The 10 Commandments of Asset Management

When it comes to production nothing is more important than the equipment itself.

1. Eliminate the ‘Fix It’ Mentality

Take a proactive approach to your equipment’s maintenance. Instead of waiting for a problem to occur have a plan in place and stop problems before they start.

2. Get to the Root of the Problem

Monitor equipment failures to find the main cause. Use this knowledge to find the right solution for your production needs.

3. Eliminate Overproduction

If you constantly have to overproduce due to a lack of product quality it may be time to invest in a process that can eradicate this problem. Utilizing a cost effective deflashing and deburring tool can increase product quality tremendously.

4. Recognize Improvement is a Continuous Process

Finding the right maintenance strategy for your equipment won’t happen overnight. Be sure to take time evaluating the best solution for your facility.

5. Make Asset Management a Team Sport

There’s no ‘I’ in team! Make sure everyone is made aware of maintenance schedules and equipment protocol.

6. Eliminate Maintenance Tools that Can Harm Your Asset

Using an abrasive cleaning tool can cause wear and tear to your production equipment. Utilizing a non-abrasive cleaning method will help maintain equipment and keep it up and running.

7. Consider the ‘Long Term’

Focus on the long term ROI when considering the best maintenance solutions for your needs.

8. Focus on Safety

Dry ice blasting allows equipment to be cleaned in place at operating temperature. Having to lift and move heavy production equipment puts both equipment and personnel at risk. By cleaning parts online the risk of injury is greatly reduced.

9. Make a Plan

Schedule daily asset care in advance and stick to it. Make time for inspections, cleaning, lubrications, and simple repairs.

10. Regulate Training

Make sure everyone using the equipment has proper training for operating machinery.

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Is Dry Ice Blasting Your Answer to the 7 Questions of RCM?

Reliability Centered Maintenance (RCM) is a maintenance strategy designed to optimize the maintenance program of a company. The goal of RCM is to achieve maximum equipment reliability and availability while reducing or eliminating failures. This is done by assessing equipment functionality and identifying possible failure as well as the consequences. When examining a system there are 7 questions that must be asked of each asset to determine if it can contribute to the necessary outputs of the facility. The questions are as follows:

1. What are the functions and desired performance of each asset?
2. How can each asset fail to fulfill its functions?
3. What are the failure modes of failure?
4. What causes each failure mode?
5. What are the consequences of each failure?
6. What can or should be done to predict and prevent failure?
7. What should be done if a suitable task cannot be found?

Dry ice blasting provides an excellent maintenance tool for finding these answers; specifically because it allows for a thorough assessment of the condition of an asset. Dry ice cleaning is an effective tool for removing particulate from the surface of equipment, which allows for a more accurate review of the functionality of the part. By utilizing dry ice blasting, users can identify modes of failure that can effect operations.

Cleaning with dry ice can effectively remove a particulate without damage equipment in the process. This makes dry ice blasting better than abrasive methods, like hand scraping. It is also much faster and more effective than manual methods, which contributes to its success as a tool for RCM.

The part pictured above was cleaned using a dry ice blasting machine. Because dry ice provided a successful cleaning, the part was able to be properly inspected, and thus allowed users to identify any failure modes associated with it.

Cutting Costs or Cutting Corners: The Importance of Maintenance in Production

A successful maintenance program is the cornerstone of effective lean manufacturing. Waste reduction and continued production, important parts in any maintenance plan, are key components in a successful lean manufacturing program. So why is maintenance becoming a smaller part of yearly budgets?

When it comes to cutting costs managers look to reducing expenses in anything that is not related to production and output. Because of this it does not make sense to cut maintenance. The true purpose of maintenance is to keep equipment running at peak efficiency at all times. Getting rid of maintenance expenses can lead to increases in downtime, which can wreck havoc on profitability.

Because downtime plays such a significant role in production, it is important to invest in a maintenance solution that can reduce it. Dry ice blasting not only reduces downtime, but can even eliminate it all together. Used from plastics, to medical devices, to food, and foundries, dry ice blasting allows operators to clean equipment while it is still in place at operating temperature. When cleaning with dry ice it is often possible to clean equipment during operation as well.

