Factory presses can exert literal tons of force on parts, materials, and components, day in and day out. Yet these impressive machines can still be overworked. The wrong set-up or press design can make the job more difficult than it needs to be, and this can put stress on your equipment. There are a few signs that you are overworking your factory equipment, and noticing these signs can save you thousands in maintenance costs later down the road.
How Are Machines Overworked?
If you’ve noticed some signs that you’re overworking your factory equipment, you may wonder how this can occur. There are a few different ways that your factory equipment might be overworked. This isn’t an exhaustive list, but these are a few of the ways that this can happen:
- Change in machine process: If you have reconfigured your processes, your new machine might struggle. If it’s not made for this process or processes, it might be overworked.
- New materials: If you’ve changed your materials, your old machine might struggle with metals or alloys that are sturdier or harder to work with.
- Machine doesn’t fit the process: It’s tempting to use the same machine for multiple jobs, or to use an existing machine that isn’t ideal for the job. Shoehorning a machine into a job that it isn’t made for can easily cause overexertion and result in low-quality work.
- Machine age: as all equipment ages, it becomes less efficient. If the machine isn’t exerting the same amount of power or it isn’t as accurate as it used to be, it can become overworked more easily as it gets older.
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5 Signs You Are Overworking Your Factory Equipment
1. Quality Issues
One of the first signs that you’re overworking your factory equipment is low-quality work. You or your employees might notice that the job isn’t finishing properly, or they might notice metal burrs or jagged edges. For fastening or staking jobs, you might notice incomplete joints or, for swaging jobs, you might notice deformations. There are many different types of imperfections or problems you might notice, but this can be a sign that you’re overworking your factory equipment.
2. Increased Cycle Times
Another sign you might notice is delays in your production. If your machines are overworked, they might take more time to finish the job. These delays might be short, and each job might simply take longer than normal. Or, these delays might be fewer, but longer. If you notice clear delays in execution or that your machine is completing fewer jobs than they used to in the same time frame, you may want to inspect your process to prevent continuously overworking the machine.
3. Repeating the Job
If the job isn’t completed properly the first time, the equipment operator may repeat the job. They may even repeat the job several times. If the machine requires multiple cycles to complete the same job, it’s very likely that that the machine is overworked.
4. More Frequent Maintenance
Frequent maintenance is another clear sign that the press or another machine is being overworked. The machine might require more frequent regular maintenance, such as lubrication or calibration. Or, it might require replacement parts more frequently. This is a sign that the job is straining the machine and pushing it past its regular limits.
5. Odd Machine Behavior
When any machine is overworked, it may behave in strange ways. You or your employees might notice strange noises, uneven or irregular movement, or even signs of shock or other hazards. This behavior can be an indicator of bigger problems, and shouldn’t be ignored.
Optimizing your machine for the job, keeping your equipment updated, and assessing any changes in your process can help prevent your factory equipment from being overworked. Reacting to these signs of an overworked machine early on can also help you save on maintenance costs by addressing the root issues early on or modifying your process to prevent continued strain on your equipment. If you’re interested in press modifications and updating your overworked press, we can help. Contact us to learn about modifications and refurbishments for your press.