In a manufacturing plant, the most often overlooked equipment that plays a vital role is the conveyors. Whether it is for transporting raw parts or finished products, conveyors are found at each production and assembly stage. They can be used either for a specialized processes or bulk handling. They can be just an auxiliary system or perform a crucial function such as those that feed upstream processes. Given these various significant uses of conveyors in manufacturing products, it’s therefore essential to maintain them properly and have conveyor parts stock on hand in case of any unexpected breakdown.
To help you understand more about the importance of having spare parts readily available in your facility, here are some points to ponder on:
- Impact of conveyor failure in your production line
- The length of time of equipment breakdown that your business can handle
- The possibility of continuing operation even without using the conveyor
While most conveyor parts may be in stock from a supplier, it will cost you both time and money. It’s not always possible to have a replacement part delivered to you the next day. If your production will not be affected of a conveyor breakdown a day or two, it might not be a problem. But don’t forget about the overnight shipment fees. And also, it would help to bear in mind that not all conveyor parts are readily stocked at the manufacturer. For instance, conveyor belts are usually made-to-order with the exact requirements of the conveyor system in which they are used.
In addition, there are some specialty conveyors with different parts which are not typical of a standard conveyor. These conveyor parts are custom engineered and include vacuum pumps, ball screws, light panels, and linear modules. The availability of such parts varies. Some may have lead time of one week or as much as 12 weeks, depending on how complex is it to replace the part. So it is very important to be clear about this with the supplier the first time around to avoid or reduce downtime.