Starting The Year Right!

I bet we can all agree we’re thankful for a new year! And now that we’re here in 2021, let’s kick the year off right! What better way than to start with maintenance. In this blog, we provide a checklist to ensure your extruder is primed for peak performance. Here are the 10 extruder components we suggest checking as part of a healthy maintenance plan. Each one of these items is recommended for quarterly maintenance unless otherwise noted.

Control Panel

• Clean and inspect inside of the control panel. Look for burned wiring and signs of component overheating.
• Make sure all terminal connections are tight.
• Check that receptacles are grounded.
• Test and monitor operating conditions. Check amp draw of three-phase motor input.
• Check and calibrate all temperature and pressure controllers.
• Check all ground connections and verify continuity (yearly).
• Check and verify drive potentiometer speed, as equipped (yearly).

Feedscrew and Barrel

• Clean and inspect pressure gauge transducer.
• Measure and record feedscrew flight and barrel diameters (yearly).
• Conduct Liquid Penetrate Non-Destructive Test (NDT) for cracks on feedscrew and barrel (yearly).
• Clean and inspect feedscrew and barrel (as needed).

Bolted Connections

• Check all bolt and mounting hardware throughout the entire system for tightness and damage.
• Reference component torque requirements in your maintenance manual.

Electrical Connections

• Inspect all conduits for wiring and damage.
• Inspect electrical leads for cuts, fraying abrasions or other damage.

Feed Section and Hopper

• Inspect feed section and hopper for excess wear and damage.
• Clean and inspect feed section cooling passage.
• Check feedscrew bushing for excess play and wear (as needed).

Barrel Heaters

• Measure and record heater amperage and resistance.
• Clean and inspect barrel heater fins.
• Check all thermocouple and heater terminal connections.
• Measure and record blower fan motor temperatures. 

Barrel Blowers

• Clean and inspect blower intake and exhaust for proper flow and ventilation.
• Measure and record fan motor temperature.
• Lubricate blower motor (as needed).

Water Cooling System and Rotary Unions

• Inspect pump seals for leaks.
• Test and calibrate pressure and temperature regulators (yearly).
• Check water flow from plant water supply lines (yearly).
• Clean and inspect heat exchanger (as needed).
• Check the zinc anode plug for deterioration and corrosion (as needed).

Electric Motors

• Inspect all electrical connections and wiring for tightness and damage.
• Check belts for excess wear and proper tension (deflection).
• Clean and inspect internal component conditions of motor (yearly).
• Test and record the condition of all operating components (as needed).
• Lubricate motor bearings (according to manufacturer instructions).

Gear Reducer

• Check oil cleanliness on lube system and oil filter.
• Clean gearcase of sediment, sludge and metal particles.
• Visually inspect gear sets for damage and wear through site glass.
• Check bearing noise and vibration.
• Check thrust shaft run-out and bearing play.
• Check drive coupling for proper alignment (yearly).
• Lubricate drive coupling (as needed).
• Change oil in gear reducer (as needed or every 4,000 hrs.).
• Clean and inspect heat exchanger (as needed).

For a complete checklist that includes daily inspection items, please refer to the maintenance instructions in your extruder’s operational and technical manual. Here’s to a productive 2021!

Download your free printable PDF checklist!

Have questions regarding this blog post? E-mail marketing at marketing@davis-standard.com

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