In the horizontal grinding and waste reduction industries, productivity is everything. An efficient operation means more uptime spent creating a high-quality product, which, in turn, means more profit for your company.
There are plenty of ways to decrease your operation’s downtime—reducing material handling or using telematics to streamline your process, for example. One of the best ways to minimize downtime is also one of the most important parts of owning horizontal grinding equipment: regular preventative maintenance.
How Preventative Maintenance Prevents Excessive Downtime
Regular maintenance protects your investment in your horizontal grinding equipment, whether it’s the grinder itself or supporting machinery, like a conveyor system. Like any piece of machinery, horizontal grinding equipment needs maintenance to operate efficiently. If your machine is poorly maintained, your rate of production will likely decrease as your downtime increases.
Neglecting regular maintenance tasks can also turn what would have been a small fix into a problematic breakdown. For many companies, a broken-down piece of equipment means the entire operation is at a standstill until repair service arrives. That downtime spent waiting for service is lost production time and, in turn, lost profits.
Of course, even a well-maintained machine may experience an unforeseen breakdown. When that happens, make sure your horizontal grinding partner is equipped to provide efficient, knowledgeable service and quick turnarounds on parts ordering.
Preventative Maintenance with Rotochopper
The Rotochopper® Preventative Maintenance Program allows you to schedule equipment checkups on a regular or one-time basis. We schedule visits at your convenience, working around your daily operation hours to ensure technicians don’t cut into your valuable uptime.
Rotochopper’s expert service technicians are trained to spot and fix small problems before they can cut into your operation’s production. During your visit, one of our technicians will extensively inspect and, if necessary, repair your machine. Common maintenance tasks include:
- Checking control devices
- Checking moving parts for smooth operation
- Checking hydraulic system pressures
- Observing the environment and feedstock for potential causes of problems
- Checking the condition of fluids and filters
- Monitoring and recording electric motor amp draw
- Inspecting and aligning conveyor belts
- Inspecting and recording rotor, teeth, and screen wear
As they work through our Preventative Maintenance checklist, technicians will also consider maintenance history, recent performance, and usage hours. They’ll discuss any concerns with your grinder operator and make suggestions to help ensure your equipment is always running at peak productivity.
Learn more about horizontal grinding best practices by visiting the Rotochopper blog, or get in touch with our customer support to schedule your regular preventative maintenance visits.