A Reliability Engineering Approach
1. Maintenance as a Cost Control Function
In shot blasting systems, maintenance is not a support activity; it is a primary cost control mechanism. Machines operating without structured preventive maintenance experience accelerated wear, unstable blasting quality, and unpredictable downtime.
2. Daily Maintenance – Early Failure Detection
- Check abrasive level and flow consistency
- Listen for abnormal turbine noise
- Monitor dust collector pressure drop
Daily checks are intended to detect deviation, not repair failures.
3. Weekly Maintenance – Wear Pattern Analysis
- Inspect wheel blades for uneven erosion
- Verify control cage orientation
- Check elevator belt tracking and tension
Uneven wear patterns indicate alignment or abrasive issues rather than component quality problems.
4. Monthly Maintenance – System Health Verification
- Measure liner thickness at critical zones
- Record motor current and vibration data
- Inspect abrasive contamination levels
5. Engineering Impact of Poor Maintenance
Failure to follow preventive maintenance increases:
- Abrasive consumption
- Wear part replacement frequency
- Energy consumption
- Cost per component
Lifecycle data shows operating cost increases of 40–50% in poorly maintained machines.