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Imagine you own a Major League baseball team. You want to win at any cost, so long as you can control those costs. In order to put the best team on the field, you would invest in the best athletes, and athletes cost money. And a ball player on the disabled list is an expense, as well as a loss of productivity.
Now, you wouldn’t just put those players on the field and expect them to perform at their best on their own, you would have coaches to maximize their performance. But who would you have to make sure the talent is physically ready to perform and not in danger of injury? Trainers and doctors! Trainers and doctors work together to ensure your ball players are in peak physical condition, so your coaches can have confidence in using them to the peak of their abilities.
In your business, you have warehouse managers to keep your team working efficiently. You have staff that directs (coaches) and works your forklifts (players) to maximum performance. A forklift that is disabled affects the productivity of your entire organization, costing much more than it would if you had someone to perform regular maintenance, evaluating the physical condition of your forklift(s).
Consider your Planned Maintenance Agreement your way of having a trainer and doctor on staff. Make no mistake, material handling is a critical investment in your business. As an experienced team owner, you know you are guaranteed to have additional expense, over and above a lease or finance monthly bill, but “an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure!”
You should have service provided by professionals who know the intricacies of your forklifts: Someone who can provide efficient evaluation and customized support for your “players.” Someone who can perform these duties in as little as 1 ½ hours, four times per year.
A relatively small investment in Planned Maintenance can save you countless hours (and dollars) of productivity. Talk to your material handling specialist to customize a plan that makes sense for your business. It will reduce the risk of expensive repairs and increase productivity over the life of your lift truck. If you want to win, know your costs, minimize your down-time and keep your players on the field!
The Benefits of Planned Maintenance:
- Extends the life of the unit and operation time
- Improves productivity and increases up-time
- Equipment performs more efficiently
- Ensures units remain in safe working order
- Reduces spikes in maintenance and repair costs
- Protects your investment
- Enables you to predict maintenance expenses
- Maintenance frequency is designed around how you use your forklift, its application, hours and shifts
- Ability to catch minor repairs before they turn into major ones
- Reminds your staff that the units will not be overlooked and neglected
Planned Maintenance Checklist for Electric Forklifts
Performance and operational checks
Steering, Drive Train noise, brakes, brake switch, park brake, park brake system, Static Return to Neutral (SRN), gauges, lights, horn, racking, tilt cylinder mounting, seat, hydraulic system, creep, 1A high speed contactor, plugging
Lube and Service
Tire pressure, air clean unit, lube all grease points, lube linkages, frame grounds, battery condition, PMT motion controller, pump contact tips, repack wheel bearings
Visual Inspection
Leaks, overhead guard, counterweight bolts, decals, load back rest, articulation stops, attachment mounting, rail pattern, chain conditioning, upright safety latch, fork condition, battery water level, drive unit oil level, hydraulic oil level, brake fluid level, wheel and caster condition, battery stops, lift linkage, tire condition
Planned Maintenance Checklist for Gas, LPG, & Diesel Forklifts
Performance and operational checks
Charging system, drive train noise, steering, brake, inching, transmission, hydraulic system, engine performance, park brake, neutral start, anti-restart, hour meter, gauges, lights, horn, upright racking, seat, seat belts, backup alarm
Lube and Service
Tire pressure, air clean unit, coolant level and condition, battery level, brake fluid level, transmission level, hydraulic level, belts, replace engine oil and filter, lube all grease points, lube linkages, replace air filter and check connections, replace transmission filter when scheduled, check battery terminals, check/replace hydraulic tank breather
Visual Inspection
Leaks, overhead guard, counterweight bolts, decals, load back rest, articulation stops, attachment mounting, rail pattern, tilt cylinder mounting, chain condition, upright safety latch, fork condition, LPG tank O-rings, belts, fan, data plate, deck latch