Update: My neighbor's shop issue changed how I see preventive maintenance

I always thought checking machine alignment was a once-a-year thing. But after the shop next door had a spindle crash from misalignment, they showed me their new weekly check routine. Seeing how it caught a small issue before it got big convinced me to start doing it more often. Now I do a quick check every Monday morning.

3 comments

3 Comments

jenkins.miles1mo ago

Honestly that sounds like overkill to me. Weekly checks eat up so much productive time (time that could be spent making parts). Most shops run fine on a solid annual schedule, and that neighbor's crash was probably just a weird one-off. You're adding a ton of work for a problem that almost never happens.

wade_hall1mo ago

Listen, @jenkins.miles, but weekly checks aren't overkill. They catch small issues before they turn into big, costly problems. That Monday morning routine saves more time in the long run.

emeryb341mo ago

Ever think about what a "small issue" actually costs when it finally breaks? A weird noise this week is a seized motor next month, and then you're down a machine for days instead of an hour. That annual check might miss the belt that's starting to fray right now.