August 5th, 2019 | Updated on February 10th, 2023
Top baler equipment maintenance experts vouch for regular maintenance of the equipment. To make sure it works properly every time you operate it, you need periodic servicing from a maintenance expert – at least twice, annually.
Any equipment wears out with extensive usage, and that is the nature of the way things are. The baler equipment has quite a few moving parts that require servicing, including the fingers, rollers, and the pinions.
To avoid interrupting service, you need to operate the equipment properly and make sure that a servicing logbook is maintained.
To avoid unplanned downtime due to logistical failures, it is essential to keep time aside and schedule these maintenance tests, trials, and operations.
The trick is to be pro-active and not reactive. Let us have a look at what the experts at Recycling Balers Inc have to say about baler maintenance.
1. Baler Maintenance Starts With You
If you are operating the equipment personally, then you need to learn the basics. In case the baler will be operated by an operator, employee training is essential to ensure proper handling and care.
You can find training programs at baler equipment suppliers or during the installation process.
2. The Importance Of The Manufacturer’s Checklist
The manufacturer’s checklist is an important guideline that operators should refer to.
It is compiled and provided by the OEM or the Original Equipment Manufacturer and lists all the tasks that require performing annually, quarterly, and monthly.
In case your operating hours exceed the hours specified, the tasks need completing sooner.
3. Don’t Skip The Visual Inspection
Visual inspection is essential every 1,000 operational hours. Visual inspection can find faults for the equipment that includes safety stickers falling off and leakage of hydraulic fluid.
Any physical damage to the frame, and the overall structure of the baler can also get detected.
4. About Shut Down Problems
Many recyclers suffer from intermittent shut down of the baler equipment. There are several reasons for a shutdown. However, it is essential to visually inspect the equipment if you are experiencing this particular problem.
Check the guards and all the safety switches to make sure they are in their correct positions. If the problem persists, you need to take a look at the following section.
5. When The Baler Is Overheating
If the baler is low on oil, then during the operation hours the equipment will get overheated and stop running. This auto-shutdown feature is there to prevent the baler from getting damaged irreversibly. So, make sure that the oils are full to avoid overheating.
6. General Housekeeping For The Baler Is Important
Housekeeping is important. And this means you need to clean the baler physically. Debris and dust particles need to be removed from both inside and outside of the baler. Not tending to the physical cleaning of the equipment is an amateurish mistake that you must avoid.
Special attention is required for areas like the sensor, oil cooler, and the rams since these parts can overheat and cause a fire hazard within the property.
The entire process of baling is quite messy, and these good practices can keep the health and environment hazard at bay.
7. The Oil Maintenance Program
As was stated in the earlier section, the oil is like the lifeblood for your recycling baler equipment. You need to maintain a strict oil maintenance program logbook and check a sample of the oil per 1,200 hours of operation.
You can even outsource a third-party oil analysis firm to get the sample checked or perform the check at home using any commercially available testing kit.
8. Analysis Of Oil Maintenance Results
While performing the analysis on the oil sample, you/operators should not the type and the levels of contamination in the sample. This will ensure prevention against a catastrophic failure of the equipment in the future.
If the contaminant is water, then the source can be narrowed down, and an expert repair service can get down to fixing the issue.
In case the contaminant is the metal fragments from all the recycling work performed through the equipment, then you have a different approach. Often bronze bushings from the hydraulic cylinder of the baler equipment are the culprit. So, it is essential to analyze the type and degree of contamination carefully.
9. Oil Change
If none of these are the problems, then you need to go for an oil change. When the baler’s oil gets too hot, it creates a varnish. Since varnish is low on density compared to oil, it is a poor lubricant and causes stress during the performance of the equipment.
This causes the baler to heat up and malfunction. So, the operator needs to look out for signs of overheating of the equipment, which might indicate the need for a change of the oil.
10. Clean The Air Filter
It is not just about the oil. The air filter also needs maintenance and service. Make sure to clean the air filters every week and change the filter every 950 operational hours. This will prevent the machine from heating up.
11. Inspect The Shear Blade
Another vital component that needs regular inspection is the shear blades. The shear blades and especially the clearance should always stay within limits specified by the manufacturer.
If the shear blade is beyond the tolerance limit, then shimming is required to return the blades within the specification.
Even the tiniest of margins can make all the difference between a machine running efficiently and drawing on more power.
For shimming the blade, you can rely on the manufacturer; instruction or the owner’s manual supplied with the equipment. Keep in mind that if the clearance is excessive, then that will cause damage to the knife bean and the frame of the baler.
12. About The Wearable Parts
There are a number of wearable pieces inside the baler that needs to periodical replacing. These parts include the liners and the auto tiers.
These parts need replacing every 1,500 operational hours. You cannot overlook the wire tiers as well, which last on an average 5,000-7,000 operational hours.
Keep in mind these “must-know” recycle baler maintenance tips to maximize the output from your equipment.
