how do you handle everything breaking

[alan802]

Buy new equipment ...and pray.

[T Shirt1]

Stoli - apply internally as needed.  And i thought we were the only shop in the country who has Murphy living here.

[tonypep]

Fulll time maintenance guy

[3Deep]

I've had those days and I just walk away for awhile and come back...cool off and go at it again, we all know when it rains it pours.

Darryl

[jason-23]

So I guess there is an up side to have no work at all for like 2 1/2 months...

LOL, you're all kidney.......think about it.

I dont get it...

[Zelko-4-EVA]

i keep a lot of spare parts in the closet - mac valves, belts, filters, flame rods, cylinders, fans, sensors, relays, regulators, fuses, contactors, switches, buttons, cords, servo controllers, batteries, pneumatic fittings and hoses.  i bought a full set of flash bulbs a while back (years ago) when an employee dropped an "in head" flash onto a platen.  when something breaks - order two - one to replace and one for a spare part. 

make a list of what spare parts go to what machine. keep a log of why something was replaced, and what part numbers for spare parts were used along with tools needed.
if a complex repair, write up a procedure or make sure the instructions from the manufacturer are kept on file.

if you cant afford to keep spares, keep a repair parts list  - make a (hard copy not just computer file) list of parts with expected delivery dates - some parts can be found at grainger, fastenal, MSC direct, or Mc Master Carr - cross reference part numbers (fuses) and find out which parts can be found locally. 

we cross train our employees as best we can - one of our press operators broke her wrist and the unloader was able to step into the press operators role.

we have a spare pressure washer, air compressor, and exposure unit.  our air compressor tech will loan us an air dryer if needed.

unless we lose electricity we wont be down for more than 3 hrs. 

[ScreenFoo]

I like this^^ 

I'm in a similar mindset, we definitely have many hundreds if not thousands of random elec/pneu/mech parts lying around.  Waiting for ground or paying for air makes it seem cheap to me.


I can empathize on the timing though--seems like our old school POS dryer likes to take a dump every year or two, usually during something important.  Luckily our presses are M&R, so I've never been down more than ten or fifteen minutes on unscheduled maintenance. 

[Zelko-4-EVA]

the owner emphasized that a $1000 part sitting on the shelf is less than the cost of downtime. 

four automatic presses, two dryers, two air compressors, three pressure washers, two exposure units, five quartz flashes, two ink scales, two gas dryers... 

it equals lots of spare parts - shelves for each press, boxes labeled with contents - i used the screen tape boxes and spray tack boxes.

[mk162]

you can also use tackle boxes.  Works great for individual presses.  You can sort the smaller parts in the top and the bigger parts in the bottom.  I use one for our auto..and another for embroidery.

[tonypep]

We do it the way JSR does it (Zelko) same with embroidery. We pretty much have extra everything and have a maintenace log which includes regular preventive maintenance

[ebscreen]

Maintenance is key, as is spare parts (we replace when getting old, and keep the old as a spare to get us through)
but yes, it does seem like everything goes at once.

The Epson decides it doesn't want to print anymore and the dryer see's that and decides to take a couple hours off.
Then the cable modem gets wind of everyone slacking off and decides to crap the bed, etc.

Walk away, deep breaths, come back to it before you break it worse.

I will say this. My MHM's have not let me down, not once. Nor has my Kaeser compressor.
Everything else, absolutely.

[tonypep]

One of the auto flashes just went down. Wheeled in a backup. With all of the recent acquisitions we have acuired so much equipment that some of it is cannibalized for parts

[blue moon]

I spend about 1/3 of my working life either fixing broken stuff or troubleshooting problems. Knowing how to repair your equipment & get stopped jobs rolling again is just part of the landscape. It can definitely get stressful when the deadline clock is ticking & 6 or 8 employees are watching you curse at a balky Mac valve, but that's why they pay me the big bucks.

At least no one dies on the operating table when things go sour -- I have no idea how heart surgeons handle the stress, and I try to remain thankful when a flash won't heat up or something that a plane is not about to fall out of the sky. Keep some perspective, sigh, go outside, take a look up at the sky and ask the heavens for a little wisdom & fortitude. :-)

great post, thanx for the perspective realignment!

pierre

[Zelko-4-EVA]

i think i spoke too soon about being prepared.

ordered a gallon of crystalina - shipped from west coast to the east coast via FedEx 2 day air.  the bucket was cold when it came in so we put it in the shaker.  the bucket promptly broke and emptied its contents inside the shaker.  now we have to get a second bucket sent Next day air early AM. 

lesson of the day.  transfer ink to a warm container before shaking - im assuming that the bucket was too cold which made it brittle. 

 

[ebscreen]

Had the handle on 5 gallons of 187 red break while coming downstairs Sunday, spilling
entire contents on to floor.

This right before the niners won of course.

Lesson learned no pails more than 1 foot off ground level.


Are all industries like this or just ours? Anybody work in any other industries where stuff like this happens?