Equipment failure: the causes and solutions
No matter which sector you work in, equipment failure can have a catastrophic impact on your operation. It can stop your production line, cut into your profits, and even risk the health and safety of your employees. It is always best to prevent equipment failure when possible and put measures in place that minimise its consequences if it does happen.
Equipment failures may happen for a number of reasons. We will explore these reasons and solutions to these issues to help you to keep your production line rolling.
The causes
We first need to examine the main causes of equipment failures. Understanding why your equipment could fail will help you identify what you need to do to prevent failures with your own equipment.
Wear & tear
Industrial equipment is often designed to last for decades, but like everything, they are still subject to wear and tear. This is the most common cause of equipment failure. By following maintenance guidelines given to you by your equipment manufacturer, you can slow down wear and tear.
On the other hand, failing to follow best practices will speed up the degradation caused by friction, metal corrosion, and constant heating and cooling. Always follow the operating instructions and clean and service the equipment regularly.
If you would like to know more about the wear and tear of heat exchangers, refer to our heat exchanger maintenance guide.
Incorrect operation
Also known as operator error, a range of factors can lead to equipment being used incorrectly. For example, a distracting workplace environment can cause operators to make more errors. Lack of training is another major factor; it can lead to poor decision-making and deviation from protocol. Your operators are human, and humans make mistakes.
“Not all operator errors are accidents. A classic example in the world of heat exchangers is the overuse of equipment. Specifically, continuously pushing the heat exchanger past its design parameters. A well-designed heat exchanger may be able to manage the extra workload over a short period, but this could negatively affect the performance of the equipment in the long term,” said Alan Taylor, Head of Aftermarket at Sterling TT.
This topic is covered in our walkthrough of heat exchanger leaks.
Corrosion
Corrosion of any variety is a threat to most equipment types and is unavoidable due to the use of metal in the equipment manufacture.
Corrosion is surface chemical action that occurs, especially on metals, by the action of moisture, air, or chemicals. When metals are exposed to atmospheric conditions, they react with air or water in the environment to form undesirable compounds such as rust or ferric oxide.
Equipment located in harsh environments such as high humidity or seawater are particularly prone to corrosion.
Equipment that handles corrosive materials, such as heat exchangers in a chemical plant, are also at a high risk of corrosion.
Careful consideration should be given to the selection of corrosion-resistant materials at the design stage of this type of equipment. For more about this, read our blog on materials used in industrial heat exchangers.
The solutions
Now you know the causes of equipment failure, how can you keep your equipment working at full capacity for longer?
Adopt a reliability culture
Be proactive rather than reactive!
Reliability culture refers to a mentality shift from focus on “fix it” to “prevent it”. For this to be as effective as possible, everyone within your company must be involved and proactive.
Under this mindset, employees would ensure the equipment of your organisation operates within normal conditions and report any faults/leaks/alarms etc. Communicate your expectations clearly to your employees and engage them in training sessions to drive a culture of reliability & reporting.
Clean it regularly
It should go without saying that regular cleaning of your equipment will be good for it in the long term.
For heat exchangers specifically, the use of steam cleaning or a high-pressure water jet should be used depending on the model. In some cases, chemical cleaning may be required, but this will be dependent on the type of fouling, construction materials and processes involved.
If you’re unsure where to start when it comes to properly servicing, cleaning, and maintaining your heat exchanger, read our heat exchanger service guide.
Book regular services
The first step to diagnosing any issues with your equipment is booking a service; it is no different for heat exchangers. Regular services allow you to proactively identify and solve any issues that may arise with your heat exchanger.
Read our aftermarket & service support information to find out more about what servicing looks like with Sterling TT.
Don’t guess, bring in experts
To properly maintain your heat exchanger, you need to be proactive. You should be monitoring the performance of your heat exchanger and developing solutions for any issues that may arise. Effective maintenance can extend the life of your heat exchanger.
If you need assistance with servicing your heat exchanger, read our service support guide, or get in touch with a member of our expert team today.