Your baler is the heart of your entire operation. A maintenance routine is crucial to making sure these machines run smoothly year after year.
By John Rueckert

“How do I make a good routine maintenance checklist and make sure my team follows it?” is a question I hear a lot from customers that operate our balers. Your baler is the heart of your entire operation. If it is not baling, you cannot operate, and you cannot make money. A maintenance routine is crucial to making sure these machines run smoothly year-after-year. Studies have shown that even the most basic maintenance can decrease operational costs by tenfold over the life of the equipment.

Bollegraaf HBC-120 model baler supplied by Van Dyk Recycling Solutions.
Photo courtesy of Van Dyk Recycling Solutions.

First Steps
To start, ask your baler supplier for any resources they may have, such as a checklist and guidelines for cleaning and maintenance. These visual aids can be affixed to a wall near the baler for easy reference.

Before performing any routine maintenance, cleaning, or work on your baler, proper lockout/tagout procedure should always be followed, and all personnel must wear the required PPE.

Make sure you allocate the time needed for proper maintenance and cleaning to occur. Cleaning is crucial and should be done at every shift change. Start by following the manufacturer’s recommendations for daily and weekly care. Operators should inspect, clean, and lubricate the tying system and wire supply components—no tie, no bales! Operators can and should take responsibility of the cleaning routine and be empowered to advise maintenance personnel of any issues.

Minor maintenance, such as lubricating wire guiding wheels during inspection/pre-trip can be done between shifts. Other tasks can be done weekly, but are equally important. Remove all doors and covers to expose all critical parts for cleaning, inspection, adjusting, and greasing as specified by the manufacturer. Be sure to clean the air filters, as well. All of these tasks should be built into your operational schedule to ensure they happen regularly.

Parts and Tools
Maintaining a stock of spare parts for your machine is crucial. A mission-critical machine such as a baler should not sit idle for want of a $50 part. Ask your manufacturer for a list of parts that should be kept on hand to prevent costly downtime. Further, computerized logs can help you keep track of predictive replacement components before failure occurs.

A good set of tools specific to your machine should be a priority. I have seen kits consisting of merely a hammer, screwdriver and $5 grease gun. That is no way to maintain a sophisticated machine. Check your operator’s manual for a tool list, and ask the manufacturer for guidance, if needed.

Pride of Ownership
Empowering your employees by providing tools, time, and training usually results in pride of ownership. Much like a beloved car, truck or motorcycle, the baler becomes “their” baler with that much more care directed toward its upkeep.

Calling out exceptional work is often overlooked, but everyone likes to be recognized for their efforts. Done correctly, an entire team can rise to a level of excellence. A little respect and encouragement from the boss go a long way. | WA

John Rueckert has been a service technician at Van Dyk Recycling Solutions for more than 25 years. He has installed and maintained some of the most advanced recycling systems in North America. His passion is balers, and he is one of the most knowledgeable baler technicians in America. He can be reached at (203) 967-1100.

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