Magnetic plug inspections are vital
An effective magnetic plug inspection program coupled with expert analysis enables heavy equipment operators to predict maintenance issues before they become time consuming and costly.
According to Techenomics International, regular and thorough inspections of magnetic plugs can reveal many issues with operating equipment and can accurately predict trends which left unchecked can cause serious problems.
Techenomics provides innovative and expert magnetic plug inspection and fluid management services which accurately indicate where there may be issues with components.
Inspection and assessment of contaminated plugs allow for operators to schedule work to be carried out on individual components before they fail. A build-up of sludge and dirt on plugs is not uncommon, according to Techenomics Australia operations manager Sam Kurup, and this is not always indicative of problems, but regular inspection and analysis can indicate if there are deleterious metals present or if the sludge is going to lead to equipment issues.
“In most instances a simple flush and refill of clean oil can solve the problem but if after the flush, it keeps recurring then we can look deeper into the problem. If it is just a build-up of sludge from dirty oil then oil analysis is not really going to be of much help, which is why the plug inspections and the recommendations given are vital.
“Something that seems bad may very well turn out to be an easy, cost effective solution but if it is bad it is much better to find out as early as possible so component failures can be prevented before they occur.”
Sam Kurup says, “Sludge build-up can occur when operators just top up oil levels without flushing the component out before refilling with new oil. Residue builds up at the bottom of the component and simply mixes back in the fresh oil, resulting in fine metal getting into places where it continually scratches the surfaces of internal components, wearing them down unnecessarily and causing other problems such as loss of tension or grip due to pits being created on the surfaces.
“Some may think this a minor problem and write it off as wear and tear on components but these small problems can quickly escalate and lead to major failures.”
Techenomics CEO Chris Adsett says, “Vital programs such as mag plug inspections on a weekly basis can, in fact, save more than just a few hours of downtime. Planned work can be scheduled, meaning you have your machines working rather than sitting in a workshop awaiting new parts.”
He says the magnetic plug program conducted by Techenomics is a vital part of any preventative maintenance program and can be even more effective when combined with fluid management and oil analysis.
“Important information such as hours, location and date are recorded along with a photo of the plug each week. Along with our Blue Oceans software program, these serve as vital tools to predict failure or extend the life of the component. “The reports together with the photos and the Blue Oceans analysis data collectively allow any planning office to schedule work on machines and equipment to prevent failure in the field. This not only saves cost but saves lost production time and is also a safety measure by not having a machine fail when you least expect it,” Chris Adsett concludes.
For more information about magnetic plug inspection, contact Sam Kurup (email – sreejith.b@techenomics.com), Chris Adsett (email – c.adsett@techenomics.com) or Jim Ellison (email jim.ellison@techenomics.com)