Introduction

Maintenance is the activity performed on a facility such as a building or machine to keep that facility in an efficient and safe working condition for the performance of its functions. The importance of proper, adequate and timely maintenance cannot be over-emphasised. Good maintenance of a grain handling and storage facility enhances its performance through prolonged working life, reduced downtime, and works at rated capacities thereby getting value for the capital investment. Proper maintenance helps prevent damage to grain which can result from defects in the machine or building structures. Further, a properly maintained facility ensures reduced risk of safety hazards and accidents to life, grain and the facility itself.

The maintenance activities include checking, inspection, servicing (including adjustments and lubrication), repairs (including painting) and replacement of worn out or broken-down parts or complete machines. The pre-requisites essential for proper maintenance of silo plant include cleanliness, availability of owners/maintenance manuals for the various equipment, continuous inspection of equipment especially during working, proper records systems and facilities.

Clean equipment within clean working surroundings makes easy detection of improperly working machines that cause spillage or leakages of grain, dust or air. Owners/Maintenance manuals not only spell out procedures and safety aspects when maintaining a piece of equipment but also outline specifications for replacement parts to be ordered should the parts be required. Continuous inspection of equipment during the operation by the maintenance technicians by touching, observing, listening, measuring or checking measuring instruments must be carried out always to identify problems.

A proper system for records for the history of each machine must be maintained as well as records for workshops and stores supplies of parts. The range of available maintenance facilities and equipment must be commensurate with the type of equipment in the silo plants that require to be serviced. Such facilities will include toolboxes, hand tools, power tools, welding and cutting, bending equipment for lubrication, access, safely and electrical test equipment. The equipment in a typical silo plant includes weighing, receiving, conveying, storage, bagging, dust collection and electrical as previously discussed. The maintenance of all the equipment is critical to the successful operation of the plant.