Food & Drink Manufacturing: The hidden cost of equipment maintenance.
Due to the uncompromising hygiene standards throughout the food manufacturing industry, food processing equipment must be able to withstand water washdowns, high temperatures and areas highly susceptible to oil contamination by product ingress. With the increasing demand to meet production requirements, the costs associated with equipment failures are often overlooked, however in the event of catastrophic failure loss of a processing machine is not costly in terms of repair or replacement but can also lead to potential loss of production and product.
The food manufacturing industry faces unique challenges around equipment maintenance. With new food products coming to market faster and more frequently than ever before, companies must constantly add or modify their existing equipment whilst maintaining a seamless production capability. Also, food production technology continues to evolve, with nearly two-thirds of all food processing plants in the UK being more than 15 years old, the cost of keeping up with production advancements and an emphasis on uncompromising quality, is causing food manufacturers to invest more in capital equipment than nearly any other industry.
Because of the intermittent operation of packing and filling lines, food manufacturers have historically operated schedule-based, preventative maintenance practices including oil analysis. This does mean however, that maintenance is carried out regardless of the demand and production schedules, meaning excessive maintenance costs are unnecessarily inflated and machine parts are prematurely repaired or replaced. Research has shown that by switching to a condition-based monitoring approach, manufacturers in the food and drink industry could reduce their predictive maintenance tasks by up to 30%.
Ineffective lubrication is the single biggest cause of processing equipment failures. Monitoring the oil provides precise information concerning both the health of machinery components and the effectiveness of current lubrication protection and allows operators to conduct maintenance tasks at the optimum point, minimising costs and maximising equipment productivity. Tan Delta has significant experience installing oil condition monitoring technologies in the food manufacturing sector.
Tan Delta’s real-time technologies are perfectly designed for the food manufacturing industry. The patented Oil Quality Sensor (OQSx) and display units can be easily retro-fitted to existing systems. Live data readings allow the operator to quickly identify a change in oil condition and direct maintenance and intervention accordingly. Tan Delta’s Full Spectrum HolisticTM (FSH) monitoring technologies ensure that any change in oil quality is instantly detected, accurately measured and reported, increasing reliability, minimising costs and improving productivity.
About Tan Delta Systems:
Tan Delta Systems is the global leader in oil condition monitoring technologies and systems that reduce equipment operating costs. Our unique FSH technology ensures that any oil quality change is detected and reported in real-time. Our oil condition monitoring products are used by leading equipment operators around the world to reduce their costs and increase their profits. Distributor enquiries welcome.
W: www.tandeltasystems.com E: info@tandeltasystems.com T: +44 (0)845 094 8710
