If a new operator comes into your shop and asks, “why don’t you get this fixed?” – whether it’s to a small handle or a valve – it’s time to get it fixed. Operators are so predisposed to just finagle with things so it can work, and that’s a handy (and inexpensive) way to help your shop’s bottom line. But the real bottom line is – if it’s broken, it needs to be fixed.
These tips and tricks surely help in the short-term, but there are only so many until it affects a larger part of a machine, to the point where it could shut down and cause a much more expensive problem. Even a small push or pull can create an extremely hazardous situation, but operators have the tendency to become so jaded by it to the point they don’t even know they are doing it.
If there’s one slightly off part of a machine, there’s bound to be another on that one, and another one on another machine as well. Inconsistencies, especially on automated machines, can result in decreased output, which may cause project managers to think that they need to buy a new machine altogether.
To fix this, conduct regular audits of all of your machines, create an open dialogue with your operators, and don’t hesitate to call back to the company that sold you where you got the machine to see if what’s going on is a regular problem or something that may take a little more time to fix. It could be a simple as buying an $8 part! At Mestek Machinery, we provide aftermarket support and service on all of our machinery in order to make any issues that you may have with your machinery as simple to deal with as possible.
By implementing that safety is first, no matter how creative operators can be with their temporary fixes, looking for and identifying these conditions in your facility consistently makes for a safer environment, increases output and can save you thousands of dollars.