Miller Magazine Issue 137 May 2021

ment, which can end up in low capacity utilization. For example; a poor pneumatic filter performance can lead to low pressure and reduce the capacity of the pneumat- ic lifts which could cause blockage in the pneumatic lift. Also, fault in feed roll or mechanical part of a roll could affect the grinding performance of the roll in which it af- fect the capacity utilization and milling performance. Recommendation: A preventive and predictive main- tenance is essential to be carried out on the milling ma- chines in other to achieve maximum utilization and not wait for equipment failure before repair which also in- creases production downtime. • Temperature and Humidity Temperature and humidity effects in mills have been studied over a long time ago (80years) and the conclu- sions are that both temperature and particularly humidity play a role in how the mill performs. Air stabilization has been shown to increase stock uniformity, increase ex- traction, and improve flour quality. Most commercial mills do not have air stabilization sys- tems to control temperature and humidity. Controls used were opening and closing windows and air returned into the plant from the pneumatic systems as temperatures dropped. Recommendation: Building ventilation systems are strongly recommended. It helps to avoid condensation in the mill, balanced temperatures between the floors and increase plant availability. Downtime Downtime occurs when production is shut down for any reason. Downtime is an important variable to track because anytime production is stopped, yield losses occur associated with the milling unit going down and starting back up. Equipment is not running at optimum settings anytime downtime occurs. Thus, a reduction in yield is expected on any day that encounters downtime. Downtime which occurs due to machine breakdown could be as a result of not carrying out proper main- tenance on the machine for a long time. The following maintenance is recommended to enhance the efficient performance of the milling machine in other to maximally utilize the milling or machine capacity. RECOMMENDATIONS: Preventive Maintenance This involves physical examinations over the equip- ment to prevent damage and prolong the age of service equipment within a certain period or duration of the op- eration of the machine During this period, the mainte- nance functions are implemented and time-based care activities (Time-based Maintenance – TBM) customarily done. Preventive Maintenance is carried out on the ba- sis of the estimated probability that equipment will ex- perience a decrease in performance or damage at the specified interval. Preventative maintenance performed includes lubrication, cleaning equipment, spare part re- placement, adjustment and inspection. Predictive Maintenance Predictive maintenance is often also referred to as maintenance based on condition (Condition Based Main- tenance – CBM). In this strategy, the action is taken in response to the treatment condition of certain equip- ment or when the equipment experiencing a declining of performance. Diagnostic techniques are used to mea- sure the condition of physical equipment such as engine temperature, noise, vibration, lubrication and corrosion. When one or more of these indicators reach a prede- termined threshold, maintenance initiatives underway to develop equipment to the desired conditions. This