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Getting back to basics with maintenance strategies

18 September 2023

Highlighting the importance of proactive maintenance programmes for key operational components. including heat exchangers. to ensure optimal energy use across facilities, Andrew Peacock, Business Unit Manager for Energy at Alfa Laval, advocates ‘back-to-basics’ equipment maintenance strategies.

The latest Business Trends report from accounting firm BDO has demonstrated uncertainty for UK exporters, in part spurred by China’s faltering recovery and weak Eurozone growth forecasts. With supply difficulties cited as a key reason behind falling manufacturing output, businesses need to identify ways to do more with less and make existing equipment more energy-efficient to ensure competitiveness.

“Heat exchangers and other similar equipment can be perceived as simple, but they are vital to the continued running of the factory environment,” said Andrew. “Given their role in facilitating the transfer of thermal energy in plant operations, ensuring they are well-maintained and performing optimally is key. With energy provision and pricing remaining volatile, the cost of not doing so, and instead accounting for unplanned downtime within ongoing operations, may be too great, and result in unnecessary cost and uncertainty.

“These breakdowns can take operators and engineers away from vital day-to-day tasks needed to improve equipment performance, which is more important than ever given the current, challenging circumstances.” 

Planned preventative maintenance (PPM) is often the first casualty during economic slowdowns, but according to Andrew, this is counterintuitive. “Keeping a plant efficient and operational is vital during these difficult situations, which can be exacerbated by unplanning downtime. Leveraging the expertise and competence of larger suppliers can result in greater long-term energy savings, which may prove vital in weathering uncertain market conditions.

“For example, engineers may find carrying out effective upkeep more challenging simply due to a lack of data on long-running parts and components. However, data-informed planning, supported by frequent visual inspections from specialists, can result in greater energy efficiency across the plant, as well as more effective part procurement strategies and maintenance plans.”

Everything comes down to a simple question – is the facility as energy-efficient as possible? By engaging experts who can provide inspections and feedback on PPMs, greater clarity can be provided on performance issues or where overly stringent schedules can be pared back to ensure continued smooth running. 


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