middle or gets stuck, your timeline will get prolonged. Industry analysts found that a company’s production capacity drops between 5 and 20% due to poor maintenance. Fixing tools takes time; if the equipment damage is extensive, you may have to pause work for a week; however, if the machine is totaled, you may need to order a replacement which takes time to arrive.

Consequently, this can push you immensely off your schedule and dent your budget. This is why you should create a schedule or use construction software that informs you when your equipment needs repairs. Getting automatic notifications saves you from a major mishap and prevents your timeline from collapsing.

4. Saves You Money

Unplanned downtime can cost up to $50 billion per year. Additionally, equipment failure accounts for more than 40% of unplanned downtime. Equipment that stops working or breakdown in the middle of work needs immediate repairs. This means that not only will you have to arrange for a professional to come, but you will also order spare parts that can cost extra. If your employee gets injured while using this malfunctioning machine, you will have to find a substitute as your employee recovers, which means more financial loss.

Sometimes even after ordering all the right spare parts, your machine may still not work. In such cases, you have no choice but to order new equipment. Consequently, you may be looking at another wave of expenses.

5. Improves Your Equipment’s Longevity

Machines and industrial-level equipment are made up of different parts, which gradually get worn over time. Components like gaskets, chains, and seals require a regular inspection so that on the first sign of damage, you can get it replaced immediately. This ensures that your machine has an extensive lifespan and doesn’t start collapsing after a few uses.

One essential way you can improve the lifespan of your equipment is by cleaning it regularly. If your machines are used for construction, they are frequently exposed to soot, dust, and dirt, which can trickle down to the moving components. Airborne particles also build up in your equipment’s oils and lubricants, reducing viscosity. Filters, fans, and vents may also get backed with dust, which can cause resistance in the machine’s movements.

Over time, the tool may heat up and shut down due to all the pollutants between its moving parts. For this reason, if you want an efficient and well-maintained machine, instruct your workers to wipe down these tools when they are done.

Final Thoughts

Working in the manufacturing sector takes work, especially if your job involves equipment and machines. The downside of having machines is that they collapse over time and require regular maintenance. However, you can prevent significant loss by caring for your equipment from the get-go. Being vigilant about your tools can save you from numerous losses, including financial casualties and injured workers, and keeps you on your dedicated timeline. When you can stay on track, you can maximize profit, which for any industrialist is a success.