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CNC Preventive Maintenance

The thought of taking the CNC machine out of production worries most manufacturers. Preventive maintenance helps save time and money by keeping the machine running at peak performance.

A planned preventative maintenance program can help you catch minor issues before they cause major breakdowns.

Preventive Maintenance Routine

Daily care

Check hydraulic pressure and ensure it remains at 4.5 MPa
Check hydraulic fluids
Check grease and chuck pressure
Check lube level and ensure it’s at the right operating level
Clean out chips
Clean the window of the door
Wipe down stainless steel covers and lubricate using hydraulic oil

3-month or 500 hours

Check the chain on the chip conveyor and grease it
Check, clean or replace the filters on the coolant tank

6 months or 1000 hours

Clean the coolant tank
Remove and clean chuck and jaws
Drain and clean the hydraulic tank and replace the hydraulic oil
Change the line and suction filters
Clean the radiator and straighten radiator fins
Drain and clean lubrication unit and add fresh lube
Drain, clean, refill cooling unit
Check and adjust your machine leveling
Inspect, clean, and replace wipers

Yearly check or 2000 hours

Check headstock for taper
Check spindle for radial and end play
Check chuck cylinder for run out
Check tailstock for taper
Check the turret parallelism and inclination
Run backlash program to check the backlash in the X and Z axis
Check and adjust the X and Z axis gibs

Tips for CNC Machine Preventive Maintenance

A consistent service program improves output, maintains throughput, and significantly enhances efficiency. In manufacturing, the reliability of machinery and hardware is critical to optimal performance and production.

Disruption can cause a decrease in total output especially when manufacturing devices are custom developed making them too expensive to repair or replace. Here are some tips to effectively apply preventive maintenance and maximise CNC machine uptime.

Schedule maintenance to coincide with equipment needs:Schedule maintenance to happen before machine breakdown. Maintenance should also be undertaken when it will not interrupt production.

Basing the maintenance schedule around the usage patterns and availability of the machine helps reduce costs and wasted resources.

Establish a worker check system:Employees working with the CNC equipment are more likely to to have an understanding of the machine’s condition and performance and notice system errors. Employees can highlight maintenance requirements and pass this information to management through the proper channels.

Source spare parts before they are required:It is not unusual for individual components to break down. These components are often custom-designed so it is necessary to keep replacement parts on location. You can also reduce the possibility of extended failure by ensuring the parts are available locally.

Documentation:Documenting all maintenance processes and findings establishes a baseline of events for reference. It also serves as a checklist for the manufacturer to develop reliable and accurate equipment.

Documentation also allows you to assess the accurate value of the equipment. Regular failure could mean it’s time to replace a particular part.

Replace old equipment:Sometimes old systems require phasing out. Manufacturing facilities are dynamic pieces of equipment that are always being revised. Having a system to assess value, performance, and reliability allows you to know when it’s time to retire old equipment.

Nobody wants to have their CNC machine constantly breaking down. Machine Tool Technologies can help you identify key areas for improvement in preventive maintenance and assist in the implementation of maintenance systems.

Get in touch with the professionals at MTT to get in-house consultation services and effective maintenance systems. Simply call 0845 077 9345 or email info@mtt.uk.com.