Simple Solutions That Work! Issue 12

inspections can allow you to get projects done on a planned schedule and affords the peace of mind; knowing the equipment is meeting productivity and safety needs. There really is no reason not to have regular inspections and get the most out of the investment you made in your foundry. WHAT ARE THE BENEFITS? The benefits of independent inspections are numerous; with reduced risk of work workplace injury being at the top of the list. Unfortunately accidents do happen, but most of the time they are avoidable. Worker injuries are expensive; we won’t dive deep into this topic but consider that lost time, restaffing, workers compensation premiums, and OSHA notifications and fines are all probable outcomes. Increased productivity – safety is always the top priority for any manufacturer, but productivity is your competitive advantage. Today’s modern foundry needs every piece of equipment operating at peak performance. If one part of the process or workflow is interrupted due to machinery outage, costs and delivery commitments are affected. Regular inspections help ensure the equipment is reliable for your business, workers, and customers. Lower repair costs – regular inspections conducted by an OEM trained technician can help to identify small problems before they turn into big problems. A professional inspection may identify worn or failing parts that may be replaced from your spares inventory. Many times small and inexpensive spare parts prevent larger, non-stock components from failing. Many times, these non- stocked devices require many days or weeks lead time. This could put production at risk, or at the least, increases operating cost, safety exposures, and product quality. WHAT’S THE RIGHT FREQUENCY FOR OEM-INSPECTIONS? Establishing an OEM-trained technician inspection schedule should start internally with your Production and Maintenance Teams. It helps to group your equipment into two categories: • Indispensable (Critical) Machines – defined as those whose breakdown would interrupt one or more steps in the entire foundry process and for which no standby unit exists or whose function cannot be performed by alternative means, e.g., a molding machine. • Marginal (Noncritical) equipment – defined as those that contribute indirectly to the production process but its breakdown would not be a major inconvenience, e.g., a fork truck. The highest priority and attention should be aimed at the regular inspection of the Indispensable (Critical) Machines. Next you should start a conversation with the equipment vendor. Review the Operation and Maintenance Manuals with the Production and Maintenance Teams and fully understand the complexity of the machinery in comparison with the team’s capabilities. We all know that turnover in the foundry industry can be high and while the team may have high opinion of their capabilities today; consider how younger, less experienced staff may affect your capabilities in the future. 46