Unplanned downtime is universally agreed to be the kiss of death in manufacturing. When machines aren’t running, operating costs rise and revenue plummets. Many things can cause downtime, but machine breakdowns are often the most expensive. Most companies have experienced at least one incident of unplanned downtime in the past three years, which can cost as much as $22,000 per minute. The source of this headache is usually the result of poor planning and a lack of knowledge about proper machine maintenance. As many as 70% of companies don’t fully understand when their equipment is due for maintenance, or replacement.
Prevent Serious Breakdowns
Many of the most common types of spindle failures are the result of improper maintenance. Spindle bearing failure often occurs due to contamination, low lubrication, or improper mounting. Improper maintenance can lead to full bearing failure. Similarly, a damaged spindle taper can cause major machine issues, and drawbar failures often lead to problems with actuators, gripper arms, and a host of other components. This is why it’s essential to swiftly conduct proper maintenance when issues present themselves. A trained spindle repair technician can identify the warning signs for the most common problems and advise when it’s time to replace any damaged parts. These routine check-ups often prevent major breakdowns from happening.
Quick Turnaround
Strategic shut-downs to conduct routine spindle service or replace worn-down parts can be done in a fraction of the time it takes to repair a machine after it’s suffered major damage. This is one reason why routine maintenance is so critical to reducing expenses. Replacing a worn-down part can prevent the need to replace an entire piece of equipment, and it speeds up the turnaround time for machine repairs. To reduce lag-times during shipping, some service providers conduct onsite maintenance, perform equipment tests, and do overall inspections to measure how a machine compares to OEM specs. These onsite checkups by spindle repair professionals can catch problems before they cripple the production line.
Predictive Maintenance Insight
GTI Spindle, partnered with GTI Predictive, has access to predictive maintenance data through IoT devices that can provide more accurate insight into the spindle life-cycle. This valuable information can serve as a better guideline for routine maintenance than OEM recommendations. Spindle repair technicians can even go the extra step to get your company on the right track to building a preventative maintenance program. Their experience with IoT-based automated data collection reduces the time needed to diagnose problems and increases workers’ productivity.
Contact the professionals at GTI Spindle Technology to learn how you can leverage our expertise and spindle repair services to reduce downtime and improve machine productivity.
About GTI Spindle Technology
At GTI Spindle Technology, we specialize in high-quality spindle diagnosis and repair. Getting your business back into full operation and minimizing downtime is our mission. We offer in-house, on-site, and emergency assistance for machine tool spindle failure analysis, spindle repair, and complete spindle testing. With an extensive range and expertise in a diverse group of industries, our customers know that they are getting the highest quality of spindle repair and customer service. Click here to find out more.
