If you run a pharmaceutical or supplement manufacturing business, then you know how important max equipment uptime is. Having your equipment like atablet press machineidle for any sustained period of time can drive maintenance costs up and disrupt your operations.
These issues can be worsened with increased maintenance schedules and a lack of upkeep on tablet presses. For B2B organizations, regularly scheduling preventive maintenance on their equipment can help mitigate these issues, leveling out their profit margins.
In this article, we highlight crucial maintenance practices recommended by leading engineers that, if properly implemented by your organization, will help save you thousands when working with a tablet press machine manufacturer, and help boost your overall operational efficiency.
Importance of Preventive Maintenance
Tablet pressing machines are extremely accurate devices that function at very high pressure and with very low clearance. The tiniest misalignment can escalate tensions or the buildup of residue can lead to serious issues such as:
- Changes in weight of the tablets
- Binding or sticking of the die punches
- Weak brittle tablets that have poor friability
- Damage to the die punch parts
- Heightened idle cell time
Systematic maintenance ensures that all of these problems are taken care of while also extending the life of the machine, improving consistency of products, achieving compliance with law requirements, and ad regulations. Any good tablet press machine manufacturer will provide help with preparing maintenance documents along with providing spare components, repairs training, and aids.
List of Things to do Per Day
Forming the groundwork of care rote is daily maintenance. All operators are responsible for conducting basic cleaning and thorough inspection at the end of every production run or shift.
Other things you should do on a daily basis include:
- Wipe off all machine contact surfaces: Cleaning die and punch surfaces along with the feeder prevents blockage as well as cross-contamination.
- Add lubricant onto parts where movement is experienced: Using food grade lubricants where it is applicable will make sure movement is smooth and the machine will not be contaminated.
- Check the various tools for any signs of damage: Any exposed edges that show signs of wear or chipping, and corroded edges. Inspecting tools and detecting any damages that they might have prevented the mechanical breakdowns from getting worse.
- Confirm pressure and alignment: Verify that the compression rollers and cams are correctly aligned and are in working order with the ideal pressure settings.
A tablet press machine that undergoes daily maintenance well is unlikely to suffer from breakdowns—leading to an increase in uptime and profitability for the business.
Weekly and Monthly Preventive Maintenance
In addition to daily maintenance, deeper inspections or calibrations are added on a weekly and monthly basis.
Weekly tasks may include:
- Examining feeder mechanisms for full functionality
- Inspecting die table smooth rotation and runout
- Checking for and tightening loose fasteners or mounting screws
- Adjusting set torque on pressure changes
Monthly maintenance should include:
- Disassembling and inspecting turret assembly
- Servicing internal gears and motor components with grease
- Monitoring cam tracks along with upper punch seals for wear
- Checking safety interlocks along with electrical components
Best practices recommend that a tablet press machine be accompanied with noted intervals of service along with activity tracking templates.
Mistakes In Maintenance That Should Be Avoided
Well-meaning maintenance routines always have problems if done incorrectly. Below are some ways in which companies make maintenance blunders, what these blunders are and how to resolve them:
- Excessive use of lubricants: Servicing lubrication is critical, however, doing it with excessive quantities does more harm than good by attracting dust, therefore resulting in sticky sab leading residue buildup, specifically on punches as well as dies.
- Ignoring routine maintenance services: Postponing routine check-ups does no harm. However, it allows the maintenance concern at hand to slowly evolve into something far worse.
- Using improper cleaning agents: Use of non-approved harsh chemicals or solvents risks corroding a metal surface resulting in unsafe products.
- Inadequate operator training: The equipment is as good as the operator. Therefore, in order to properly execute the procedures one must be able to perform them with proper training.
Most tablet press machine users make blunders because they do not have Standard Operating Procedures or fail to engage their tablet press machine providers for streamlined process-guided equipped with SOPs.
Partnering With the Right Manufacturer
Few relationships in a maintenance strategy are as useful as that with a responsive and experienced tablet press machine manufacturer. The right partner will:
- Train operators and technicians.
- Provide maintenance manuals, spare part diagrams, and list of other relevant documents.
- Provide maintenance and repair services, including remote technical support and replacement parts.
- Assist in the cleaning and servicing optimization processes for maintenance-friendly design configurations.
Whether you wish to modify or upgrade your existing tablet press machine or require maintenance assistance, a reliable tablet press machine manufacturer will help you maximize the equipment’s lifespan and minimize costly downtime.
Do not forget to analyze the manufacturers’ boundaries of service coverage, available support resources, and how rapidly they can supply replacement equipment parts, especially in high-output production settings.
Predictive Maintenance and Remote Keeping Track of Machines
Unlike preventive maintenance, which consists of routine tasks, predictive maintenance is concerned with the diagnosis and analysis of machine data. Modern tablets press models come with sensors as well as digitized supervision systems that monitor essential indicators for optimum efficiency, including:
- Trends of compression force
- Motor current consumption
- Punch accuracy
- RPM
If any of these measurements deviate from the set ideal range, alerts can be activated so key les patrol can step in in good time. With predictive maintenance, the chances of unplanned downtime occurring reduces alongside maintenance costs, while productivity increases.
B2B clients are given the ability to automate equipment monitoring and implement industry 4.0 throughout their production line when these manufacturers provide integration with SCADA or MES systems.
Cost Reduction Due to Correct Maintenance
Effective maintenance can achieve a lot for a B2B operation, including:
- Setting Unscheduled Downtime: A robot that requires scheduled repairs can be out of action for hours or sometimes even days. That adds to production losses, postponed output, and even stressed production schedules.
- Reduced Batches of Rejected Products: With consistent tablet weight, hardness, and polish, less released batches of rejected tablets translates to harmonizing machines that are properly maintained.
- Increased Lifespan of Equipment: With the right attention, machines can remain functional and efficient for over a decade, and in some instances even up to 20 years when partnered with a good tablet press machine manufacturer.
- Audit Defense: Dirty parts or missing maintenance logbooks might be disastrous in an audit. However, equipment that is well-maintained ensures that compliance is met.
Conclusion
Maintenance is not solely a mechanical requirement, but an essential part of a production line’s preemptive planning. For B2B companies engaging in pharmaceutical or supplement manufacturing, instituting a proactive maintenance strategy can dramatically reduce costs associated with repairs, downtime, and issues with quality control.
With regular daily checks, operator training, and advanced digital monitoring systems, your tablet press machine can operate at peak performance – and with the support of a qualified tablet press machine manufacturer, you’ll always have access to essential parts and expert guidance.
If that hasn’t been done yet, it is now time to reassess the maintenance policy by detailing changes that will improve dependability as well as return on investment.
