Forging equipment OEM delivered “health check” and ongoing preventive maintenance program helps forgers optimize production and keep equipment online even when faced with high turnover
As the forging industry’s most experienced maintenance staff and equipment operators retire, keeping legacy machines producing at full capacity is increasingly difficult. When new employees lack sufficient expertise, and decades-old forging equipment breaks down, the result can be very costly, extended downtime.
As a solution, industry-leading OEMs are now providing forgers with a proactive “health check,” followed by an ongoing preventive maintenance (PM) program designed to sustain peak performance of equipment that may be many decades old.
The Benefits of a Health Check Before PM
To perform a health check, one OEM utilizes the full documentation of the equipment in its broad portfolio of brands, along with extensive maintenance and repair experience accumulated over many decades. The company’s technicians examine the equipment condition, running clearance, electrical system, pump performance, etc.
1) Based on the results of the health check, the OEM suggests corrective actions to restore the equipment back to OEM specifications, along with a customized, ongoing, preventive maintenance program for hydraulic presses, as well as consumables like filters, and oil sample analysis.
The extent of the PM program is based on factors such as the type of equipment, production, onsite support, and desired PM intervals.
2) The PM program can be scaled up or down to take into account the maintenance team’s experience, availability, and turnover.
3) The program can serve as a teaching aid to help the forger build its maintenance team. This can not only increase the team’s self-reliance, but also minimize any downtime.
4) Although PM is typically performed onsite, some actions can be completed remotely. For example, Ajax-CECO-Erie Press (ACE) can utilize advanced collaboration tools and real-time video communications to connect with technicians where both can see, discuss, annotate, and resolve many situations at hand.
5) To ensure the highest production uptime of forging equipment and prevent lengthy unexpected downtime, a separate stocking program of consumable and key items is also typically available as an option.
Please visit the Ajax-CECO-Erie Press website at www.AjaxErie.com or e-mail them at info-sales@AjaxErie.com. Or, if you prefer, call 814-455-3941.