Unplanned downtime costs industrial manufacturers $50 billion each year.
This statistic from Industry Week and Emerson, is staggering. It’s also a compelling reason why an investment in preventative maintenance is key to reducing downtime and increasing profitability. Per Deloitte, using preventative maintenance vs reactive maintenance can result in:
- 53% less unplanned downtime
- 79% fewer defects
- 49% decrease in lost sales
- 51% reduction in inventory growth
Downtime in food and beverage packaging, such as glass bottle production, can wreak havoc on profitability. Idle equipment, disrupted workflows, and delayed shipments are the crises that lead to these numbers. Motors are the lifeblood of the glass bottle manufacturing process, so maintaining the conveyors, compressors, and assembly equipment is essential to keep lines moving.
Piedmont Electric Motor, an MCE Automation company, offers glass bottle production companies unmatched motor repair and maintenance expertise to keep your operations running seamlessly. Here’s how we could get to work for your business to extend the life of your equipment and avoid downtime.
Common Causes of Motor Failures in Glass Bottle Production
Your production facility must strike a delicate balance every day to produce a uniform product. However, many factors can cause workflows and production processes to get off track, such as:
Excessive Heat and Current Draw
High temperatures inherent to glass production put motors under immense thermal stress. Overheating degrades insulation, accelerates bearing wear, and can lead to catastrophic failures like shorted motor windings. Mismanaged motor loads exacerbate these risks, especially for custom glass bottle manufacturers. For instance, motors near molten glass furnaces often face a double challenge: operating in extreme heat while being overburdened by excessive demands, leading to critical overheating and potential failure.
Improper Lubrication Practices
Motor bearings rely on precise lubrication for smooth operation. Errors like over-greasing cause overheating, while under-greasing leads to metal-on-metal wear. The use of incompatible grease types further compounds the failure risk.
Example: One glass plant’s failure to follow a lubrication schedule resulted in bearing seizures that halted production for 36 hours. How much would that cost your operation?
Environmental Factors
Contaminants such as dust, silica, and caustic chemicals are always present in glass manufacturing. These infiltrate motor components, damaging bearings, and accelerating corrosion. In areas like bottle-washing stations, humidity, and moisture degrade insulation and cause rust. Each of these factors negatively impacts motor longevity.
Neglected Maintenance and Inspections
Ignoring early warning signs like excessive vibration, unusual noise, and overheating leads to critical failures. Missed inspections allow wear to go unnoticed until it’s too late.
Voltage Instability
Power surges and fluctuations damage motor parts such as bearings and windings, reduce insulation integrity and shorten motor lifespans. One glass molding facility suffered extended downtime when a voltage spike fried a key motor during power restoration.
Industry best practices require proactive measures to keep operations running smoothly. From a regular maintenance schedule to proper lubrication, these companies can extend the life of their heavy motors while reducing the risk of failure.
Establish a Comprehensive Preventative Maintenance Program
Preventative maintenance is becoming the norm, with 65% of manufacturing professionals saying it’s the most effective way to avoid unplanned facility downtime, per a Facilities Dive report. The report also indicated that, while nearly 70% have a preventative maintenance strategy, most dedicate less than half of total maintenance time to conducting these checks.
Adopting a proactive and comprehensive approach to motor maintenance is critical to prevent downtime in the food and beverage manufacturing industry. Regular inspections of critical components are key to identifying wear and tear before escalating into failure.
Use advanced diagnostic tools. Voltmeters and meggers can provide valuable insights into the health of your motor. Applying these tools consistently and properly allows early detection of issues such as insulation degradation. For instance, a simple grounding check with a megger can uncover vulnerabilities that, if left unchecked, could lead to unexpected shutdowns.
Regular lubrication. Irregular and improper lubrication is one of the leading causes of motor failures. The solution is to apply a tailored greasing schedule that accounts for operating conditions such as temperature and load. This approach can significantly extend the lifespan of bearings and reduce wear. There is also the human element; training maintenance staff to apply the right type and amount of grease ensures consistent results and avoids common pitfalls like over-greasing, which causes friction and overheating.
Clean production facility. Environmental factors also seriously threaten motor performance, especially in harsh production settings. Dust, contaminants, and high temperatures can infiltrate or damage motor components. Sealed enclosures offer protection against debris while cooling systems or ducts help regulate temperatures in areas exposed to extreme heat.
