Extrusion Machine Maintenance Strategies

This assignment examines the maintenance strategies employed for an extrusion machine used in a building products factory. The analysis delves into various techniques such as proactive, predictive, preventive, and reactive maintenance, evaluating their effectiveness in ensuring the equipment's reliable operation. Specific attention is given to the challenges associated with maintaining the complex mixing machine within the system and potential design improvements to minimize future maintenance needs.

Running Head: FACTORY MAINTENANCE PROBLEM 1
Factory Maintenance Problem
Name
Institutional affiliation

FACTORY MAINTENANCE PROBLEM 2
Factory Maintenance Problem
This report paper is about the maintenance strategy of an equipment is a factory that
manufactures building products. The dust processed by another factory is loaded by the use
of shovel that is wheeled into a hopper and is raised through a bucket elevator and inclined
conveyor to the system’s top. From this point, the dust is dispersed to the hoppers for storage
by a huge conveyor of scraper chain. Water is then mixed with dust in the single shaft mixer
and fed via chamber for de-airing into the machine of the extruder. The resultant product
from the machine for extrusion is loaded onto bogies and processed through kiln and dryer.
This report paper requires an evaluation of the maintenance strategy for this
equipment which will contribute to a factory wide reliability centred maintenance strategy.
The reliability centred maintenance is a method meant to develop preventive maintenance
since it depends on the prevention of potential failure which may pose negative results on the
performance of the equipment such as an increase in the cost of maintenance (Darling, 2015).
The reliability centred maintenance that can be implemented in this dust equipment is as
shown in the figure below:
Reliability centred maintenance strategy (Karwowski, 2013)

FACTORY MAINTENANCE PROBLEM 3
Reactive Maintenance
This strategy of maintenance involves automatically replacement of the sections of
the machine which are known to be experiencing degradation as a result of continuous usage
or age. The replacement of these parts will ensure that the unexpected failures are prevented
and maximum duration of production realised. This technique is normally performed as an
overhaul where the entire equipment is eliminated from functioning during the shutdown and
taken to the workshop for disengagement of its components and then constructed afresh. The
use of the strategy of reactive maintenance is aimed at making sure that the production
process of the equipment is not interrupted for a given duration (Kelly, 2012).
Some of the sections of the equipment that can be overhauled include the making
machine extruder, making machine mixer, extract conveyor, scraper chain conveyor, bucket
elevator, and large wheeled loading shovel. Through the process of renewal of the equipment
on a regular basis, the stoppages as a result of wear-out are greatly eliminated. After the
equipment have been overhauled to the standards of the manufacturer, a new performance is
expected by the factory. Nevertheless, there is expected exposure to infant mortality dangers
because of improper control of the quality, introduced damage, selection of the material
incorrectly selecting a material, and mistakes during assembly. The reactive maintenance we
used as a robust and sound quality control and assurance strategy with a perfect checking and
rebuild procedures (North, 2010).
Preventive Maintenance
The strategy of preventive maintenance is one of the very first and efficient technique.
This method can be done by the use of two ways; namely intervention and replacement and
observation and inspection. The initial form of preventive maintenance is normally the
response used for parts of the equipment which portrays signs of wear-out and age. This

FACTORY MAINTENANCE PROBLEM 4
technique entails noting and inspecting the equipment’s condition and servicing it on a
frequent basis. Some of the parts of this equipment that requires constant inspection include
the rotating parts such as high chrome steel blades, belt conveyor, wheel gearbox, shaft
mounted gearbox, and scraper chain conveyor (Peters, 2013).
Some of the servicing that can be done on the parts of the equipment and inspection
include oiling, replacement of conveyor belts, lubrication, and replacement of ball bearings.
During the process of servicing, it is important to observe the critically impending failures
and the working sections. The strategy of preventive maintenance prevents failures with the
very initial use. The amount of maintenance can greatly be reduced by the use of preventive
strategy and also this technique stops the occurrence of failures by 90% (Safety), 2013).
Predictive Maintenance
This form of maintenance is a very critical strategy of maintenance. This technique
involves the process of monitoring the evidence of changes in the conditions of the
equipment. The rate and amount of change are tracked and utilized in predicting the duration
of any failure. The predictive maintenance is based on recognizing that failures take some
time before worsening. Usually there is a starting point, then worsening gradually, and
finally, a point when the equipment breaks and fails totally. The changes in the working
conditions in the equipment of part of the equipment can be observed in the large wheeled
loading shovel when it can no longer press the dust into the system properly (Safety, 2012).
This may be caused by the failure of mechanical parts of the shovel. The failure of the
rotating parts of the equipment such as wheel gearbox, shaft mounted gearbox, and belt
conveyor should be continuously be monitored by qualified staff who will ensure proper
functioning of the machine parts. Some of the techniques that can be used in the process of
predictive maintenance include ultrasonic thickness testing, vibration monitoring, oil debris

