CDLR Conveyor
Operation and Maintenance Manual
Rev. 0
2021-01-26
10
TROUBLESHOOTING
TROUBLESHOOTING RULES
Proper troubleshooting is finding the cause of a problem
and correcting it in a safe and systematic manner. Often,
the troubleshooter’s ability to solve the problem quickly
benefits the production economically.
The actual steps the troubleshooter uses to achieve the
ultimate goal may vary, but there are a few general rules
that will make troubleshooting more effective.
A good troubleshooter should follow these general rules:
•
Use a clear and logical approach
•
Work safely
•
Work quickly
•
Work efficiently
The Five General Troubleshooting Guidelines
The four general rules mentioned above are broad
statements that govern good troubleshooting. Listed
below are more specific action items, which are essential
in successful troubleshooting:
1.
Verify that a problem exists.
A problem is
usually indicated by a change in equipment
performance or product quality. Verification of a
problem through observation will allow the
trouble-shooter to determine if a problem
actually exists, or if the reports of trouble are due
to a lack of equipment understanding.
2.
Identify and locate the root cause of the
trouble.
Trouble is often caused by a change in
the system. An understanding of the system, its
modes of operation, and how they are supposed
to work, will aid in finding the cause of the
trouble.
3.
Correct the problem.
It is very important to
correct the root of the problem, not just the
symptom(s). This often involves replacing or
repairing a part or making adjustments. A
process or piece of equipment should never be
adjusted to compensate for a problem and that
action considered finishing the job: Correct the
problem!
4.
Verify that the problem has been corrected.
Repeating the same check that originally
indicated the problem can often do this. If the
fault has been corrected, the system should
operate properly.
5.
Follow up to prevent further trouble.
A plan
should be suggested that would prevent a future
recurrence of this problem.
Experience
There is a way to capture a small part of the experience of
personnel so those who have not seen a particular event
for themselves can refer to it in the future. Equipment
history or an equipment trouble log can tell quite a tale
over the life of a piece of equipment.
The trouble log provides a valuable source of information
that draws on the experience of past troubles and
troubleshooting efforts, to quickly restore the equipment
to service. Problems, symptoms, corrective actions,
modifications, and preventive maintenance actions
should all have entries that can be referenced at a later
date.
Step-by-Step Approach
Troubleshooting a problem and is a logical, step-by-step
procedure. The approach is much the same for all
equipment; only the steps for implementing the approach
may differ.
All
maintenance
personnel
can
use
general
troubleshooting procedures. The basic approach is listed
below:
•
Talk with the operator
•
Solve the problem
•
Make final checks
•
Complete equipment logs and paperwork
•
Inform area supervisors/instruct operators