EYE ON EQUIPMENT
An ounce of Prevention
by Susan P. Tarrant

While it may seem like common sense, field technicians report that many of their service calls would be unnecessary if the ECPs would do a little routine maintenance themselves—or avoid situations that put extra stress on the machines.

"Sometimes I get service calls in which the equipment has been run into the ground," says Daniel Lombardo, field technical manager for Briot-Weco USA. "Then we get the call and the problems are much bigger and more expensive than they should be. When dealing with motors, valves, and wheels, natural wear is going to happen. And it can be taken care of easily by preventative maintenance."

A professional maintenance servicing at least once a year is recommended—or even more often depending on the machine and the number of jobs done in your lab. But there are other steps that can be taken to ensure the service guy doesn't have to make an unexpected call.

Lombardo and other edger service reps say the most common maintenance infraction among ECPs is the failure to routinely calibrate their edgers. Calibrating edgers and tracers routinely ensures measurements are always accurate, and it's a technique that's taught during the equipment's installation.

"Engineers never would have incorporated a calibration procedure if there was no need for it," says Matt Vulich, vice president of sales for AIT Industries. "Wholesale labs calibrate every morning and again in the afternoon. It's a good procedure to be familiar with and it will ensure quality."

Another source of avoidable service calls is an operator that was not properly trained on the equipment.

"It's imperative that every operator be trained at the same level as the original operator," Lombardo says. "New employees must be trained in all the means of not only using, but also taking care of the equipment."

There are a variety of quick and easy steps that can be taken, to help your edger and/or tracer perform perfectly between routine service calls. Here are some recommendations from the service techs at Santinelli International, AIT Industries, and Briot-Weco.

 EDGERS

■If using a wet edger, change water daily to avoid clogging of pumps, valves, and motors. If possible, changing from recirculating water to a direct water hookup will eliminate the need for this step and remove the chance of employee neglect in this area.

■On recirculating water systems, run warm water and vinegar in the system to clear debris and open feed lines.

■Open the edger (with power off) and remove all lens debris with a vacuum and soft bristle brush daily.

■Clean the grinding chamber with water and a soft bristle brush and wipe the grinding chamber dry daily.

■Do not use compressed air, wire, or a pipe cleaner to unclog water nozzles and feed lines.

■Do not use an acetone based cleaner on any part of the edger.

■Do not use compressed air to remove debris from internal components of the edger (this will only displace the debris, potentially causing it to lodge into components such as sensors and resulting in damage).

CONSUMABLES

■Change roughing wheels or diamond edging wheels when needed (inspect monthly for wear or damage). A dull wheel will pull a lens, creating an off-axis problem.

■Replace chuck pads weekly.

■Keep blocks in good shape. The general rule is to replace after 120 uses.

■Never reuse a leap pad.

TRACERS

■Clean all frames, ultrasonically if possible, before inserting them into the frame tracer.

■Ensure that the barrel screws are secure before attempting to trace a frame.

■Clean debris from the frame tracer using cellophane tape to blot and remove the debris from the frame tracer.

■Gently clean stylus tip with a lint-free cloth slightly moistened with alcohol.

As with a car, it's always advantageous to take the time for simple and routine maintenance to make sure things stay running smoothly with your edging systems.

Read your operations manual—it contains the answers to hundreds of potential questions. It also offers great advice on maintaining the proper and successful operation of your equipment.