Running a business gives you several duties. One of these is ensuring that your manufacturing capacity is always in good condition. The problem is that eventually, something will go wrong. Whether it is your company’s packaging machine or an injection molding device, a breakdown can cause production delays. This can means thousands in dollars of lost revenue. If you want to ensure you don’t lose more money, you need to get back in production as quickly as possible. Here are tips on how to make that happen.
Always Have Insurance or a Warranty
Getting your equipment working again will cost you money. If your business is short on cash, this can potentially delay the necessary repairs. Some companies would be lucky enough to have extra funds, but sometimes profit margins are thin so that no extra money would be available. There are a couple of ways to ensure that you have money for repairs. One of them is to have insurance in place. Boiler and machinery insurance is the general choice for this. It covers more than the repairs but also the losses that you might have incurred because of the delays. You could also check your warranties on the equipment to see whether you can get a free repair. Besides that, you will be able to get an official technician to look into fixing your stuff.
Know Where To Get Replacement Parts
Some equipment has essential parts. These are what allows it to do its job. For example, an industrial gas heater is necessary for injection molding of plastic parts. If the heater malfunctions or breaks, then you will have an issue. To ensure that your repairs are quick, you will want spares handy. In addition to that, you need to know who to contact for replacements. Besides knowing they have it in stock, it would be a good idea to be sure of the quality of the parts they have. You don’t want to repair your equipment then see it break down quickly.
Train A Team Of Experts
When equipment breaks down, you need to have experts on the scene. They are necessary because they can prevent further problems from happening. For example, they can ensure that the equipment shuts down properly. They can also provide you with the reason why the equipment broke down. This immediate diagnosis can prevent further problems for you.
Think Of Backup Plans
No one can be ready for when equipment breaks down. It may happen in the middle of an important order or during a time when there is a heavy demand. This is where having a contingency plan is important. You need to have an idea of what to do if your equipment breaks down. You might have a backup machine ready to use when something happens. Another potential solution would be to have a work plan that allows you to use your remaining machines to make up for the production shortfall. Discuss with your team what can be done so that you can formulate a plan that works.
Prevent It All From Happening
Once a breakdown happens, you should take steps to prevent it from happening again. The best way to do that is to have regular preventive maintenance. Schedule it at least once a year so that your team has a chance to clean up your equipment and tune it up. Besides preventing breakdowns, they can also ensure your equipment lasts longer.
When your production floor is not making what you need, then you are taking losses. Knowing how to get it up and running again should be one of your priorities as a boss. Fortunately, if you do your job right, you can have your production back in no time.
