ConveyorBelt slipping›
Hits OEE: Performance
Symptoms: Belt slows or stalls under load, squeal at the drive pulley, product backing up.
Low belt tension
Re-tension to spec at the take-up; check for permanent stretch.
Worn or glazed pulley lagging
Inspect and replace lagging; clean a contaminated drive pulley.
Overload or jam
Clear the blockage; confirm load is within rated capacity.
Wet/contaminated belt
Fit scrapers/wipers; fix spillage upstream.
Prevention: Scheduled tension checks, pulley-lagging inspection, keep belt and pulleys clean.
ConveyorBelt mistracking (wandering)›
Hits OEE: Quality
Symptoms: Belt drifts to one side, edge wear, rubbing on the frame, spillage.
Frame/pulleys out of square
Check level and squareness; align idlers and pulleys.
Uneven or off-centre loading
Centre the load at the feed point; add load chutes/skirting.
Material build-up on a pulley
Clean pulleys; add a belt cleaner.
Worn idlers
Replace seized or worn idlers; add training idlers if needed.
Prevention: Routine alignment checks, belt cleaners, centred loading.
ConveyorUnusual noise or vibration›
Hits OEE: Availability
Symptoms: Grinding, knocking or squealing; vibration felt at the frame.
Failing roller/idler bearings
Locate by touch/listening; replace the faulty roller.
Debris in the mechanism
Lock out and clear debris from rollers and return path.
Drive chain/coupling wear
Inspect chain tension and coupling; replace worn parts.
Prevention: Vibration/bearing checks, guarding to keep debris out, lubrication schedule.
ConveyorConveyor won't start›
Hits OEE: Availability
Symptoms: Motor hums or is dead, no movement on start command.
Tripped overload or blown fuse
Check the starter overload and fuses; reset and find the cause of the trip.
E-stop or interlock open
Verify all E-stops, guards and pull-cords are reset/closed.
Jam/mechanical seizure
Lock out; turn by hand to find the seizure; clear it.
Control/sensor fault
Check start signal at the PLC and the run permissive.
Prevention: Periodic interlock testing, overload sizing review, keep transfer points clear.
Centrifugal pumpNo or low flow›
Hits OEE: Availability
Symptoms: Little/no discharge, low pressure gauge reading, process starved.
Loss of prime / air bound
Re-prime; bleed air; check suction is flooded.
Suction blockage or closed valve
Clear the strainer; confirm suction valve is open.
Wrong rotation
Verify motor rotation matches the pump arrow (check phasing).
Worn impeller/wear rings
Inspect for wear/erosion; replace impeller or wear rings.
Prevention: Strainer checks, correct valve line-up SOPs, monitor flow/pressure trend.
Centrifugal pumpCavitation›
Hits OEE: Quality
Symptoms: Rattling/gravel noise, fluctuating discharge, pitting on the impeller.
Insufficient NPSH (suction too low)
Raise suction level/pressure; lower the pump or shorten suction line.
Suction restriction
Clean the strainer; remove restrictions; increase suction pipe size.
Fluid too hot / near vapour pressure
Reduce temperature or increase suction pressure.
Prevention: Design/monitor NPSH margin, keep suction lines clear, trend suction pressure.
Centrifugal pumpMechanical seal leak›
Hits OEE: Availability
Symptoms: Liquid dripping at the shaft, visible weep, environment/safety concern.
Worn or cracked seal faces
Replace the mechanical seal; inspect the shaft sleeve.
Dry running
Ensure flush/lubrication to the seal; never run dry.
Misalignment/excess vibration
Align pump-motor; correct vibration causing seal wear.
Prevention: Seal flush plans, precision alignment, vibration monitoring.
Centrifugal pumpOverheating / high vibration›
Hits OEE: Availability
Symptoms: Hot bearing housing, high vibration reading, short bearing life.
Misalignment
Laser-align pump and motor to spec.
Bearing wear or poor lubrication
Re-lube to spec or replace bearings; check grease type/quantity.
Operating off the best-efficiency point
Trim the duty point back toward BEP; review system curve.
Imbalance
Clean/balance the impeller; check for build-up.
Prevention: Alignment after any work, lubrication schedule, run near BEP, vibration trending.
