Waiting until tablet presses or other pieces of pharmaceutical equipment break down can be a costly mistake. Instead of waiting for malfunctions or unexpected incidents that may halt or decrease production, manufacturing facility managers should implement consistent preventative maintenance procedures.
Daily inspections and regular tune-ups can maintain tablet presses in like-new condition and reduce irregular contact wear, noises, and process malfunctions. Regular preventative maintenance also ensures that tablets are produced according to exact physical and chemical parameters.
Good preventative maintenance processes should be in place before the equipment starts to develop any signs of wear or malfunctions. Even informal daily inspections can help catch problems early, and avoid costly repairs or faulty production runs that don’t meet product standards.
Two important principles for preventative maintenance best practices include:
When tablet presses start to malfunction, they give several early indications of worsening conditions that vigilant facility employees can catch. These include both visual cues and audible cues.
Look for:
Listen for:
Irregular noises along any part of the tablet press machine indicate that the parts are misaligned, malfunctioning, or overworking. Catching these problems early can facilitate easy repair instead of more costly parts replacements.
Guidelines
Every part should be regularly inspected according to set guidelines for standardized maintenance. Every pharmaceutical facility can follow these guidelines to ensure optimal equipment functionality: