Get the Most from Your Equipment

When you’re running a business, things need to run smoothly. This will mean something different depending on the nature, scale and complexity of your business. Many new start-ups have sleek, minimal operations where many if not all employees work from home, while some businesses require large capital outlay for industrial equipment.

If you’re in the second group, here are some tips to make sure that you get the most from your equipment.

Take Extra Care with Your Most Important Machines

You can optimize the location of your most important machines so that they’re situated in a place that is both useful and protected. With AI and automation advancing more rapidly than ever, it’s not uncommon now for a factory floor to have CMMs, or Coordinate Measuring Machines.

There are tactical advantages to keeping such a machine on the floor, but here are some tips on running your CMM equipment you’ll need to keep in mind. You want your CMM machine to be located where it most functional, but if it’s near dust and pollutants in the air it’ll need to be serviced more in proportion. Invest in a power conditioner or battery backup system, as many service problems can be the result of power supply problems. CMMs are not just expensive or important, they are very sensitive machines.

Invest In Maintenance

All machines inevitably wear down after use, and need to be maintained. Equipment that malfunctions or works unreliably poses a bigger threat than the cost of making sure this doesn’t occur in the first place.

A big part of this is making sure the equipment is properly cleaned and lubricated, and that the space and even the air around the machines are clean. Keep an equipment maintenance schedule and notes. Build a routine around maintenance into the work schedule—it doesn’t have to take much time, but make sure that every day something is done to ensure the machines are well looked after.

It is important to be pro-active in both preventing breakdowns from occurring, while also budgeting in advance for repairing the wear and tear that often comes with running heavy machinery.

Keep It Safe

It’s great when your equipment is in good working condition, but your workers must be healthy too. In the exact same way that it’s important to tend to the equipment to make sure it operates at full capacity, so you need to consider the needs of your employees operating this equipment. Getting the most from your equipment absolutely has a human element, too.

To prevent workplace accidents, make sure employees aren’t working shifts that are too long when operating heavy machinery, so they don’t get tired. Make sure all employees have been properly trained and that there’s a fully stocked first aid kit on hand along with a comprehensive plan for emergencies. Work to reduce hazards in the first place. With the new laws passed by Canada’s federal government concerning the legalization of cannabis, make sure that employees aren’t under the influence of any substances when operating heavy equipment, or while working in general.

If you keep all this in mind, the equipment you invest in will work optimally and business will run smoothly.