Maintenance Matters: 5 Tips for Keeping Your Machines Running Smoothly
It can sometimes feel like life in the agricultural industry never runs smoothly. If it’s not the weather you’re battling with, it’s your machinery. Broken-down machinery can take a toll on your productivity and profits while causing a great deal of unnecessary stress.
If you’re tired of spending more time troubleshooting problems than working on your farm, take some of these actions:
Purchase Quality Parts
We’re all attracted to good deals. After all, if we can pay less for something we need, it’s only natural to prefer that option. However, if there’s an area you don’t want to skimp on in your business, it’s parts. Purchase genuine, high-quality parts where possible for better longevity, reliability, and quality. For example, if you have Braud and Pellenc machines, your best bet is to always purchase genuine Braud and Pellenc parts.
Alongside improved performance, genuine parts are often integral to machinery warranties. Failure to install genuine parts can cause issues with warranties and insurance claims.
Perform Regular Inspections
We expect to be able to turn our machinery on and have it work at its best, but that only happens for so long. Eventually, machinery can fall into a state of disrepair. However, that’s less likely to occur if you perform regular inspections.
At least once a week, inspect your machinery to identify any potential issues, signs of wear, or loose parts. Identifying problems before they impact your work schedule can mean you enjoy maximum productivity and profit.
You might also see the value in creating maintenance guides for your employees to follow, covering the tasks that should be carried out weekly, monthly, quarterly, and yearly.
Educate Your Employees
The average agricultural business owner doesn’t work alone. Instead, they hire a team of workers to help them achieve seasonal tasks using their machinery.
When you hire an experienced farm employee, you might assume they know how to use and maintain your equipment. However, that’s not always the case. Some employees think repair and maintenance tasks fall on the employer.
It’s important to clarify who is responsible for what to avoid miscommunications. You’ll enjoy more seamless farm operations if your employees know they must perform maintenance inspections and alert you of any issues.
Keep Machines Clean
Farms aren’t typically known for being clean. Dirt, dust, debris, and mud are commonplace throughout all seasons. Most farm machines are designed to function in harsh conditions, but that doesn’t mean they will always operate at their best.
After a hard day of work, set time aside to clean your equipment. Regularly removing contaminants could prevent your machines from running inefficiently, overheating, or breaking down altogether.
Document All Machinery Maintenance
It’s easy to assume that you’ll remember the last time you changed the oil in your tractor or topped up the hydraulic fluid. In reality, dates and times can easily be forgotten when you’re busy with everyday operations.
Get into the habit of writing down all machine maintenance, servicing, and repairs. You might even set reminders on your phone so you know when future servicing and care should take place. The more organized you are with machinery maintenance, the easier it’ll be to keep your equipment in tip-top shape.
Machinery will never run smoothly 24/7. Parts wear out, and things can go wrong. Still, when you keep your machines clean, perform maintenance, and inspect them often, they stand a better chance of lasting the distance without succumbing to catastrophic and preventable failures.
