- Drum Handling Equipment
Portable Hydraulic Drum Dumper
- Loading Dock Equipment
Electric Hydraulic Dock Leveler
- Industrial Ladders
Steel Folding Ladder with Wheels 4 Step
Aluminum Crossover Ladder 3 Step
Polyethylene Nestable with Hand and Back Rails
- Hand Trucks and Dollies
Steel Platform Truck
- Ergonomic Solutions
Stacker with Powered Lift
- Facility Maintenance
Light Duty Tilt Truck
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Full Featured Work Platform
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Gantry Crane
Stabilizing Jack
- Packaging Equipment
Auto Stretch Wrap Machine
- Safety and Security Equipment
Expand-A-Gate
- Storage Solutions
Carton Flow Rack
Cantilever Rack
Pallet Rack Guard
Extending The Life of Your Material Handling Equipment Through Preventive Maintenance
Material handling equipment are important tools for efficient warehousing and storage. Continuous usage of equipment can cause parts to wear out, become damaged or stop operating. Unavailability of equipment can cause equipment gaps which can halt operations and damage warehouse productivity. Warehouse managers should enforce proper preventive maintenance procedures to extend the life of material handling equipment and keep operations running smoothly.
Material Handling Equipment Maintenance Tips
1) Monitor and Inspect Equipment Regularly
Carry out regular inspections and monitor how equipment is performing during routine operations. Make sure each lever, gauge, button and wheel is working properly. Check for dents and rust, tire deflation, punctures, tread wear, loose wirings, chain tensions, and safety mechanisms. Purchase spare parts in advance from a trusted supplier.
2) Lubricate Parts
Continuous movement of equipment parts can cause early wear and tear. Lubricating equipment reduces friction between moving parts ensuring smooth functioning. Make sure to use the right lubricant for each equipment. Follow the manufacturers’ guidelines of lubricating a particular equipment.
3) Clean Equipment Thoroughly
You can extend the life of your material handling equipment to quite an extent if they are cleaned regularly. Equipment is more susceptible to damage if it is contaminated. Clean equipment thoroughly to reduce the risk of breakdowns and make sure to use the right cleaning material. Carefully read the equipment manual to identify the right cleaning agent or consult with the manufacturer. If no special guidelines are mentioned then you can use: ph-neutral all purpose cleaners, high pressure hoses, baking soda paste, brushes, and cleaning clothes. Give adequate time for the equipment to dry before re-using.
4) Schedule Maintenance Sessions
Equipment inspections might get delayed or forgotten due to unforeseen circumstances. To ensure regular maintenance, enforce a strict preventive maintenance schedule. This will enable workers to keep track of all maintenance sessions, and improve accountability. Warehouse managers can either enforce a fixed maintenance schedule or proactively inspect equipment based on manufacturer guidelines.
5) Train your Operators
Trained staff and equipment operators are essential for extending the life span of your equipment. Trained workers are professionals in operating equipment thus they can avoid mishaps, prevent damages to equipment during operations and alert authorities when they notice something wrong with the equipment.
Benefits of Preventive Maintenance Systems
- Material handling equipment is a crucial part of warehousing and customer satisfaction. Equipment breakdowns and failures can reduce productivity, waste valuable time and reduce service quality. Regular equipment maintenance can enable managers to avoid unprecedented situations and keep operations functioning.
- Efficient preventive maintenance systems can enhance equipment longevity and create safer worker conditions. Equipment malfunctions may result in dangerous accidents causing fatal injuries to workers and people in the surrounding area. Moreover, equipment failures can also damage inventory leading to financial loss.
- Preventive maintenance can reduce operating costs in the long run. Conducting regular inspections enables supervisors to notice and resolve equipment failures before they turn into larger problems. Regularly maintaining and investing in your equipment can prevent machinery from deterioration. Deteriorated assets can reduce its value and in turn decrease salvage value.
- Unanticipated equipment breakdowns can stop operations, increase idle labor time and increase equipment gaps. Implementing a consistent maintenance system can reduce downtime and prevent above mentioned issues.
Conclusion
Pristine condition of material handling equipment is vital for smooth warehouse operations. Warehouse supervisors should implement a preventive maintenance system which involves conducting regular equipment inspections, maintaining and recording maintenance sessions, lubricating equipment parts using the right lubricator, cleaning equipment thoroughly, and training equipment operators. This can enable supervisors to improve customer satisfaction, extend equipment life span, create safer working conditions, reduce operating costs and equipment downtime.