The secret to success in utilizing dry ice blasting instead of traditional cleaning solutions is that dry ice cleaning is a completely dry process. The dry ice pellets used for cleaning go directly from a solid to a gaseous state, making dry ice blasting a process that is void of secondary waste. This allows operators to clean a wider variety of equipment parts, including electrical components, when blasting.

One of the hidden costs of maintenance is the damage common cleaning tools can cause to both equipment and personnel. Traditional cleaning methods are often abrasive in nature, which can harm equipment. Many commonly used tools require the operator to take apart the machine while cleaning. Manually moving such heavy equipment (that can be several hundred degrees in temperature) can lead to dropping or mishandling of parts. This can damage machinery and put personnel at risk.

On the other hand, dry ice blasting is a non-abrasive cleaning method. Because the dry ice pellets turn directly into a gas upon contact with the surface there is no damage done to equipment. Additionally, because equipment can be cleaned in place operators do not need to risk damage to equipment or harm to personnel.

When profitability through production is the method for success it’s important to maintain an efficient maintenance strategy. By investing in the proper maintenance tooling, like dry ice blasting equipment, operators can enhance productivity while keeping equipment in production.

Safety in Preventative Maintenance

There is a direct correlation between maintenance practices and injury. Pressure to keep up with demanding production goals can lead to a decline in the use of safety practices; especially when it comes to maintenance processes. Because of this it is important to utilize maintenance practices that are both effective and in line with production goals.

Dry ice blasting allows operators to clean equipment while it is still online. Not only is this beneficial for production, but from a safety standpoint as well. When taking apart machinery for cleaning operators are in close contact with heavy parts; often still at operating temperature. By cleaning parts in place safety concerns cause by dismantling can be avoided.

Cleaning with dry ice also provides a safe method for equipment. When parts are moved for cleaning with traditional methods there is higher chance equipment will be damaged. By cleaning in place, operators are eliminating the risk of equipment being dropped when being disassembled.

Because cleaning can be done while parts are in place, utilizing a dry ice blaster eliminates time constraints that are common with traditional cleaning methods. This allows cleaning to be done more regularly, which leads to more accurate part inspections; which helps keep production running smoothly.

Dry Ice Blasting Supports Quality Standards in Food Processing

We’ve all seen it: Fast food giants are losing customers to companies that supply more ‘natural’ menu choices. More and more people are placing emphasis on what goes into their food and the operations of food processing facilities. With information more readily available than ever before, plants are faced with further pressure to maintain high quality standards.

It’s important for food processing facilities to maintain strict guidelines for maintaining equipment. One of the challenges these facilities face is cleaning in a reasonable amount of time while still being thorough. Chemicals can be used as a cleaning agent, but with consumers preferring less chemical involvement, food processing plants are moving away from such methods.

Utilizing dry ice blasting as a replacement for chemicals in food processing facilities allows plants to keep up with cleaning standards while making use of an eco-friendly cleaning solution. Cleaning with dry ice allows end users the ability to remove contaminants while utilizing an environmentally responsible cleaning media.

Food grade dry ice pellets, which are EPA, FDA, and USDA approved, provide a dry solution that allows cleaning to be done without water. This is because the pellets go from a solid to a gas phase without turning into liquid (a process called sublimation). Because of this facilities can greatly reduce their water waste by utilizing dry ice cleaning. Additionally dry ice pellets are made from recycled CO₂. Essentially they are giving Carbon Dioxide a ‘second life’ before it is released into the atmosphere.

See dry ice blasting in food processing

The Cost of Maintenance

While there are many factors that go into your yearly expense planning, the cost of maintaining the machinery should play a significant role in your budgeting.  In reality equipment repairs can cost up to 100 times more than preventative maintenance; especially if you factor in the cost of downtime your equipment will need before it can be up and running again.

One of the hidden expenses of maintenance is the cost to replace or repair damage due to an aggressive and/or ineffective cleaning tool or process. Hand scrapers, for example, are a counterproductive tool. They supply a limited success in removing a contaminant, which also causes damage to machine parts that leads to more frequent equipment replacements.

Dry ice blasting is the ideal preventive maintenance solution. As a non-abrasive cleaning method, dry ice blasting allows operators to clean equipment without damage. When used on new equipment, parts continue to look as good as new long after they join production. Cleaning with dry ice is faster than other methods. This allows equipment to be cleaned more frequently, while still reducing downtime. By cleaning equipment regularly operators can more easily spot abnormalities in machine parts.