Technology upgrades. Real-time sensors tracking temperature and vibration provide constant insights into motor performance. Predictive maintenance tools further enhance this by identifying patterns that signal potential failures. All glass bottle manufacturers can benefit from technology upgrades that enable immediate early intervention when glitches arise.
Readily available inventory. Another way to reduce downtime is to maintain a strategic inventory of spare parts. Stocking critical components for essential motors ensures quick replacements when needed. For more specialized needs, partnering with a trusted supplier like Piedmont guarantees access to high-quality parts and rapid repairs, minimizing the impact of any unforeseen issues.
Training. Finally, ongoing training for maintenance teams should be the backbone of your preventative approach. Teams should be well-versed in recognizing early warning signs like unusual noises or excessive vibration and have the knowledge to address these issues promptly.
Partnering with experts like Piedmont Electric Motor for tailored training programs further enhances a facility’s ability to keep motors running smoothly.
Customized Solutions for the Food and Beverage Manufacturing Industry
When downtime threatens production, access to a trusted partner like Piedmont can make all the difference. We combine advanced repair techniques, customized solutions, and unmatched responsiveness. Piedmont goes beyond simple fixes to deliver long-term reliability and performance. From improving motor efficiency with cutting-edge upgrades to offering rapid support during emergencies, Piedmont Electric Motor is dedicated to keeping your operations running smoothly and cost-effectively.
Expert Repairs That Exceed Industry Standards
Piedmont uses advanced tools like core loss testers and precision balancing machines to optimize motor performance. Upgrades like Class H insulation allow motors to withstand higher temperatures and deliver better-than-new efficiency and durability.
With access to multiple motor lines and a Baldor warehouse just minutes away, Piedmont ensures quick replacements and emergency repairs. Fast turnaround minimizes downtime, saving our customers from prolonged and costly interruptions.
Customized Solutions for Your Challenges
From cooling systems for high-heat areas to corrosion-resistant motor housings, Piedmont engineers tailor solutions to specific operational needs. Our consultative approach helps clients optimize motor performance and durability for companies in the food and beverage manufacturing industry.
Clients benefit from detailed before-and-after documentation, diagnostic reports, and expert guidance, ensuring trust and actionable insights into motor health.
Real-World Impact: Piedmont Case Study
The Challenge
Two 100 HP motors failed repeatedly on a brewery’s beer bottle production line, overheating every six months due to extreme furnace temperatures.
Piedmont’s Three-Step Tailored Solution
- Conducted an on-site assessment with thermal imaging to identify overheating issues.
- Installed a custom duct system to channel fresh air to the motors, reducing temperatures by 20°C.
- Developed a high-heat-specific greasing schedule and trained the brewery’s maintenance team.
The Results
With our proactive maintenance plan in place, our customer experienced:
- Motor lifespan extended to four years without failure.
- Downtime eliminated, saving the brewery $250,000 annually.
- Improved reliability and reduced emergency repair costs.
What the Customer Said
“Piedmont Electric Motor transformed our operations. Their cooling solution and maintenance training not only saved us from recurring failures but also enhanced our efficiency. They’re an indispensable partner.”
Benefits of Partnering with Piedmont Electric Motor
Partnering with Piedmont means you’ll significantly reduce plant downtime. Our proven expertise in diagnosing and addressing motor issues before they escalate ensures production schedules stay on track. From preventative maintenance to rapid-response repairs, Piedmont helps our customers eliminate unexpected interruptions derailing productivity.
In addition to minimizing downtime, Piedmont delivers considerable cost savings by emphasizing preventative maintenance. By addressing potential problems early, we reduce your need for expensive emergency replacements and repairs. We take a forward-thinking approach that lowers immediate repair costs while contributing to better long-term financial planning by preventing sudden, high-cost disruptions.
Finally, Piedmont’s expert repair services enhance the longevity of your equipment. Our advanced techniques and high-quality upgrades result in repairs that often exceed factory standards, ensuring your motors perform reliably for years to come. This commitment to sustained performance allows businesses to maximize the return on their investment and maintain operational efficiency over the long term.
Take the Next Step to Reduce Downtime
Don’t let motor failures derail your glass bottle production.
Contact Piedmont Electric Motor today to learn how our preventative maintenance and repair services can keep your operations running smoothly and cost-effectively.