Preventive maintenance entails eliminating factors that may cause CNC equipment failure or prove difficult to resolve post-failure before such incidents occur. Generally, this encompasses: equipment selection, correct usage of equipment, and routine inspections during operation.
During CNC equipment selection research, alongside availability parameters, maintainability parameters should include: technical indicators of the equipment’s advanced nature, reliability, and maintainability. Technological advancement denotes that the equipment must incorporate contemporary technological standards; reliability refers to the Mean Time Between Failures (MTBF), Mean Failure Rate (MFR), and particularly whether the CNC control system has passed quality inspections by national authoritative bodies. Maintainability pertains to ease of servicing, availability of spare parts in the market, completeness of technical documentation for repairs, quality of after-sales service, competence of maintenance personnel, and the equipment’s cost-performance ratio.
Standardised Equipment Operation: Proper utilisation of CNC machinery is pivotal for minimising faults and extending service life, occupying a significant role in preventative maintenance. Statistics indicate one-third of failures stem from human error, whilst routine maintenance (e.g., lubrication, cleaning, inspections) is typically performed by operators. Solutions include: Emphasise awareness of equipment management, usage, and maintenance. Enhance operational and technical training to improve operator proficiency, enabling them to swiftly grasp CNC EDM machine performance. Strictly enforce equipment operating procedures and maintenance protocols to ensure machinery operates within optimal working conditions.
Routine inspections during equipment operation: The advanced, complex, and intelligent nature of CNC equipment renders its maintenance and servicing considerably more intricate and demanding than conventional machinery. Maintenance personnel should conduct regular patrol inspections, such as checking the operation of CNC system cooling fans, monitoring cabinet and motor temperatures for overheating, listening for abnormal noises or odours, verifying pressure gauge readings, inspecting all pipelines and connections for leaks, and assessing lubrication conditions. This proactive approach prevents faults and accidents. Any anomalies detected should be resolved promptly, thereby eliminating potential failures at their inception and minimising avoidable losses.