Action Machinery Reducing Unplanned Downtime
US manufacturers have become more reliant than ever on highly productive CNC machine tools and automation to meet the needs of the marketplace. With tight schedules and demanding production requirements, unplanned downtime is something that most shops cannot afford.
Here are some simple preventive maintenance tips that you can take to help maximize your CNC machine tool uptime.
- Clean your machine – Clean machines regularly and inspect ways covers and wipers. Chips often migrate into places that are difficult to see. Be sure to pull back way covers on a regular basis and vacuum or brush chips out of the machine. Avoid blowing chips out of areas behind covers as this often leads to problems when chips get into areas that are unprotected.
- Lubrication – Check lubrication and oil levels regularly. Change oil and lubes per the manufacturers’ recommendations. Be sure to refer to your machine manual to ensure that the proper grease and oil is used. Keep critical lubricants on hand especially grease cartridges for linear guide motion systems. Regular checks and grease/lube changes will prevent pre-mature wear and keep your CNC machinery running in top condition.
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Replace batteries – Most CNC controls and servo drives have back up batteries to maintain parameters when the machine is powered down. If these batteries fail it often means a down machine resulting in the need for a service call to install new batteries and re-install machine parameters. Replacing batteries annually is a good practice and one of the least expensive ways to prevent unplanned downtime. - Perform manufacturers’ recommended maintenance – Busy production schedules often lead to neglect of the regular maintenance recommended by manufacturers. CNC machinery builders provide a thorough list of maintenance items in the manual. Make time for your people to perform these tasks or put your machine on a regular Preventive Maintenance Plan with an outside service provider.
Replace batteries – Most CNC controls and servo drives have back up batteries to maintain parameters when the machine is powered down. If these batteries fail it often means a down machine resulting in the need for a service call to install new batteries and re-install machine parameters. Replacing batteries annually is a good practice and one of the least expensive ways to prevent unplanned downtime.Performing these tasks will help to keep costly unplanned downtime to a minimum. If you need service assistance or want to know more about Action Machinery’s preventive maintenance programs for Mazak machines please contact us at