Air compressorWon't build pressure›
Hits OEE: Availability
Symptoms: Runs but discharge pressure stays low; tools starve.
System/air leaks
Leak-test with soapy water/ultrasonic; fix joints, hoses, drains.
Clogged air filter
Replace the intake filter element.
Faulty unloader/inlet valve
Inspect and rebuild/replace the inlet/unloader valve.
Worn rings/leaking valves (piston)
Test cylinders; replace worn valves or rings.
Prevention: Leak surveys, filter changes, valve inspection schedule.
Air compressorOverheating / high-temperature trip›
Hits OEE: Availability
Symptoms: Trips on high temp, hot to touch, frequent shutdowns.
Low or degraded oil
Top up/replace oil to correct grade; check level.
Dirty cooler / blocked airflow
Clean the aftercooler/oil cooler; clear ventilation.
High ambient temperature
Improve room ventilation; duct hot air away.
Clogged oil filter/separator
Replace oil filter and separator element.
Prevention: Oil analysis + changes, cooler cleaning, adequate room ventilation.
Air compressorWater/moisture in the air supply›
Hits OEE: Quality
Symptoms: Water at tools/drains, rust in lines, pneumatic faults downstream.
Dryer not working
Check refrigerant/desiccant dryer operation and dewpoint.
Failed auto drains
Clean/replace condensate auto-drains on the tank and filters.
Undersized/contaminated filters
Fit/replace coalescing filters; size for flow.
Prevention: Dryer maintenance, test auto-drains, scheduled filter changes.
Air compressorShort-cycling (loads/unloads rapidly)›
Hits OEE: Performance
Symptoms: Frequent load/unload, motor starts spike, premature wear.
Receiver tank too small / waterlogged
Add receiver capacity; drain condensate from the tank.
Pressure switch differential too tight
Widen the load/unload differential within spec.
System leaks bleeding pressure
Find and fix leaks raising demand.
Prevention: Right-size receiver, set sensible differential, run leak surveys.
Hydraulic systemLow or no pressure›
Hits OEE: Availability
Symptoms: Actuators slow or won't move, low gauge pressure.
Low oil / suction starvation
Top up reservoir; check suction strainer and intake.
Relief valve set low or stuck
Verify and reset relief valve; clean/replace if stuck open.
Worn pump
Test pump flow; rebuild or replace the pump.
Internal leakage past a valve/cylinder
Isolate and test components; reseal or replace.
Prevention: Oil level/condition checks, relief-valve verification, contamination control.
Hydraulic systemOil overheating›
Hits OEE: Availability
Symptoms: Oil above ~60 °C, thin oil, faster wear, varnish.
Continuous flow over the relief valve
Fix the cause of relief dumping; correct settings/sizing.
Cooler fouled or fan failed
Clean the heat exchanger; repair the cooler fan/water flow.
Low reservoir level
Top up to allow heat dissipation/de-aeration.
Wrong oil viscosity
Use the specified viscosity grade.
Prevention: Cooler maintenance, correct oil, monitor temperature, avoid prolonged relief.
Hydraulic systemSlow or erratic actuation›
Hits OEE: Performance
Symptoms: Jerky/spongy cylinder motion, inconsistent speed.
Air in the fluid
Bleed the system; fix suction-side air ingress; check reservoir return.
Contaminated fluid/valves sticking
Filter or change oil; clean/replace sticking valves.
Worn cylinder seals
Reseal the cylinder; check rod for scoring.
Prevention: Contamination control (filtration), de-aeration, seal condition checks.
Hydraulic systemNoisy pump›
Hits OEE: Availability
Symptoms: Whine or knock from the pump, vibration, foaming oil.
Aeration (air drawn in)
Tighten suction fittings; check fluid level and return diffuser.
Cavitation (suction starvation)
Clean suction strainer; correct viscosity; lower suction restriction.
Worn pump/coupling
Inspect pump and coupling; replace as needed.
Prevention: Sealed suction side, clean strainers, correct oil, alignment.
Electric motorMotor won't start›
Hits OEE: Availability
Symptoms: Hums but doesn't turn, or completely dead on start.
