How to Keep Your Food Processing Machinery Maintained
Food processing machinery is prone to deterioration because of wear and tear over time. This will affect the machine’s overall performance. Thus, operators must have regular food processing machinery maintenance. After all, preventative maintenance is far more effective in detecting and preventing premature failure rather than doing breakdown maintenance and repairs.
Part of preventative maintenance is to assess the overall condition and integrity of the food processing machinery. If a machine failure is detected too late, there is a high risk of food or product contamination. This often results in costly product recalls and problems with production and quality.
Food processing machinery maintenance means preventative maintenance for all types of food processing machinery such as:
- Multihead weighers
- Packaging machines
- High-speed sorting machines
- Grading machines
- Pillow folding machines
- Meat mixers
- Mincer machines
- Vacuum packaging machines
- Thermoforming machines
- Dough mixers
- Fresh vegetable cutting machines
- Nut grading machines
The importance of correct and regular maintenance
Operational Efficiency
A quality performing food processing machine is a well-maintained machine. When the machine is regularly maintained, freshly lubricated, well-calibrated, and all systems cleaned, the equipment will keep your production running smoothly.
Functional Performance
A well-functioning machine means fewer interruptions. The quality and consistency of food production will also improve, especially when the machine is involved with high temperatures and cooking periods.
Food Safety
Well-maintained machines will give off higher safety standards for the processing of food. Poorly maintained machines will break down during manufacturing, leading to false readings of temperature and poor quality food integrity.
Lower Repair Costs
Regular maintenance on a fixed schedule costs far less and will save money in the long run rather than having costly repairs down the line. Breakdown repairs may also mean replacing some parts, increasing repair costs even more.
Traceability and Documentation
Sticking to a regular maintenance schedule helps you better monitor the machines and performance. This monitoring will eventually help in finding the root cause of anything that goes wrong. This also provides you with proof of maintenance should there be a third-party audit.
Need a hand keeping your food processing machinery maintained?
When it comes to food processing machinery maintenance, ONJ Services are an experienced team of industrial electricians and mechanical engineers. Through our range of services, including design, installation, and ongoing maintenance, we focus on reducing costs and improving operations by optimising your manufacturing machinery. Get in touch with our team today!