Hi Steve,
It is good to hear that it was just bearings. As for the other subject, often
the problem is the fact that the people who make the call when equipment is
pulled for service may have only seen it when it was setup and running for the
first time. Then there is always the sales bull about that "problem" never
happens!. Like to have a dollar for every time I heard that. They tend to
forget that equipment does wear out. I'm fortunate that my boss used to work
on equipment, so he knows what headaches can occur. I have been maintaining
equipment for 18 years, Man, do I suddenly feel old, nothing makes me crazier
than being told that a problem can not happen or being asked "can you fix it
while it is running". Ever notice that these statements usually come from
someone who cannot even startup the machine?
"Stephen R. Gregory" <[log in to unmask]> wrote:
Hey Ya'll,
My wave solder is getting fixed (...and the crowd goes wild!). Soltec flew in
a gentleman named Jorge (not george, it's hor-hay) and he's taking care of me
now. Turns out that the problem had to do with the sprocket bearings down at
the entrance end of the machine, they had gotten flux in there over the months
(they're pretty close to the foam stone)...and as you know, flux ain't too hot
a lubricant.
Gonna change the drive sprockets too....they got "pointy teeth" from the added
drag of the flux lubricated bearings at the other end of the machine. I'm
gonna get me some plastic inserts to cover the openings where the bearings are
because I can see how easy it is to get flux in there when your flux density
is on the thick side...you know, when it's like shaving cream that has the big
air pockets that "bloop" up and send drops of flux flying all over the place.
I'm gonna air a little dirty laundry of my own here, in the hope that someone
else reads this in the future, and will prevent getting themselves in the same
predicament that I did. I've kinda' prided myself in being creative and
resourceful, someone who can take what's given him and make do with it. This
time it blew up in my face. Let me say this first;
"YOU'VE PAID A LOT OF MONEY FOR YOUR EQUIPMENT, YOU'VE GOT TO TAKE CARE OF IT
ON A REGULAR BASIS!"
"Hell Steve, that ain't rocket science, we all know that..." some of you maybe
musing now. But you'd be suprised how many places buy a few machines, hire
some operators, and then run them for 24/7. When a machine breaks down
everybody is scratching their heads like what the heck happened? Duhhh!! GET A
CLUE!
What cracks me up is that a person will go and spend $80,000 for a Lexus or
similar car, and baby that thing like you wouldn't believe. Oil is changed
like clockwork every 2,000 miles, nothing but hand car washes, don't even
think about lighting a cigarette up in it, and a cover for it in the trunk so
it can be covered if they're ever caught outside without shelter for the
vehicle. What's really ironic is that the same people will go out and spend
$100,000, $200,000, or $500,000 or more for a piece of production equipment,
but when you try to take the same sort of care and make recommendations of how
the machines should be cared for, it's either; "There isn't enough time", or
it's "Too expensive"...and here we are... So, what's it costing now?
I think I did this to myself. Tried to do anything and everything with a piece
of bubble gum and some baling wire because I've always known that in start-ups
you had to be frugal. No problem with that, I can make do on a shoestring for
a little while, but I can't do it forever...something has to give, and
unfortunately our poor ol' wave solder bearings did...something that I
overlooked trying to do the 10,000 other things that I try to do every day.
I know I'm hangin' it out here with this email...but I don't know any other
way to be other than up front. I think there's a really good lesson here for
people looking at what I'm going through...if anybody wants to take it. I know
that there's a lot of you that have been/are in in this same sort of
situation...this is nothing new, and the results from this kind of situation
are nothing new either. Ya' gots ta' take care of your machines dammit!
-Steve Gregory-
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