The part pictured below would have been thrown out if it had not been treated with dry ice blasting. By utilizing cryogenic blasting operators could see it is still in working order, and saved time and money on a replacement part.

Dry Ice Blasting Supports Total Productive Maintenance

Total Productive Maintenance (TPM) requires complete participation from the workforce. It focuses on improving the overall effectiveness of the entire facility and seeks to incorporate maintenance in the everyday operations of the plant. To ensure the success of the program, equipment downtime, productivity, and part quality need to be eliminated, or reduces as much as possible. Dry ice blasting is a prime maintenance solution for TPM.

TPM calls for a focus on the maintenance system. This system should do the following:

1. Ensure all equipment is designed to be as maintenance free as possible
2. Promote improvements in maintenance operations when possible
3. Replace reactive maintenance strategies with a method that promotes a ‘preventive’ approach

Ensure all equipment is designed to be as maintenance free as possible

When machinery requires constant cleaning, utilizing dry ice blasting over other methods can reduce maintenance downtime. Cleaning tools that require production to stop, like media blasting and hand scraping, can be eliminated. Dry ice cleaning provides a successful replacement for such methods because it allows equipment to be cleaned while it is still at operating temperature and still in place.

Cleaning with dry ice provides a solution that is faster and more effective that other methods, and thus can be utilized on a more regular basis. Because of this maintenance downtime due to clogging or equipment failure can be reduce, and even eliminated.

Promote improvements in maintenance operations when possible

Utilizing dry ice blasting in your maintenance operations is the best way to maintain the quality and performance of your equipment. Aside from eliminating the need to stop production for cleaning, dry ice blasting is more beneficial than abrasive cleaning tools. Dry ice blasting is a non-abrasive cleaning method, which means it won’t damage equipment like other methods.

Utilizing dry ice blasting equipment supports environmentally responsible maintenance initiatives. This is because dry ice cleaning is a non-toxic solution that allows users to clean without water or chemicals. Dry ice blasting uses dry ice pellets that are made from recycled CO₂; which is a natural part of the atmosphere.  While making dry ice cannot permanently keep the CO₂ from returning to the atmosphere, it gives the Carbon Dioxide a ‘second life’ before it is released.

Replace reactive maintenance strategies with a method that promotes a ‘preventive’ approach

As mentioned, dry ice blasting can be done more often, thus eliminating maintenance downtime due to equipment failure. It also provides an effective way to clean equipment without damaging it because it is non-abrasive.

Utilizing dry ice blasting on a regular basis can help improve a facility’s efficiencies as well as increase product quality. This makes dry ice blasting the ideal tool for Total Productive Maintenance.

Increase Production, Save Time, Save the World

The ripple effect is defined as a situation in which a single change is followed by outward, incrementally increasing changes. The implementation of dry ice blasting is an example of how one improvement can host the beginning of continued progress.

Increase Production

One of the biggest benefits of utilizing dry ice cleaning as a maintenance tool is that it maximizes production. This can be accomplished because the implementation of dry ice blasters allows equipment to be cleaned more frequently.  Now, you might be thinking, doesn’t cleaning frequently lead to more downtime and less production? If you’re using older cleaning methods, yes, frequent cleaning can lead to extended downtime, which can affect production.

Methods like hand scrapers and media blasting such as sand, soda, glass etc, require equipment to be shut down, cooled, and dismantled before cleaning can be done. Dry ice blasting, on the other hand, allows equipment to be cleaned online at operating temperature, and often while it is still in production. Because of this equipment can be cleaned more frequently.

Implementing regular equipment cleaning reduces the occurrence of rejected products because it removes potential product contaminants. Cleaning with dry ice also provides an excellent tool for deflashing and deburring. By reducing your rejected product you are improve the overall quality of your product and increasing your output, thus increasing your production.

Save Time

As previously stated, dry ice blasting can be done while equipment is still hot and in place, which reducing downtime due to maintenance. It is also a faster cleaning solution than wiping equipment down with chemicals.

Another major benefit of dry ice blasting is that, unlike other media blasting techniques, it does not require secondary cleanup. The dry ice pellets used as blasting media turn into gas upon contact with the surface being cleaned, leaving behind only the removed contaminant. This results in less downtime because the time needed to clean up secondary blasting media is eliminated.

