When it comes to keeping your factory running smoothly, everyone knows that time is money.
Modern manufacturing units work with thousands of movable and immovable parts and systems. We are talking about engineering units that have the ability to produce thousands of products every single day! There are several different types of factory machines that require regular maintenance and servicing to keep them working at their efficient best. While you might think that looking after machines and parts is easy, the reality is far from different.
Any downtime leads to your bottom line taking a direct hit, and the longer the downtime is the harder the hit will be. If your machines fail, your workers sit around with nothing to do and if the downtime lasts for an extended period of time, your factory will fall behind on orders. To avoid that stressful scenario, here are 5 ways to prevent that from happening.
1. Preventative Maintenance
Prevention is always better than cure. You would be surprised at how many factories do not do preventative maintenance on their machines and equipment. Rather than waiting for breakdowns and downtime, strategically plan for essential maintenance to be done beforehand to prevent unnecessary headaches. This is especially true for older machines and equipment that do not function as well as they did when they were brand new. Have a dedicated computer or server running Programmable Logic Control which monitors all aspects of your machines functioning and reports on any issues that may occur.
2. Know When To Call For Help
As unexciting at it is to run into problems with your machinery or equipment, it is even less exciting than trying to fix problems without the required experience or expertise. More often than not, cheaper fixes lead to costlier issues down the line. Find the right team to hire, or the right contractor to call in, for when things go pear-shaped. Rest assured, whatever your problem may be, the professionals have seen and fixed something similar before. This approach will save you both time and money as well as ensure the effectiveness of your supply chain in these unprecedented times.
3. Do Not Skimp On Parts
Unfortunately, as with all things in life, accidents happen and things break. Learn to find the right part for the job and not a cheaper knockoff. A well-running machine can lower your costs by reducing downtime and breakdown repair charges. There are ways to save on your running costs without skimping on quality, like buying the right diesel for your generator. Check the latest red diesel prices to stay updated on your expenses. Often with daily running costs, buying in bulk will save you money and ensure you have adequate supplies to keep your operation running like a well-oiled machine. Literally.
4. Focus On Safety
Whilst accidents are a part of life, employing a risk-adjusted model for your factory production lines will go a long way in reducing the number of accidents that occur annually. Keeping your staff and machinery safe is a wise choice for any factory owner or manager.
5. Effective Management
Unless you have a fully automated factory with no employees, you need to ensure your management team are properly skilled and trained for their daily tasks. Send them for regular training to keep their skillsets and knowledge bases up to date and relevant to the current time. Your managers need to project confidence to your workforce, which increases productivity and simultaneously decreases the number of mistakes that are made.