Tripped overload / blown fuse
Reset overload, replace fuses; investigate the trip cause.
Loss of a phase (3-phase)
Check all three phases at the motor; fix the open phase/connection.
Failed start capacitor (1-phase)
Test and replace the start/run capacitor.
Mechanical seizure
Try turning by hand; clear the seized load or replace bearings.
Prevention: Thermographic/connection checks, overload sizing, lubrication.
Electric motorOverheating›
Hits OEE: Availability
Symptoms: Hot frame, burning smell, thermal trips, short insulation life.
Overload
Measure running current vs nameplate; reduce load or upsize.
Blocked cooling / dirty fins
Clean the fan cover and frame; restore airflow.
Voltage imbalance/under-voltage
Check supply balance and voltage; correct supply issues.
Bearing failure adding drag
Replace bearings; check alignment.
Prevention: Load/current monitoring, keep cooling clear, supply quality checks.
Electric motorTrips the breaker / overload›
Hits OEE: Availability
Symptoms: Repeated overload or breaker trips shortly after start/run.
Mechanical overload/jam
Inspect the driven load for binding; clear it.
Short or ground fault in windings
Megger-test windings; rewind/replace if failed.
Incorrect overload setting
Set overload to motor FLA per nameplate.
Prevention: Insulation resistance testing, correct protection settings, load checks.
Electric motorExcessive vibration / bearing noise›
Hits OEE: Performance
Symptoms: Vibration, rumble or whine from bearings, rising temperature.
Worn bearings
Replace bearings; use correct fit and lubrication.
Misalignment / soft foot
Align to coupling spec; correct soft foot.
Imbalance
Balance the rotor/fan; remove build-up.
Prevention: Vibration trending, precision alignment, greasing schedule.
GearboxOverheating›
Hits OEE: Availability
Symptoms: High case temperature, thinning oil, discolouration.
Overfilled or low oil
Set oil to the correct level; both extremes cause heat.
Wrong lubricant
Use the specified grade/viscosity.
Overload
Confirm load within rating; check service factor.
Blocked cooling/breather
Clean cooling surfaces; clear the breather.
Prevention: Oil level/analysis, correct lubricant, load and breather checks.
GearboxNoise or whine›
Hits OEE: Quality
Symptoms: Whine, growl or knocking that changes with speed/load.
Worn/pitted gears
Inspect gear teeth; replace worn gearsets.
Bearing wear
Identify and replace failing bearings.
Backlash/misalignment
Check and reset backlash; align input/output.
Low/contaminated oil
Top up or change oil; investigate contamination source.
Prevention: Oil analysis, vibration checks, alignment, contamination control.
GearboxOil leak›
Hits OEE: Availability
Symptoms: Oil around seals/joints, dropping level, housekeeping/slip hazard.
Worn input/output seals
Replace shaft seals; inspect shaft surface.
Blocked breather (pressure build-up)
Clean/replace the breather to relieve pressure.
Overfilled oil
Drain to correct level.
Prevention: Seal inspection, keep breather clear, correct fill level.
BearingPremature bearing failure›
Hits OEE: Availability
Symptoms: Repeated short bearing life, heat, noise, debris in grease.
Contamination
Improve sealing; clean before fitting; control grease cleanliness.
Over/under-lubrication
Re-grease to calculated quantity/interval, not by feel.
Misalignment/improper fit
Align shafts; use correct fits and fitting tools (no hammering).
Overload/vibration
Verify loads; correct external vibration sources.
Prevention: Cleanliness, calculated lubrication, correct mounting, alignment.
BearingBearing overheating›
Hits OEE: Availability
Symptoms: Housing too hot to touch, discoloured grease, rising vibration.
Excess or wrong grease
Purge excess; use specified grease; avoid mixing types.
Too-tight fit / preload
Check fits and internal clearance; correct preload.
Misalignment
Align; relieve cocked or pinched bearing.
Prevention: Correct lubrication, proper fits/clearance, alignment.
Injection mouldingShort shot (incomplete fill)›
Hits OEE: Quality
Symptoms: Part not fully formed, missing features at the flow ends.
Insufficient material/shot size
Increase shot size/cushion; check for screw slippage.
