If your manufacturing process involves the use of custom machinery, it’s important to carry out regular inspections to make sure everything is running smoothly. Failing to inspect your equipment can lead to a loss of profit later on, as you open yourself up to the possibility of faulty products, expensive repairs, and even employee injuries.

Our custom machine builders recommend inspecting your machines regularly to ensure their longevity. Here’s why regular machine inspections are important for your business.

Catch Problems Early

When it comes to custom machinery, big problems can sometimes start off as small ones. For example, a small change in a machine’s alignment can worsen over time, creating noticeable issues with your final product. The issue might not be that obvious at first, but catching it early would save you a lot of hassle. It’s also generally less expensive to fix a small issue when it first appears than to wait until it becomes a bigger problem.

Regular inspections of your machinery can help you identify problems like these before they spiral out of control. When you inspect your custom machinery on a regular basis, you’ll be the first one to notice when things start to go awry.

Keep Employees Safe

As a business, the safety of your employees should be your highest priority. Inspecting the machines your company uses on a daily basis will ensure that they won’t be harmed by malfunctioning equipment.

If an employee is injured on the job, you’ll lose time and money while they take time off to recover. Worse, you could be liable in a lawsuit if the injury was caused by a faulty machine. Regular inspections help you ensure that your custom machinery is safe, reducing the risk of injury for your employees and helping your case if someone tries to sue.

Maintaining your equipment builds trust with your employees and keeps accidents at bay. Your reputation matters and you want to be known in your industry as an employer who cares.

How to Conduct Machine Inspections

Your machine inspections should be thorough every time. It helps to have a checklist of each feature to be sure they’ve all been examined. This checklist should be specific, meaning you’ll need a different list for each type of machine in your facility.

When inspecting your custom machines, consistency is key. It’s important to inspect the machine the same way each time so you’ll notice when things are different. Check the machine and the surrounding area for anything that might be out of place. Are there any leaks or screws that have fallen out?

If you notice anything that seems off about a particular machine, don’t just brush it off. Call a repair technician immediately to get your equipment back in good working order.

The best solution, of course, is to invest in custom machinery that is high-quality from the start. We can help with that! Paramount Tool Company is a custom machine builder in Holland, MI. To request an estimate for industrial robots, automation, or any of our other manufacturing solutions, call (616) 582-5300.