Conair is known for manufacturing equipment that stands the test of time, but that reputation isn’t held together with sheet metal and bolts. The service agreements that our Customer Care team offers are critical for maximizing the lifespan, efficiency, and dependability of our equipment.
With a service agreement, our team makes periodic trips to a customer’s facility to perform basic maintenance tasks, troubleshoot any issues, and optimize the performance of all Conair equipment. Customers can enter into these agreements for as little as a year at a time, or for multiple years. These visits are not focused on fixing any one item but on supporting the entire suite of Conair products at the site.
Mark Graham, a dedicated Conair Field Service Representative, conducted a comprehensive 3-day on-site visit to a customer’s facility. In his findings and detailed activity report, we unveil the tangible benefits of having a Conair Service Agreement in place for your own facility.
Before the visit, Mark planned out his itinerary with the customer. Together they identified some recurring issues and mapped out all the pieces of equipment including:
- An entire conveying line from vacuum pumps to loaders
- One problematic blender
- All pumps in the pump room (at least 4)
The general summary of the visit after Mark made several on-site repairs, was that the customer and Conair needed to continue to monitor the equipment. Mark had many suggestions on additional repairs, preventive maintenance steps, operation, and training.
The “technician’s summary” highlighted the following:
- Vacuum Leaks- Leaks were found on almost all lines, including from flex lines that were temporarily taped.
- Air Leaks- Compressed air was leaking at the blender because manifolds were loose.
- Load Times- These needed to be optimized; most of the load times were not correct due to vacuum issues, and operators were tending to change them daily.
- Electrical- Fuses were blown and not replaced.
- Calibration- The blender was not calibrated properly.
- Housekeeping- There were large amounts of dust around the pumps, materials on the floor, and foreign debris on top of surge bins with open lids.
- Training- Additional training was needed, especially on the loader control system. Mark observed that the operators did not fully understand the control system which can impair its efficiency.
- Vacuum Pumps- There were multiple issues where pumps were “dead heading” and running when not in use. Most pumps were also overdue for oil changes.
- Labels on Pumps and Receivers- The location of many lines had been changed, so the labels did not accurately reflect those changes, which created confusion. The lines needed to be re-traced and labeled properly to indicate material flow.
- Filters- Nearly all filters needed cleaned and should be replaced on a more consistent basis. This should be logged in a maintenance plan.
- Loader Control- This had a lag between the stop load signal and the pump run signal, which was dead heading the pumps for 3 to 6 seconds.
- Return Visit- A follow-up trip was recommended to coordinate control modification with the customer’s control engineer and verify that the new operational training was having a long-term positive effect.
Mark was able to correct the issues at the root cause of the customer’s trouble spots. He corrected issues causing extruders to run out of material frequently. He changed and maintained filters on multiple pieces of equipment. Finally, he optimized equipment settings and sealed up some leaky air and vacuum connections, which all caused the equipment to perform much more efficiently.
Finally, he connected with the staff to do some on-the-floor training which helped them understand how to keep their equipment running in tip top shape.
Service agreements are helpful for processors who may be struggling with employee retention or getting their equipment to run efficiently. Our Customer Care team will be glad to assist because when our equipment is running at its best, our customer relationships and industry reputation will continue to perform at their peak.
Learn more about our industry leading service and partner with us to ensure your success.