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Take steps to minimise production downtime

22 March 2021

QSS offers advice on the steps that should be taken to help minimise downtime of critical product inspection equipment. 

Those using product inspection systems on their food production lines will already understand the importance of keeping this piece of equipment up and running to avoid production stoppages. The loss of this single piece of machinery can bring production lines to a complete halt, which has a big effect on productivity. 

Coordinate with a servicing engineer: Inspection equipment is just like any other type of equipment: over time, it can break down. This is unavoidable, so having a repair contractor readily available is key to addressing equipment issues when they arise. 

Schedule regular inspections: Inspection equipment and systems are prone to breakdowns because they contain many moving parts. Every component needs to be properly maintained in order for an entire piece of equipment to function as it was intended to. Even if a relatively small and minor component fails, it could affect the performance of the entire system.

So, do schedule regular inspections which thoroughly check all the equipment and which is able to identify any minor issues that need to be addressed before they develop into more significant problems.

Never underestimate the importance of regular inspections. Some people might think scheduling inspections isn’t a smart use of an organisation’s funds, believing the money would not have been spent wisely if an inspection doesn’t reveal any issues.

It is important to bear in mind the full costs of equipment downtime – loss of productivity will be far more expensive than the cost of an inspection.

Knowledge is king: It is important that all staff are taught how to properly operate and maintain all the pieces of equipment that they may use during their working hours. If someone doesn’t understand how to correctly operate and maintain the equipment, they may operate it in a way that causes damage or results in malfunctions. Good training is a smart business investment and can help avoid more costly problems.

Keep records of equipment performance: It is important to have a system for monitoring the condition of all inspection equipment. When an inspection is completed, keep a record of all essential information the inspection may have revealed. Also keep a record of any minor performance issues that employees may have highlighted when using the equipment.

Keeping such a record makes tracking equipment’s performance and condition easier, making it possible to check the record on a regular basis to determine whether any trends might indicate a particular piece of equipment is starting to fail.

Once again, avoiding downtime requires minor problems to be addressed early. Having a record of equipment performance will make identifying and addressing these issues early a much easier task.

Remember, loss of productivity will almost certainly be  far more costly to the business than ensuring your product inspection solutions are kept in good working order. 


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