Obviously. maintenance is important. But there is a simple way to reduce maintenance time and cost: ensure your dust collection system is up-to-snuff. Among the payoffs for making it correct from the start:
– Minimize the slippery mess on the floor to help lessen the chance of injury to personnel.
– Reduce the chance for dust to work its way into the electrical components, a frequent cause of machine ‘gremlins’.
– Reduce the airborne dust that makes its way throughout the shop to other work areas.
– Maintenance and repairs are performed faster without first having to clear a large amount of dust and grime out of the work area, thus increasing up-time.
– Reduced wear of rollers, bearings. chains, and other metal-on-metal moving parts.
When planning your dust collection be sure to plan for the proper airflow at the machine; the machine manufacturer can provide you with the draw requirements. Try to minimize the number of bends in the piping, and 45-degree bends are generally preferable to 90-degree bends. Install a clean-out so trims that clog the pipe may be easily removed. And install a shop-vac-style port and attach a long hose to provide a vacuum for machine clean-up.