Preventative maintenance is one of the smartest business decisions you can make.  No matter the brand, the amount of moving parts in operation and the number of pieces being produced daily takes a toll on even the toughest machine.

As opposed to corrective maintenance,  which is carried out the machine breaks down, preventative maintenance refers to the care and servicing to keep the equipment in good operating condition through a systematic inspection, detection and correction of incipient failures.

While there is never a good time to have your machine down or your production slowed, if you can plan for it, chances are it will impact your business less than a “surprise” breakdown before a large project.

Preventative maintenance also can help you avoid the unnecessary stress and expense of an emergency repair. As everyone knows, “rush” always costs more, whether it’s for part replacement or a last-minute service call.

So what’s involved in a preventative maintenance plan? It should include a planned visit with your field service representative, who will do a machine check-up, adjustments and lubrication to maintain efficient functionality. As an added bonus, during these preventative maintenance visits the woodshop’s machine operator and/or in-house maintenance personnel can gain valuable insight into what things to watch for, as well as areas that have been neglected, refresher training, etc.

If you add up the costs of having a preventative maintenance plan versus dealing with a corrective maintenance issue, you would see a considerable difference in cost savings, not to mention the value of peace of mind knowing that you are taking steps to avoid unnecessary stress of an emergency situation.

Source: Stiles Machinery. For more information call (616) 698-7500 or visit StilesMachinery.com.