Hey Buddy, Can You Spare A Fuse
Posted on Friday, August 1, 2014
Some operators have to beg to get spare parts to keep
their equipment working. The cost of purchasing
spare parts can be significant, prompting most
companies to put them in secure areas with limited access.
Given the fact that these parts have little
value outside the industry, this approach
can be very short sighted. For instance, your
local pawn shop has no value or market for
fan spray nozzles, so spare parts theft is not a problem.
A well-run operation must have spare parts readily
available to shop personnel to quickly fix and maintain the
powder coating system. Here are five things you can do to
better manage your spare parts.
- Purchase the right parts. Obtain a list of
recommended spare parts from the supplier of your
equipment. Eliminate any parts that are not used
regularly to maintain your system that you can
order, as needed (i.e., booth filters which have ≥1
year operational life).
- Organize the parts using marked bins. Use part
numbers and descriptions on labeled bins to keep
parts organized.
- Implement an inventory system. Use min/
max quantities to maintain control of the parts
inventory. Order more parts when the minimum
value is reached using the quantities necessary to
meet the maximum inventory level.
- Make spares accessible. Place the spare parts in an
area where all operators can take what they need
without having to find a key or supervisor.
- Encourage the use of spare parts. Train operators
to recognize when parts need to be changed to
guarantee reliable operation of your system.
Nick Liberto, P.E., is president of Powder Coating Consultants, division of Ninan Inc., an independent technical consulting firm in Bridgeport, Conn. He can be reached at pcc@powdercoat.com