Low injection pressure/speed
Raise injection pressure and speed within window.
Cold melt or mould
Raise barrel/mould temperature to spec.
Blocked gate/vents
Clear the gate; improve venting to release trapped gas.
Prevention: Process validation, check non-return valve, maintain temperatures and venting.
Injection mouldingFlash (excess material at parting line)›
Hits OEE: Quality
Symptoms: Thin fins of plastic at the parting line or vents.
Clamp force too low
Increase clamp tonnage; verify it's adequate for projected area.
Over-packing / high pressure
Reduce injection/hold pressure and speed.
Worn or dirty mould faces
Clean and inspect parting line; repair damaged steel.
Melt too hot
Lower barrel temperature to reduce flow into the parting line.
Prevention: Clamp-force checks, process control, mould face maintenance.
Injection mouldingSink marks›
Hits OEE: Quality
Symptoms: Depressions over thick sections/ribs.
Insufficient hold pressure/time
Increase pack/hold pressure and time.
Cooling too short
Extend cooling; check mould temperature uniformity.
Thick section design
Core out thick areas (design); for now optimise pack/cool.
Prevention: Optimised pack/hold, adequate cooling, design for uniform wall.
Injection mouldingPart sticking in the mould›
Hits OEE: Availability
Symptoms: Ejection problems, part deforms or stays in cavity, cycle stops.
Over-packing
Reduce injection/hold pressure.
Insufficient draft / mould damage
Inspect for undercuts/scoring; polish/repair; verify draft.
Inadequate release / cooling
Adjust cooling; apply approved release agent if permitted.
Prevention: Process within window, mould polishing/repair, correct ejection setup.
CNC machinePoor surface finish›
Hits OEE: Quality
Symptoms: Rough, scratched or chattered finish, tool marks.
Dull or wrong tool
Replace/index the insert; select correct geometry/coating.
Wrong speeds & feeds
Recalculate feeds/speeds for the material and tool.
Vibration/chatter
Reduce overhang, increase rigidity, adjust depth of cut.
Insufficient coolant
Restore coolant flow/concentration and aim.
Prevention: Tool-life management, validated feeds/speeds, rigidity, coolant checks.
CNC machineDimensional inaccuracy›
Hits OEE: Quality
Symptoms: Parts out of tolerance, drift over a run.
Tool wear/offset drift
Update offsets; replace worn tools; use tool-setting probe.
Thermal growth
Warm up the machine; apply thermal compensation.
Backlash/worn ballscrews
Check and compensate backlash; service axes.
Workholding movement
Improve clamping/fixturing repeatability.
Prevention: Offset discipline, warm-up routine, axis maintenance, robust fixturing.
CNC machineSpindle overheating›
Hits OEE: Availability
Symptoms: High spindle temperature alarm, thermal growth, shutdown.
Coolant/chiller fault
Check spindle chiller flow, level and temperature.
Bearing wear
Inspect spindle bearings; service per OEM.
Over-aggressive duty
Allow duty cycle; review heavy continuous cuts.
Prevention: Chiller maintenance, spindle warm-up, vibration/temperature monitoring.
Packaging lineFrequent jams / micro-stops›
Hits OEE: Performance
Symptoms: Many short stops per hour, operators constantly clearing, low rate.
Product/format variation
Tighten incoming spec; adjust guides for the format.
Worn change parts / guides
Replace worn star-wheels, guides, grippers; verify changeover setup.
Mis-set sensors
Re-teach/adjust photo-eyes and reject timing.
Line imbalance (starve/block)
Tune accumulation and machine speeds to the bottleneck.
Prevention: Format-specific setup sheets, change-part inspection, sensor checks, line balancing.
Packaging lineFill weight variation›
Hits OEE: Quality
Symptoms: Over/under-fill, giveaway, checkweigher rejects.
Filler valve/nozzle wear or fouling
Clean/replace nozzles and valves; check seals.
Product temperature/viscosity drift
Stabilise product temperature and supply pressure.
Worn pumps/flow meters
Calibrate or service metering; verify checkweigher.
Prevention: Routine calibration, nozzle maintenance, product condition control.
