Preventative maintenance
Scheduled inspections and preventative maintenance is the number one way to help guarantee the best performance from your equipment, according to an article recently published on Aerial Pros.
Preventative maintenance refers to precautionary work performed on equipment with the express purpose of limiting the possibility of unexpected failure. Regularly inspecting your equipment, and making it a priority to schedule a preventive maintenance routine, will help you identify any small issues before they become big, expensive issues. This will also help prevent any major downtime related to your machine and any associated limitations to ongoing projects.
Potential reliability issues are cheaper and easier to fix the earlier they’re spotted, according to Aerial Pros.
OEM parts
Another major maintenance tip is to always use replacement parts from your machine’s original equipment manufacturer (OEM). Non-OEM replacement parts may fit your machine but oftentimes are far less reliable and can create unwanted downtime.
Replacement parts that aren’t factory-fitted might physically fit, but they may not work as well and often cause downtime, according to Aerial Pros. Joysticks, for example, can cause issues — they can be the wrong style, that either doesn’t work with your unit, work poorly (operating in one direction but not another) or for a very short period of time.
When operating with large machinery it’s better to be safe than to save a dollar. Always use OEM parts to better ensure your machine is running optimally and to better protect yourself from unnecessary repairs, costs and downtime.
Performance tracking
Another pro tip for keeping your machines running smoothly (with limited downtime) is to keep track of performance and costs. The ability to track trends related to frequency and types of maintenance requirements will save you time and money by allowing for the ability to prepare for events before they happen.
Waiting on parts to arrive and repairs to happen can be major causes of unplanned downtime. So, your ability to quickly order and receive OEM parts, as well as the age of units your OEM services, are important factors for your machine’s reliability, according to Aerial Pros.
Tracking the cost of repairs and upkeep on your machine will also be beneficial for the purpose of determining when your machine is no longer a cost-effective asset. Keeping track of performance and cost trends will help you know when it’s time to release or upgrade a machine.