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Component Manufacturing dverti$er
Don’t Forget! You Saw it in the
Adverti$er
September 2019 #11242 Page #58
Sorry to Burst the Bubble! ongratulations! You’ve just purchased a new, state of the art machine to add technology and automation to your factory processes. Concerns about safety, inefficiency, and your bottom line are now in the past. Your staff will be happier, work will be easier, and your customers will be thrilled with the quality product you are providing.
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By Shelena and Ed Serrano
Now, sorry to burst the bubble, but it’s time for a reality check! If your exposure to automated equipment is limited, you may find, like many who have trod the path before you, that life with a new machine creates different business processes and challenges—specifically in regards to MAINTENANCE. I’m afraid to say that the days of sorting out your machinery with a hammer, some duct tape, and a bit of grease are well and truly gone! But… All hope is not lost; with some sound advice on what to expect, you can blow that bubble up bigger than before!
Advice #1: All machines are not created equal As you increase a machine’s level of automation, you are inherently increasing its level of complexity. Modern automated equipment has various elements that all have to interact and rely upon one another. Safety systems interact with the firmware that in turn relies upon sensors and user input from the user interface system. I could continue, but let’s keep it simple—the needs and expectations of automated systems are far more complicated than a purely mechanical machine. A 100 year old mechanical machine may still function today without much love and attention, but your automated machine will NEVER fall into such a category. It is a very different type of machine, designed to do a very different type of work, and it does that work in a very different kind of way. Understanding this is imperative! Advice #2: Get a degree in Mechanical Engineering I’m kidding! However, you do need to understand that there are countless elements that could bring your new machine to a standstill. The skill sets needed to maintain and repair the machine will be very different from that of the machinery you are replacing. Your new machine will require a higher skillset to help you diagnose, repair, and maintain your equipment properly. Advice #2.5: Local (and qualified) is best So, where do you source this new skillset? It’s best to have someone local who has experience with your new equipment. Someone who is familiar with automated technology, even if it isn’t your specific machine, who can pop in and work with you to resolve issues will be invaluable. Your first resource Continued next page
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