The three key aspects of daily inspections as part of the basic work in equipment management

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In a manufacturing enterprise, proper equipment management is essential for maintaining stable production order. Production in any organization relies on equipment, and the performance of this equipment directly affects the production process within the enterprise. Therefore, it is necessary to carry out the basic tasks related to equipment management first, including regular inspections, so as to keep track of the equipment’s operating conditions and ensure its efficient and stable operation, thereby achieving lean production. Regular inspection of equipment is a fundamental task in equipment management. It represents a scientific approach to equipment management, one that involves using human senses or simple measuring instruments to inspect equipment at designated locations and at regular intervals, in accordance with established standards. This process helps to identify any abnormalities in the equipment, detect potential problems, and gather information about early signs of failures, so that appropriate actions can be taken promptly to prevent failures from developing further. Its purpose is to prevent problems before they occur; by conducting preventive inspections on the equipment, it is possible to identify the causes of accidents and devise measures to eliminate faults, thereby maintaining a high level of stability in the equipment’s performance, extending the service life of its components, and improving the efficiency of the equipment. At the same time, it provides favorable conditions for preparing for repairs and maintenance as well as for planning repair tasks. 3 The basic contents of equipment inspection can be summarized as: “twelve-word steps, six requirements”. “The “twelve-word framework” refers to setting specific locations, standards, schedules, topics, responsible persons, and methods ； Inspect, record, process, analyze, improve, evaluate. “The “six requirements” involve conducting inspections at designated locations, applying standardized approaches, performing regular analyses, designing solutions specifically for each case, assigning responsible persons for improvements, and conducting systematic summaries. It generally explains the entire process and methods of equipment inspection, from identifying problems, analyzing them, solving them, to summarizing them. The routine inspection of equipment should be managed on a company-wide basis; in particular, production workers should participate in any inspection and maintenance tasks within their capabilities. The personnel responsible for maintaining the equipment at each station are required to conduct regular inspections of the equipment and to obtain detailed information from the operators regarding its operation. Equipment managers in the workshop carry out periodic inspections of all the equipment in the plant. Specific requirements for operators at the work post regarding inspections: 1. Be familiar with the inspection standards, and carry out inspections according to the inspection form, recording the results in the form ； 2. Be familiar with the oil supply standards, carry out lubrication in accordance with the division of responsibilities specified by those standards, and record it in the card ； 3. Be familiar with the structure, principles, and operational procedures of the equipment, so as to use it correctly and properly; possess a sense of responsibility as the owner and the qualities necessary for independent management ； 4. Possess basic operational skills for actually maintaining and servicing equipment, including tightening bolts correctly, applying oil and lubricants properly, making simple adjustments and replacements, and troubleshooting faults. Daily routine inspections for maintenance are carried out by the head of the maintenance team or area maintenance workers, who use the maintenance inspection checklist, as well as their senses and simple tools and instruments, to conduct thorough static or dynamic inspections of the critical parts of the equipment and address any issues that arise from routine operational checks. Necessary repairs and adjustments are made, and where production permits, the equipment may be disassembled completely or partially so that its components can be carefully measured and inspected in order to determine the extent of wear and degradation. 4. Maintenance workers must be familiar with the structural principles, functions, and uses of the equipment, as well as the maintenance characteristics of the main equipment components and parts, along with the technical standards regarding dimensions, installation clearances, allowable values, inspection methods, and frequency. The implementation of inspections follows the principle of \"six fixings and three timeliness.\" The six fixings refer to specifying the location, the tasks, the methods, the frequency, the responsible persons, and the standards. The three timeliness aspects refer to timely inspection, timely handling, and timely recording. Specify the areas of the equipment that are to be inspected ； Identify the items to be inspected, such as sound, temperature, vibration, lubrication, wear, cracks, etc ； The established method defines the ways of inspection, namely visual inspection, auditory inspection, tactile inspection, and olfactory inspection ； Regularly determine the cycle for equipment inspections ； Designate a specific person responsible for the equipment inspection ； Scaling is the basis for measuring or determining whether the inspection area is normal. Routine inspections involve checking and monitoring key aspects of equipment such as temperature, pressure, leaks, lubrication, abnormal noises, vibrations, cracks, wear, and looseness. Stay vigilant through regular inspections: the equipment’s clean appearance, structural integrity, performance and accuracy, as well as its degree of automation. The tasks involved in the regular inspection of equipment by maintenance workers include: regular inspections of the equipment without disassembly, disassembly inspections of the equipment, assessment of degradation trends, testing of the equipment’s tools and instruments, precision checks and adjustments, inspection, analysis, and replacement of lubricants, replacement of components, and repair of damaged parts. The issues identified during equipment inspections have been addressed. The procedures followed by the operators when problems are detected during inspections are as follows: 1. Determine whether the problem can be resolved by oneself; if so, resolve it immediately ； 2. If it cannot be resolved, report to the section leader to arrange for maintenance personnel to fix it ； 3. If the problem severely affects the equipment and it is operating continuously, contact immediately to shut down the equipment for emergency repair ； 4. Record the results of problem resolution in a timely manner, and enter them in the notes section of the inspection record. Methods for maintenance personnel to handle issues identified during inspections: 1. Determine whether the issue requires immediate attention ； 2. In case of an emergency that endangers continuous operation and leads to failures or accidents, immediate contact should be made with the person in charge to arrange for maintenance personnel to carry out repairs promptly ； 3. For those that can continue to operate, records should be kept, and any signs of degradation should be monitored promptly. It is also included in the maintenance plan to be addressed during downtime. Through daily inspections by operators, professional inspections by maintenance staff, precise inspections and accuracy tests by technical experts, technical diagnosis of the equipment and its repair help to reduce equipment failures, lower maintenance costs, extend the equipment’s service life and maintenance intervals. This ensures the stable operation of the equipment and maintains smooth production processes.