FEATURE working life. It is often machine operators, who have the greatest hands on contact with equipment, who detect faults first. Their concerns should be listened to and acted upon. Timing is key to effective maintenance: repair or replace troublesome parts as soon as problems occur. Similarly, scheduled maintenance needs to be completed on time and worn or dangerous parts should be seen to as a matter of urgency. Pay attention to equipment guidelines which should give an overview of required maintenance. Larger failures will happen occasionally but a good preventative maintenance programme will help minimise the damage.
Training Effective maintenance is not just about machinery; staff training also plays a crucial role in ensuring the smooth running of a mill. Time must be taken to ensure staff are trained and confident operating necessary equipment. Personal responsible for feed formulation must also receive adequate
&feed milling technology
Grain
training – not just for their own safety but to ensure a quality end product. Different positions will require different training. Those in management roles in feed mills will require specific feed technology training covering the whole production process. Pre-milling, managers may be involved in the selection and purchasing of appropriate ingredients. Once on site, the manger will be responsible for manufacturing, storage and handling of feeds. A solid understanding of the maintenance issues at each stage of the process will help the mill run smoothly. To ensure a consistently high-quality product, training needs to be an ongoing process. New equipment and machinery will obviously require new training but employers should not underestimate the usefulness of refresher training In addition to workplace based training, many of the major milling associations and societies run recognised maintenance courses. These courses can either be attended face-to-face or studied for by distance learning. See side panel/box for more information.
Other factors to consider Although all mill staff have a responsibility to look out for maintenance issues, ultimately it is the responsibility of the mill maintenance manager to oversee the correct running of the mill. Apart from milling machinery, buildings and grounds need to be well maintained. Again, it is simple things such as keeping premises waste and litter free, making sure the good repair of the structure of the building is in sound and internal fixtures and fittings are in good repair. Proper lighting, heating and ventilation helps with staff safety, manufacturing and storage. Cleaning also plays an important role in any milling operation. A clean and ordered mill can help ensure product quality, staff safety and increased equipment life. Milling machinery is slicker, faster and than ever but it remains the key investment a company makes. Given the significant sums of money for new machinery and the damage defective products can do, it pays to maintain mills.
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