FACTORY MAINTENANCE PROBLEM 5
analysis, and thermography. These techniques tend to detect a change and enable
determination of the rate of change so that prediction can be done on the continuing
performance of the equipment (Sharma, 2014).
Proactive Maintenance
This the technique of proactive maintenance, the planning begin on the drawing
board. Once the first product from the extrusion machine is loaded onto bogies of refractory
lines and processed via kiln and dryer, the company is stack with it. Every section of the
machine requires a maintenance it to maintain its workability. The design of a part of the
equipment determines the requirements of the maintenance. In case the company requires less
maintenance, then there is need to use appropriate choices of design which minimizes the
maintenance cost. The technique used in highlighting opportunities to minimize the
maintenance are grounded on the mode of failure and analysis effect (Peters, 2013).
The equipment which can undergo changes in its design so as to reduce its
maintenance is making machine mixer which is involved in mixing water and lime. This
equipment is very difficult to maintain and also very complex. The new design should be
easier to maintain and less complex since the work that it will be doing will just be mixing
dust and water. The recommendation of the new design should be similar to that of the
cement and sand mixer used in the construction industry (North, 2010). The simplest way of
understanding this technique is to consider numerous responses to ‘what if’ questions when
referring to every section of the equipment. Such questions include what if the rotating belts
fail to rotate? What is the gearbox fails to operate?
The strategies for proactive maintenance are the best since they are the cheapest way
of reducing maintenance. Its wonder and beauty are that it is an equipment lifetime strategy
that results in a recurrent improved functionality for the entire life of operation of the

FACTORY MAINTENANCE PROBLEM 6
equipment. The outcome of using proactive elimination and detection strategy for
maintenance will flow through instantly, however, not be observed for a couple of years
(Karwowski, 2013).
Conclusion
This report paper is about the maintenance strategy of an equipment is a factory that
manufactures building products. The dust processed by another factory is loaded by the use
of shovel that is wheeled into a hopper and is raised through a bucket elevator and inclined
conveyor to the system’s top. This report paper requires an evaluation of the maintenance
strategy for this equipment which will contribute to a factory wide reliability centred
maintenance strategy. Some of the reliability centred maintenance strategies include
proactive maintenance, predictive maintenance, preventive maintenance, and reactive
maintenance.

FACTORY MAINTENANCE PROBLEM 7
References
Darling, P. (2015). SME Mining Engineering Handbook, Third Edition. New York: Society for Mining,
Metallurgy, and Exploration (U.S.).
Karwowski, W. (2013). Advances in Human Factors, Ergonomics, and Safety in Manufacturing and
Service Industries. Melbourne: CRC Press.
Kelly, A. (2012). Maintenance Strategy. London: Elsevier.
North, K. (2010). Environmental Business Management. Chicago: International Labour Organization.
Peters, R. (2013). Reliable Maintenance Planning, Estimating, and Scheduling. Perth: Gulf
Professional Publishing.
Safety, C. (. (2013). Guidelines for Chemical Process Quantitative Risk Analysis. Colorado: John Wiley
& Sons.
Safety, A. I. (2012). Guidelines for chemical process quantitative risk analysis. Michigan: The Institute.
Sharma, G. (2014). Handbook Of Management Terms. Michigan: ICFAI Books.