The first thing that must happen with heavy machinery is ensuring the operating staff are fully trained in how to operate the machine safely. But of course there are a few other tips that can help keep your heavy machinery operating safely and at full capacity for as long as possible, so let’s go through them below.
Make Machine Inspections Routine
Don’t wait for the machinery to start making a funny noise or begin to falter in its production capacity before checking for problems. Give all of your industrial machinery and its components such as the control pulleys or the gear motors a regular check-up so you can constantly maintain the peak performance level. If you wait until something goes wrong, then making repairs can be costly and cause a loss of productivity.
Waiting until it’s too late can also be dangerous for the machinery operators, especially if they are undertaking emergency repairs under pressure. A safety report by the Occupational Safety and Health Administration in the United States revealed that around 20% of industrial accidents are directly related to operators attempting repairs. So not only do regular inspections help keep your machinery operating smoothly by nipping potential problems in the bud, they will also help ensure the safety of the workers.
Always Use the Correct Tools
With the many dangers inherent in operating heavy machinery, it is imperative that all the components and parts are fit for purpose. Using an over or under-powered gear motor can cause serious problems, as can an incorrectly-sized control pulley. Other attachments and accessories should also be matched up perfectly, ensuring each of them is specifically for use with the machine it is being used with. The likes of bearings and couplings should be researched thoroughly, as one machine may be ideal for a TCB barrel coupling, while another might be better equipped with a flexible coupling.
Also bear in mind the many variables that heavy machinery often has to contend with, such as changes in terrain and the weather. All of these can have an adverse effect on a machine’s productivity and safety, so ensure all the correct measures have been taken to guarantee safe and enduring operational capacity.
Never Overload the Machine’s Specifications
All industrial equipment has limits, and they should never be exceeded. The operator manual should have all the information you need and it’s crucial that you abide by the performance specifications detailed there. This is the key to ensuring your heavy machinery maintains its peak performance for as long as possible. By keeping its operational capacity within its means, as well as performing the other items on this list, even the heaviest machinery will last its projected lifespan.
Correct Storage is Important
That heavy machinery you invested in might look robust and hard-wearing, but it can be surprisingly vulnerable to the elements. Without exception, all heavy machinery needs to be stored somewhere under cover and away from sources of moisture. Any kind of water is bad for your machine, so make a special check on that. Rust and corrosion caused by the machine’s parts being stored while in contact with water can lead to your machinery having a much shorter lifespan than you first thought. Also check to see if sunlight can cause any harm to certain components of the machine, as you may want to use a dustsheet to completely cover the machine while it’s not in use.
If you require any machinery parts such as gear motors, bearings or TCB barrel couplings, then contact YB Components who are the UK’s leading suppliers of heavy machinery components and can ship these parts all over Europe.