15 Oct Mechanical breakdown: how long can you wait for your machinery to start again?
If your hydraulic system or pneumatic system were to experience a mechanical breakdown, how long can you wait before it is repaired? This is a question we often ask our clients, so they can realize how poor planning can be catastrophic for their business.
Situation
Let’s take the following example: you are the manager of a manufacturing company, your order book is overflowing and production is in full swing. Everything is going well… until one of your systems fails.
A quick diagnosis shows that one of the parts has broken and will have to be replaced. However, since your system was imported from another country, or even another continent, it will take you weeks to receive the spare part. In the meantime, it will be impossible for you to resume production and you will accumulate delays on your orders.
Solutions
Of course, this is a scenario where the worst can happen. Fortunately, several solutions are within your reach.
Short-term: preventive maintenance
With preventive maintenance, it is possible to increase the service life of your hydraulic or pneumatic systems. Indeed, regular maintenance makes it possible to assess the condition of the components before a mechanical breakdown. For example, a simple oil analysis can determine if they are still in good condition and also predict if the system or one of its components is in bad shape, depending on the type of particles present in the fluid.
In the medium term: an up-to-date inventory
Despite good maintenance of your hydraulic or pneumatic systems, a breakdown can still happen. Fortunately, if your inventory has all the parts necessary for the operation of your machinery, it will save you several weeks of delay.
However, replacing a part requires a production stoppage, sometimes by several hours. If you think you can’t wait that long, there are other solutions.
In the long term: standardization of your parts
Standardization is a process that makes it possible to standardize the components. For example, a standardized pump can be used in different systems, without having to control a multitude of compatible components. Thus, it becomes possible to reduce your inventory.
Long-term: restructuring your systems
Another long-term solution is to modify your hydraulic or pneumatic systems so that they remain productive, even if one of your parts is defective. Like a generator that produces electricity in the event of a power outage, one part of your system could be shut down, while the other part continues production.
In case of mechanical breakdown, how long can you wait before resuming production? If you want to save time and money, rely on Steke’s expertise! Our team will help you improve your hydraulic or pneumatic systems to make them more efficient and reliable.