May 2026 Volume 8

MAINTENANCE

MAINTAINING PLANT AUTOMATION SYSTEMS UNDER FORGING CONDITIONS By Jeff Fredline

M aintaining automated handling systems in harsh forging environments will always be a challenge. The forging environment, by its nature, produces conditions that lead to equipment wear and failure. Dirt, oil, die lubricants, slag, and scale collect on all equipment during operation and, if left unchecked, will build up on surfaces, leading to excessive wear and machine failure. Production automation is particularly sensitive to contamination buildup. As contamination builds up around pivoting and rotational components, excessive dirt, slag, and scale can work their way into moving surfaces and cause unplanned downtime and expensive repairs. Flexible guards, such as canvas joint covers, can be installed on pivot points to help protect them. Additional guards can also be designed to protect other open areas. Consider the addition of robotic armor, such as specially designed durable covers, to protect against shot, rust, dust, slag, scale, and die lubricant. The best solution is to work toward keeping the environment clean and free from contamination. This will require daily effort. No matter the type of forging machinery you operate, you will need to work to keep the environment clean. Steel forging operations produce the most waste, while aluminum and bronze operations produce less. Steps Necessary to Clean Up Work Cells, Thus Improving Throughput and Quality 1. Keep all areas free from unnecessary pneumatic and hydraulic lines. Take steps to protect all control cables and wiring from excessive heat by using protective insulating materials. 2. Consider adding active cooling systems within the work cell to protect machine controls, robot joints, and end-of-arm tooling in areas subject to thermal stress, such as die spaces. 3. Remove all clutter and trash from the area, such as blocks of wood, skids, gondolas, and other debris that make it difficult to sweep and clean up the work cells. 4. Stop using compressed air lines to clean up the areas around robots and transfer automation. Air pressure over time will force contamination into running surfaces on robots, transfer automation, and conveyance lines. 5. Perform an extensive cleanup weekly and end-of-shift cleaning every day. This will help prevent massive buildup of contamination. Certainly, comments will be heard that this costs too much. “We can’t afford to spend this additional time on cleanup.” But let’s take a deeper dive into what is involved. • First, in keeping with Lean Manufacturing principles, keep all necessary supplies at the work cell and maintain adequate stock to perform the cleaning functions. • Modify the work instructions to include end-of-shift cleaning. Note: Work instructions should be specific as they pertain to cleaning: equipment to be used, areas to be cleaned, and processes

to be followed. It is important that the areas requiring cleaning be kept free from clutter and obstructions that might prevent or complicate the cleaning process. • Cleaning should involve all members of the production staff assigned to the work cell. • Normally, with a combined effort, cleanup should be able to be performed in 20–30 minutes daily and in 2 hours for the more thorough weekly cleaning. Items to Be Cleaned by Assigned Work Cell Team Members Bar processing machines: bar-feeding mechanisms, billet shears, or saw common work areas • Induction heater lines or furnace lines • Production handling equipment, such as robots and pick-and place machines, and die lubrication systems • Preforming machines • Presses, hammers, upsetters, and cross-wedge rolls • Trim or secondary forming presses • Cooling conveyors • Floor areas around the work cell • Material handling equipment, including forklifts and part transfer systems such as robotic part-moving systems Most organizations will be working on implementation after having been involved in the industry for many years. In this case, it will be a process improvement event. However, building a preventive maintenance strategy before installing new automation is a superior approach. When automation or production equipment is being purchased, designed, and built, the manufacturers of the equipment will be most familiar with the maintenance requirements and potential pitfalls. It would be of great value to consult with them during the process design and installation of each piece of equipment. They have seen many of the possible problems before and may already have specific recommendations regarding how to best address problems before they occur. Introduce Maintenance Checks and Monitoring Systems We must be proactive in monitoring the condition of lubrication and hydraulic fluids. A regular sampling and testing program should be implemented. Perform regular inspections of safety systems, devices, sensors, and physical safety structures, such as guarding, that might be subject to excessive heat conditions. You may also want to consider adding vision systems to monitor the process, record data, and identify real-time issues.

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