February 2025 Volume 7

MAINTENANCE

Changes In Part Quality If your machine and tooling has been running properly, producing quality parts and then quickly the quality parts begin to fall outside parameters, something has changed. Stop production, it makes no sense to continue manufacturing unmarketable product. Inspect the tool and if necessary, the machine. What has changed? Once you establish the cause, correct the issue and then work to continue production. Every employee associated with the opera tion may be the best troubleshooters. They understand the process and know how it should be; they may have already noticed the changes and can help identify the problems faster than anyone else. Forming Pressure Changes A drop or increase in tonnage monitor readings. Just a word regarding tonnage monitoring. Forging equipment is very expen sive. Without tonnage monitoring you are running blind. You really don’t know how much force is being generated during the operation. The cost of a tonnage monitor installed on your press is small compared to the possible benefits. One example is as tonnage drops there is probably a relief taking place due to a broken mechanical component. If the tonnage increases, there is most likely a change in the die space or alignment of the upper to lower tooling arrangement that is generating an increase in the pressure being used to forge the component. Machine Mounting and Foundation Damage Is the machine rocking or moving during the production cycle? Unusual frame movement during the production cycle is easy to observe. If the machine is moving or rocking during operation, foundation inspection should be your next step. The load against the foundation for both forging and stamping is a shock load. Over time I have seen foundations begin to fail and allow move ment of the machine with each stroke. This condition will not improve overtime, a plan for repair should be put in place ASAP to accomplish the repairs in a cost and time effective manner. You may need outside help from a foundation/concrete company to effectively make the repairs. Changes In the Smell of the Machine Is the drive getting hot? Excessive heat is normally the result of excessive friction which in turn generates heat. Monitoring main motor amperage is a good indicator of increasing resis tance to rotation or sliding surfaces. As the motor amperage draw increases there is an increase in main motor amperage as the motor attempts to replace the flywheel that has been exhausted due to the increasing resistance. So always be aware of increases in main motor amperage draw. Daily benchmarking of main motor amperage is an excellent PM task. Changes In Air Pressure and Hydraulic Pressure Monitoring of both low and high pressures at your machine is crit ical for proper on-going operation of your press equipment. Both

pneumatic and hydraulic flywheel and clutch/brake assemblies used to drive the machines are designed to operate at a specific pressure range. If the press is low, the drives will slip excessively causing pre-mature failure. If the pressure is too high excessive force will be applied to the internal components of the clutch/ brake which in turn results in a shortened life cycle. Changes In Set Up Operations As I travel throughout the industry, I notice that the die/tooling set up process is seldom consistent. There may be setup and work instructions, but they are seldom followed in detail. Adjustments to the die space are affected greatly by excessive tightening of the die space either with ram adjustments or shims. How much is the load being increased by these adjustments? Again, unless your machine is equipped with load/tonnage monitoring equipment, you are running blind! Lubrication System Failures The lubrication system is the heartbeat of your machine. Lubrica tion system failure is one of the most common causes of machine downtime. Over the years I have seen this problem shut down production lines repeatedly. Daily visual inspection performed by operators is the quickest solution. Each day prior to start up and throughout the day a quick visual inspection of the lubrication of the machine is critical. Look at the drive components, does there appear to be adequate lubricant? Do the way surfaces appear to be lubricated properly? Is there contamination in the lubricant on the machine components? Does the system appear to be functioning properly? Is there lubricant in the reservoir? Are there any broken lubrica tion lines or fittings? Proper lubrication will extend the life of your machine more than any other system. If there is a lube fault, correct it before proceeding. Conclusion The involvement of all the members of your team is the most valuable maintenance/troubleshooting you will ever have. Within your team you have many hours of experience and trouble shooting skill. Involve your entire team and you will reap the greatest benefit. Consider how much money that can be saved by decreasing downtime while keeping your machines producing. Catch the potential problems before they cause long term and expensive down time. Jeff Fredline Owner-Industry Consultant Prestrade Phone: 615-517-4282 Email: fredline.jeff@gmail.com

FIA MAGAZINE | FEBRUARY 2025 27