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4 tips for industrial machine maintenance

Industrial machines are critical components of any factory or manufacturing plant. The production process and, therefore, the performance of the organization as a whole depends highly on how efficiently these machines function. Thus, it is important to maintain them so that they continue to run optimally. However, this is not always easy since the factory floor is quite busy. Hence, here are a few tips for industrial machine maintenance to avoid overlooking some essential maintenance tasks.

Regularly check the lubrication levels
One of the most common reasons for industrial machines breaking down is friction. This especially happens with machines that run for longer hours. Also, the older a machine, the higher the chances of friction occurring between the different parts. Most of the time, this leads to productivity loss and production delays. Therefore, it is important to always check the lubrication level of the machinery to lower the risk of wear and tear caused by friction.

Along with checking the lubrication levels of the industrial machines, it is crucial to use the right types of lubricants for the different machines. This is because a single-type lubricant solution will not be effective for all the machines. Always make sure to check the manuals and follow recommendations provided by the manufacturer of the machine regarding the suitable type of lubricant to be used.

Clean the machines regularly
It is common for dirt and debris to collect in the various nooks and crannies of industrial machines. Often, this leads to rust, corrosion, and other damage that can quickly cause breakdowns. Therefore, to ensure that the machines continue to run efficiently and smoothly, it is important to clean them on a regular basis. Using a simple cleaning agent, one can clean each and every part of the various machines, including the crevices and joints that are generally hard to reach. In addition, it is important to ensure that a rust-preventative solution is applied to all the metal coatings and surfaces for additional protection.

Check all the safety features
Heavy industrial machinery usually has several built-in safety features. These include warning signs, guard rails, emergency shutdown buttons, etc. These features must be regularly checked, inspected, and monitored to ensure they function properly. Any faulty parts and signs of damage should be repaired and replaced immediately. Also, it is important to check whether everything has been labeled correctly and is easily identifiable. This can go a long way in ensuring worker safety and preventing any serious accidents from occurring.

Perform calibration checks
For industries where precision is a crucial aspect of production, calibration checks must be an essential part of machine maintenance. When all the industrial machines are regularly calibrated, it ensures that all the parts are working efficiently and accurately in tandem with one another. Besides, every machine has its own frequency of calibration. So, it is crucial that the manufacturer or a qualified technician is consulted during the calibration checks. This ensures that the machines always run at their peak capacity with lesser downtime and breakdowns.

4 printing mistakes and ways to avoid them

When it comes to printing, some mistakes can prove more costly than others. It is important to learn to recognize mistakes early and correct them so that you can get the best quality prints. From leaving the right margins to choosing the correct print quality, being aware of minor details can help. Here are four common printing mistakes and ways to avoid them, so you get a quality print each time. Not creating bleeding space Even though machines have become far more precise in cutting artwork to its intended size, you may still find 1-2 mm of inconsistency. Not adding bleeding space will result in a thin white border around your artwork. To rectify this, create a bleed or extra space of 5 mm around your image, so even if the paper moves, there wonât be any white space on the print. Printing in RGB If youâre wondering why your print doesn't match the colors on the screen, it may be because you are printing in RGB color mode. Artworks and documents set in RGB are meant for digital viewing, whereas those set in CMYK are meant for print. To avoid this error, ensure that the color mode of your design is set to CMYK. Typos and errors Grammar, spelling mistakes, missing fonts, and smaller font sizes can hurt your printâs appearance. Documents with these errors can appear unprofessional or even illegible. To avoid this, set the smallest font size of the document to at least 6 pt. You can rasterize or convert your text to a Smart Object, if you are using Photoshop, or to outlines, if you are using Illustrator. Proofread your document several times. You can even ask a friend to do it for you, or use an online spell check program to avoid any spelling mistakes and grammatical errors. High ink coverage Images that require too much ink to print can cause the paper to bruise or wrinkle since the paperâs ink absorption capacity is limited. Avoid this mistake by using a preflight tool to check the ink coverage of your artwork. This tool checks which images require too much ink to print, so they can be edited accordingly. You can also opt for preflight tools that are specially designed for lowering the ink coverage of an image. It's important to remember that there is always space to make edits while printing. Double check your work before printing or sending them to a printing shop to get the best quality prints each time.

4 ways shipping software can help reduce errors

E-commerce is an eternally evolving and growing market. So, it's better to track all the logistics and supply chain operations through automation rather than manually. In that sense, using shipping software is no longer a luxury for supply chain players but a necessity. Businesses can choose from various options depending on what they need. With their efficient operation and elimination of human errors, these automation-driven tools reduce commonly seen shipping errors in multiple ways. Verifying addresses to avoid shipping errors A large percentage of failed deliveries happen due to incorrect or incomplete addresses and a lack of address verification. Address verification systems (AVS) are sub-tools in many shipping software. These systems ensure shippers get an accurate delivery address from customers when they check out and make payments on online e-commerce portals. Every e-commerce store can use AVS cart plugin software. This software compares the address a customer enters with the other addresses they have registered at major shipping carriers. Whenever such systems detect a discrepancy between the addresses in the two databases, they prompt customers to identify which address they want to use to receive shipping deliveries. In this way, all their future shipments will automatically and unerringly be delivered to that address. Avoiding stockouts through real-time inventory tracking Many shipping software tools double up as an inventory tracking system. They let inventory managers and manufacturing heads in companies monitor the stock of raw materials in their warehouses in real time. The shipping software tool lets the relevant management know how close their inventory levels are to a "stockout," a condition where there are insufficient raw materials in the warehouse to carry on production and other subsequent operations. Untracked stockouts are a major cause of delays and lags in supply chain operations. Ensuring businesses choose the right courier A package's size and weight may seem relatively inconsequential, but it can impact business costs in more ways than one. When a business sends a parcel to the courier company, the courier service usually charges a fee depending on the package's size and weight. Now, if the business exceeds the size and weight limit, they will be forced to pay extra for the delivery. Shipping software lets businesses know the exact charges and penalties of different service providers. With this information, supply chain managers can choose the right courier and keep expenses at a minimum. Reducing accidents while shipping Accidents are quite common in long-distance shipping. These accidents lead to a loss of money, time, and effort people have invested in the logistics and supply chain aspects of big e-commerce operations. Luckily, most shipping software solutions come with real-time shipment tracking. They let one know where a given batch of goods has reached after being dispatched to the target location. They also let one know if any accident has taken place along the route. Using this information, shippers can have their contingency plans ready. Depending on the delay, some shipping software tools also update the ETA of shipments, a useful feature for both shippers and end customers.