In the textile industry, a disruption can affect the pace of the entire operation and require teams to reorganize processes, deadlines, and resources to stay on track.
And this impact is far from being an isolated issue. According to data cited by TI INSIDE Magazine, an average of 323 production hours are lost every year due to equipment failures.
That’s why, when it comes to production efficiency, simply looking at when a failure occurs is not enough. It is also essential to understand what happens between the moment the machinery stops operating and the moment it is back up and running.
This is where some of the key opportunities to reduce machine downtime and preserve factory productivity can be found.
Want to find out what they are? Keep reading!
Why is reducing downtime more strategic than trying to prevent every failure?
The truth is that there is no way to completely eliminate machine downtime.
High-quality solutions and a well-structured maintenance routine cannot prevent components from wearing out, unexpected issues from occurring, or adjustments from being required.
That’s why the focus should not be on trying to eliminate every possibility of downtime, but rather on reducing machine downtime.
Consider that two textile manufacturers can experience the same equipment failure and face completely different impacts.
After all, one may identify the cause quickly, contact technical support, and complete the repair within just a few days. The other, however, may spend weeks with a machine out of operation due to a lack of diagnosis, technical guidance, or a replacement part, resulting in:
- Disruption of the production flow: a machine being down can interrupt or reduce the capacity of other stages that depend on that process;
- Delays in orders and deadlines: reduced production capacity can make it difficult to meet the established production schedule;
- Idle working hours: depending on the operation, employees may be unable to perform their tasks until the equipment is back up and running;
- Costs to recover the production plan: after prolonged downtime, it may be necessary to reorganize production, change priorities, or rely on overtime to make up for delays.
In other words, what matters is response time + repair time. The combination of these two factors is what helps better control downtime.
To achieve this, it is essential to have:
- Rapid identification of the cause of the failure, avoiding long periods of trial and error;
- Clearly defined industrial maintenance procedures, with clear guidelines for each type of issue;
- Fast access to technical support, especially when the problem requires specialized expertise;
- Easy access to the components required for the repair, without having to wait a long time for a replacement part to arrive.
Read also: What to Consider When Choosing New Machinery for Your Industry
4 preventive actions your maintenance team can take today!
You’ve seen that the better prepared your operation is to respond to a failure, the shorter the time between downtime and the resumption of textile production.
But reducing machine downtime does not depend on a single measure. Some practices are essential to achieving this goal. They include:
1. Preventive maintenance routine
Of course, reducing machine downtime requires establishing a preventive maintenance routine. This is the only way to prevent minor wear and tear from developing into failures that can interrupt production.
The goal here is not to wait for the equipment to fail before taking action.
The maintenance team should monitor the equipment’s operating conditions and establish an intervention schedule, anticipating wear and preventing components from reaching their limits.
Some of the practices included in this planning are:
- Periodic inspections;
- Lubrication and cleaning of components, when applicable;
- Inspection of parts subject to wear;
- Following the maintenance intervals and procedures recommended by the manufacturer;
- Recording all maintenance activities and interventions performed.
This creates a maintenance history that, in turn, makes it easier to identify patterns of occurrence, making procedures more accurate and consistent with the actual operating conditions.
Read also: Maintenance indicators: learn about the main ones + free infographic
2. Monitoring signs of failure
Constant monitoring of potential signs of failure is also essential. After all, equipment failures rarely happen without warning. In fact, they are often the result of several warning signs being overlooked.
These signs may include:
- Unusual noises;
- Abnormal vibrations;
- Temperature changes;
- Performance fluctuations;
- Changes in process quality.
All of these signs may indicate that a specific component needs to be inspected. When identified early, it is possible to anticipate the resources required for the adjustment, schedule the intervention, and reduce machine downtime.
Read also: OEE Guide for the Textile Industry: Strategies to Optimize Production
3. Fast process for accessing technical support
Next, it is essential to have quick access to technical support. As we’ve seen, when a failure occurs, the time spent obtaining a diagnosis is also part of the downtime.
That’s why the faster the team can get expert guidance, identify the cause of the failure, and determine the next steps, the shorter the period between the production interruption and the equipment being back up and running is likely to be.
In addition, a fast response can:
- Prevent hours of trial and error;
- Reduce the risk of improper interventions;
- Quickly indicate the next steps.
In other words, it is not just the speed of the repair that matters, but also the time it takes to start taking the right action.
4. Availability of spare parts
Finally, make sure spare parts are readily available!
After all, even when the cause of a failure is identified quickly, the machine may remain down if the component required for the repair is not available.
That’s why it is essential for your industrial machinery maintenance strategy to include spare parts management in order to reduce machine downtime.
With the right part available, the maintenance team can act immediately once the diagnosis is complete. This reduces delays and also the risk of improper adaptations or incompatible replacements.
Therefore, it is recommended to:
- Identify which components are critical to the operation, considering factors such as wear frequency, failure history, and the impact of their unavailability;
- Assess which items should be kept in stock and which can be purchased as needed;
- Have a replenishment strategy in place for components that cannot wait;
- Consider supplier availability, lead times, and shipping logistics.
Working with a manufacturer that not only supplies textile machinery but also provides technical support and spare parts availability can help speed up equipment recovery.
How does Delta put this approach into practice?
Delta specializes in the development and manufacturing of technologies for the textile industry. But our work doesn’t end when the equipment starts operating!
We also aim to support our partners in maintaining the continuity and efficiency of their production processes, providing technical support for situations that may affect the operation of their machines.
To help reduce machine downtime, our support is based on three pillars:
- Technical assistance throughout Brazil;
- Specialized technical team;
- Spare parts availability.
In practice, these pillars are part of a service process that follows each occurrence from the first contact through to its resolution:
- Ticket opening: from this first contact, we can understand the situation and begin the assessment.
- Technical diagnosis: our specialized team analyzes the reported symptoms and works to identify the root cause of the failure;
- Remote or on-site solution: depending on the issue, we may provide guidance remotely. When an intervention is required, we have technical assistance throughout Brazil and spare parts available;
- Follow-up: we assess the service provided to confirm that the issue has been resolved and, when necessary, continue providing support.
Your production doesn’t have to remain down any longer than necessary!
Talk to Delta and get the support you need to reduce machine downtime!