Save the World

As dramatic as it may seem, improving your equipment maintenance can have an impact on the environment. Switching to dry ice blasting is an effect way to support your zero landfill initiatives. This is because dry ice blasting does not leave behind secondary waste. As mentioned, dry ice is made from recycled Carbon Dioxide.

Dry ice blasting is an environmentally responsible substitute for cleaning solutions that are hazardous, like chemicals. Dry ice is ecofriendly because it turns into a gas upon contact, and therefore cannot become contaminated like other blasting media. Materials such as sand, water, etc become contaminated when they come into contact with hazardous material. Even when they are disposed of properly, such materials can cause harm to the environment.

Dry Ice Blasting and Rubber Manufacturing

One of the biggest challenges rubber manufacturing facilities face is mold fouling from rubber off-gassing (Ex. EPDM and LSR). Mold release agents and buildups can cause flash on finished products, increasing the number of rejected parts, and leads to part sticking during mold removal. Buildup can lead to over-packaging, which can cause stress on tooling. Mold fouling reduces productivity by leading to shutdowns for equipment maintenance and cleaning.

What’s wrong with traditional methods?

The biggest disadvantage of using traditional methods, like sandblasting, water blasting, soda blasting, or hand scraping, is the downtime. Production equipment must be cooled and disassembled before these tools can be used. Most media blasting methods require a cleanup afterword for collecting the media, which adds to equipment downtime.

Traditional media blasting techniques can also damage equipment. Methods like sandblasting and soda blasting utilize abrasive materials as blasting media. Over time this media wears down on equipment, reducing its life.

Most cleaning methods require excessive handling of tooling. This can lead to safety issues because maintenance personnel are handling equipment heated to exponentially high temperatures. There is also an elevated concern for the safety of the equipment due to potential damage from disassembly and reassembly.

What makes dry ice blasting different?

Cleaning with dry ice provides a unique and superior cleaning experience compared to other methods. Utilizing dry ice pellets as a blasting media, dry ice blasting provides a non-abrasive cleaning method. This is because the pellets turn into gas upon contact with the surface of the equipment being cleaned. Because of this equipment can be cleaned while it is still at operating temperature and while it is still online. In some case production equipment can be cleaned while it is still running, resulting in a reduction in shutdown time.

Dry ice cleaning is faster and more effective than other methods, which leads to more efficient maintenance time. Its effectiveness supports a better, more consistent product because it is the perfect tool for deflashing.

Common uses

Dry ice blasting equipment is commonly utilized in tire manufacturing facilities for mold cleaning. It allows end users to clean the mold side walls and tread segments without having to remove the mold from the press.  It is also a popular method for press cleaning.

‘Must Have’ Maintenance Requirements for New Production Equipment

The success of new production equipment is determined on the shop room floor, and proper maintenance from the initial set up is crucial. When preparing new equipment for production there are several things that need to be considered.

1. It is important to leave adequate space for equipment maintenance and cleaning around the machine. Allowing room for servicing your equipment makes it easier to do so.
2. Maintaining an adequate supply of consumables the equipment needs is important for maintaining the equipment and keeping it up and running. Monitoring consumable shelf life is also important for new production equipment.
3. Avoid abrasive media blasting techniques like sandblasting. These can quickly wear down your production equipment and dramatically reduce its life.
4. Proper training is a key component for new production equipment maintenance. The best way to insure equipment is well maintained is to make sure operators are well trained on the equipment and proper maintenance procedures.

The Best Maintenance Tool

It is essential to utilize dry ice blasting on new equipment. As a non-abrasive cleaning method it ensures production equipment is maintained, and protected from the damage caused by other cleaning options. Dry ice blasting is also faster and more efficient than other methods because it allows equipment to be cleaned while it is still hot and in place. This is especially useful for new equipment because it allows cleaning to be done quickly without damage.

Additionally, cleaning with dry ice can be done faster than other media blasting methods because it does not leave behind secondary waste. The dry ice pellets sublimate into CO2 gas upon contact with metal equipment, so there is nothing but the removed contaminant left behind.

Dry ice blasting equipment is also an effective tool for older production equipment. It is beneficial to implement dry ice cleaning on older production equipment because it eliminates future damage to parts from abrasive cleaning tools.

To learn more about the dry ice blasting process check out this video.