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A CNC router machine is a high-end piece of machinery that requires a sizeable investment. With such a crucial function to perform in your business operations, it can be costly if it suddenly breaks down and stops working completely. Having your CNC router machine break down can cost your business thousands of dollars in repair costs, wasted hours, and missed deliveries.

CNC router maintenance is a critical practice that must be performed regularly to keep machines working properly and eliminate the likelihood of them breaking down despite frequent and prolonged use. This blog shares CNC maintenance tips to follow to keep your business operations running smoothly.

Why Preventive CNC Router Maintenance is Necessary

No matter how durable your CNC router machine is, it is still bound to break down at some point due to prolonged use. Many factors can contribute to equipment breakdown, which includes:

• Higher levels of heat due to low coolant levels and a lack of cooling oils
• Lack of lubrication along moving parts, causing increased friction
• Loosening of machine parts
• Buildup of grime along surfaces

In order to avoid such issues from occurring, preventive maintenance activities need to be implemented regularly. The key term to be remembered here is ‘preventive,’ which is essential in avoiding costly breakdowns later. While many CNC shops forgo this practice because of increased downtimes, the time and money savings of regular implementation are significantly higher.

CNC Router Maintenance Tips

Regular CNC router maintenance is helpful not only in preventing costly breakdowns but also in protecting the lifespan of expensive CNC equipment. Below, we share a few CNC maintenance tips to follow to maintain a highly efficient operation:

Follow a Strict Maintenance Schedule

It is highly recommended that you develop and implement a strict maintenance schedule that you and your team can follow diligently. This can be broken down into daily, monthly, and long-term activities that must be followed diligently. In doing so, you can detect potential problems before they become significant enough to cause serious downtimes.

Make sure to create a checklist of items that need to be accomplished during maintenance. Here is a breakdown of tasks that need to be performed in each period:

Daily maintenance activities are everyday tasks that don’t take too much time. This includes:

• Wiping down of surfaces
• Checking of fluid levels
• Greasing up dry moving parts
• Emptying of chip hopper

Monthly maintenance involves checking the general condition of the CNC router machine. A trained technician should conduct an inspection of the machine to determine whether an overhaul is necessary.

• Checking of equipment logs to check for unusual consumption
• Review of machine performance

Long-term CNC router maintenance is more in-depth and should be conducted every six months. It is generally recommended that you have the equipment inspected by an outside technician.

Keep Records on All Repairs and Maintenance Performed

While doing maintenance on your equipment, make sure that every detail is logged for traceability. Take note of all problems detected, however harmless they seem to be, and the maintenance activities and repairs performed. This information will be helpful later on when diagnosing issues that may arise.

Maintain a Good External Environment For Your CNC Router Machine

Although CNC router maintenance is essential in ensuring the performance of your machine, maintaining a good external environment inside your shop is equally as important. This means maintaining the proper conditions to allow your equipment to perform optimally without encountering any problems.

• Pay attention to temperatures inside the shop. Although external temperatures hardly have an effect on the machine itself, there are a few instances where its performance is impacted. Such is the case in winter when the temperature is too low. The water inside water tanks and pipes could freeze, which can lead to cracking. Some parts may also be frozen due to oils added, which can cause the machine to fail at start-up.
• Humidity levels inside the room can also impact the machine. High humidity levels can cause the electrical accessories in the machine to wear out.
• Air filters are also necessary to ensure the shop is free from dust and air pollutants. Particles in the air can accumulate in electrical components, causing poor electrical contact or, worse, short circuits.
• Take note of any electromagnetic interference in the room. The CNC router machine must be placed far away from any interference because it could affect machine accuracy.

Always Keep Spare Parts On-Hand

Lastly, it is always recommended to keep spare parts in stock in your warehouse to quickly replace them just in case they break. Some parts are prone to breaking, such as CNC router bits, tool holder clips, and collets. With these parts readily available, you no longer have to wait for your next shipment to arrive to resume your operations. Begin with a list of common CNC router parts that often require replacement and start looking for a reliable parts provider.

Optimize Your CNC Business with CAMaster

Keeping your equipment in good working order is vital in building an efficient business. But beyond that, it is also important to invest in high-quality CNC equipment capable of fulfilling the demands of your market while being easy to maintain.

It is also equally important to source your equipment from a reliable manufacturer with a reputation for offering top-quality products and excellent customer support.

CAMaster’s industry-leading CNC routers combine precision and durability to provide long-lasting performance that you can count on. If you want to know more about our offerings, don’t hesitate to send us a message today.