¿Por qué debemos dar mantenimiento frecuentemente?
In the world of plastics, there are countless processes to transform raw materials into finished products for various applications. Companies acquire PVC equipment that allows them to meet their production targets and ensures a finished product that complies with market demands.
Bajo el entendimiento de que los PVC equipment debieran estar ocupados todo el tiempo, pues lo opuesto supone un costo para la empresa, estos se encuentran bajo constante desgaste y por lo mismo un paro de mantenimiento regularmente es algo que se debe planear con mucha antelación, a menos que se trate de una reparación urgente.
In some companies, preventive maintenance programs do not even exist, and only essential or routine repairs are carried out to keep the equipment running. What is often overlooked is that, without thorough maintenance, operational activity becomes more complicated over time, making it harder for the production manager to meet objectives. Since these repairs are not considered urgent and involve high costs, the common saying applies: “If it works, why fix it?”
What does PVC do to our equipment?
Entering into the case of PVC, deberíamos de saber que este es un material altamente corrosivo por el ácido clorhídrico (HCl) que emite y que en función de la fórmula utilizada puede existir un alto desgaste por fricción en el equipo. Por ejemplo existen diferentes tipos de cargas minerales empleadas para dar al PVC structure, ductility and cost reduction, where hardness and particle size play an important role in the wear of machinery.
In a formula of Rigid PVC for sanitary piping, normalmente el espacio existente entre el husillo y el cañón dentro de la extrusora se va haciendo más amplio con el paso del tiempo, lo que dificulta una buena fusión del material. Al no contar con los PVC equipment Under optimal conditions, the company must reinforce the formula with lubricants that improve melting, but this in turn increases formulation costs. It would certainly be of interest to the production manager to compare the cost of more frequent, major maintenance against the additional costs of formulation adjustments.
Of course, there are tricks to minimize the aforementioned problem. It's common to see customers reduce the extrusion speed to increase the residence time of the material in the equipment. Adding mesh to compensate for the compression required in the process is also common.
Otro caso muy común es que los equipos de inyección y/o extrusión no cuentan con amperímetros o pirómetros que sirvan de guía al operador para asegurarse de que se encuentra trabajando dentro de los parámetros ideales. Esto, además de complicarle la tarea al personal operativo por los paros de máquina frecuentes y los constantes ajustes de las condiciones de proceso, aumenta considerablemente la merma de producción.
To make matters worse, many companies acquire used equipment and continue these poor practices, which only complicate operations. Furthermore, the failure to perform thorough and proper maintenance raises the possibility of hidden defects that even the company is unaware of.
In summary, we recommend implementing a preventive maintenance program for your PVC equipment and identifying unplanned repairs to strengthen this area. This will help reduce hidden costs and improve the profitability of your operations.
At Chemical Additives, our technicians recommend conducting on-site trials with our clients to anticipate any such issues, communicate them effectively, and provide a product that is tailored to their needs and process.
We invite you to learn more about PVC by clicking here. AQUÍ.
Chemical Additives SA de CV.
