Welp MagazineAlthough some fear that robots may take away someone’s job, others have found that robotic help in areas such as manufacturing frees personnel up to focus on other tasks, while robots repeat monotonous or tedious ones. Still, robots can’t completely replace humans since they are only machines. In this article, we’ll discuss how to maintain manufacturing robots so they’ll work properly and increase production.
Check Connections
Manufacturing robots require cables, wiring, and power supplies. You should check each of these daily before manufacturing begins. Make sure someone has the job of doing so. When one connection goes wrong, the entire system may shut down, halting production and costing the company money.
Lubricate Consistently
In some ways, manufacturing robots are designed after the human form, with joints, elbows, and an ability to grasp. Grease or lubrication is necessary to keep those things working, as well as any nuts, bolts, and screws. Designs with rotation typically use ball screws and must stay lubricated to work well. Make sure to use the right lubricant—either oil or grease—when maintaining ball screws.
Tighten Bolts
A loosened bolt can cause quite a disaster when the robot can’t work properly. Throughout the day of manufacturing, bolts should be checked, tightened, and replaced when stripped or corroded.
Monitor Motion
The best way to keep an eye on how a robot is doing is to watch it in motion. Any unusual movements, such as jerking, stalling, or not grasping or turning properly are all signs that you must stop production and fix the robot immediately. Every motion is key to production.
Address Unusual Noises
Never ignore an unusual sound coming from the robot. When sound changes or become much louder, take it as a sign that something isn’t right, and get to the bottom of it.
Keep It Clean
Nothing works well when dust and grime accumulate. On a production line’s robots, all parts should be checked and cleaned daily. In manufacturing, oil and grease build up quickly. Have a regular maintenance schedule which includes wiping off obvious dirt and inspecting any vents and cooling fans for build-up in the robotic equipment.
In conclusion, maintaining manufacturing robots is easiest when done regularly. Don’t wait until a problem arises and manufacturing falls behind to fix it. Fix small issues immediately and keep everything clean to keep production running efficiently.
