EIW’s Dave Schellberg presents fundamental steps operators should follow for annual checkups.
For some plant operators, there is no winter shutdown period as the climate affords year-round wet plant operations.
For others, mid to late autumn prohibits a washing plant from running due to cold weather.
Regardless of a plant’s geographic location, an annual checkup of washing equipment is recommended in addition to periodic inspections that should regularly occur during a production season.
1. For any equipment using a reducer or a hydraulic power unit, check the gear oil for contaminants and change it in accordance with the manufacturer’s recommendations.
2. Check all wiring and hydraulic lines for possible replacement.
3. Closely inspect wear parts such as flight wear shoes, paddles and valves. Consider ordering spares now so you don’t get caught short in a peak running period.
4. For any washer using a pipe shaft like a sand screw or logwasher, measure the diameter of the pipe for wear, particularly at the machine’s feed entry point. Consult with your dealer or manufacturer on what the minimum OD should be in advance of a shaft possibly breaking during a production period.
Dave Schellberg is product support specialist at EIW (Eagle Iron Works).
Take your time to have a good start to the production season
McLanahan Corp.’s Alan Bennetts offers advice to keep people safe on the job.
• Training. Downtime at any plant can cause a change in personnel. Take the time to train new hires and provide additional training to current employees.
• Inspection. Inspect the equipment to find any environmental damage that may have occurred during the winter months. Any piece of equipment that could retain water is subject to freezing damage. Pipes and pumps are the most common victims to this type of damage.
• Maintenance. The inspection process may reveal maintenance requirements. Replacement parts should be ordered as soon as possible to avoid delays in start-up.
• Energize. Each piece of equipment should be started up to ensure availability and correct rotation.
Alan Bennetts is global product manager at McLanahan Corp.
Featured Photo: Portable Plants Staff