Packaging lineLabels misapplied›
Hits OEE: Quality
Symptoms: Skewed, missing or wrinkled labels, reject spikes.
Web tension/threading wrong
Re-thread; set web tension; check dancer.
Dirty/worn applicator or rollers
Clean adhesive build-up; replace worn rollers/brushes.
Sensor/timing off
Adjust label gap sensor and apply timing to line speed.
Container handling unstable
Stabilise container in the labelling station; check guides.
Prevention: Tension/sensor setup sheets, cleaning schedule, applicator maintenance.
Packaging lineSeal defects (leakers/weak seals)›
Hits OEE: Quality
Symptoms: Open seals, channel leaks, failed seal-integrity tests.
Seal temperature/time/pressure off
Set seal bars to validated temp/dwell/pressure.
Contamination in the seal area
Add seal-area cleaning/clearing; fix product splash.
Worn seal bars/jaws or film fault
Inspect/replace seal jaws; verify film spec.
Prevention: Seal validation, seal-area cleanliness, jaw inspection, film QA.
Industrial robotPositioning drift / inaccuracy›
Hits OEE: Quality
Symptoms: Parts placed off-target, missed picks, quality rejects creeping in.
Worn gearbox or encoder
Check repeatability test; service the affected joint; replace encoder if faulty.
Loose or worn tooling (EOAT)
Re-tighten and inspect the end-of-arm tool; re-master if moved.
Thermal drift
Allow warm-up; enable thermal compensation if available.
Recovery after a collision
Re-master/calibrate the robot zero position.
Prevention: Periodic repeatability checks, EOAT inspection, warm-up routine.
Industrial robotFaulted axis / servo fault›
Hits OEE: Availability
Symptoms: Robot e-stops with an axis/servo alarm, will not move.
Mechanical overload or collision
Clear the obstruction; check for damage; reset and re-master.
Encoder or cable fault
Inspect dress-pack cabling for wear; replace damaged encoder cable.
Brake not releasing
Check brake supply and wiring; test brake release.
Overheated servo / drive
Check cooling and duty cycle; clear the thermal fault.
Prevention: Dress-pack inspection, collision detection tuning, cooling checks.
Industrial robotDropped part / misgrip›
Hits OEE: Performance
Symptoms: Gripper drops or fails to pick parts, cycle interruptions.
Vacuum loss / air leak
Check vacuum level, cups and lines; replace worn suction cups.
Worn or misadjusted gripper
Inspect fingers/jaws; reset grip force and position.
Part presentation variation
Stabilise incoming part position; check feeder/fixture.
Mis-taught pick point
Re-teach the pick/place positions.
Prevention: Vacuum monitoring, gripper inspection, consistent part presentation.
VFD / driveOvervoltage (DC bus) trip›
Hits OEE: Availability
Symptoms: Drive trips on overvoltage, usually during deceleration or stopping.
Deceleration ramp too fast (regeneration)
Extend the decel time, or add a brake resistor/unit to absorb regen energy.
Supply voltage spikes / high line
Check incoming voltage; add line reactor if supply is unstable.
Overhauling load
Size dynamic braking for the load.
Prevention: Correct decel ramps, brake resistor sizing, supply quality checks.
VFD / driveOvercurrent / overload trip›
Hits OEE: Availability
Symptoms: Drive trips on overcurrent or overload, often at start or under load.
Mechanical overload or jam
Inspect the driven load for binding; clear it.
Acceleration too fast
Extend the accel ramp; check torque-boost settings.
Motor or cable fault
Megger the motor and cable; check connections.
Wrong motor parameters
Re-enter nameplate data; run drive auto-tune.
Prevention: Auto-tune on commissioning, correct ramps, load checks.
VFD / driveDrive overtemperature›
Hits OEE: Availability
Symptoms: Drive trips or derates on high heatsink temperature.
Blocked cooling / dirty heatsink
Clean the heatsink and vents; clear cabinet airflow.
Failed cooling fan
Replace the drive/cabinet cooling fan.
High cabinet ambient
Improve enclosure cooling or ventilation.
Prevention: Cabinet filter changes, fan checks, enclosure cooling.
Sensor / photo-eyeIntermittent or false detection›
Hits OEE: Performance
Symptoms: Sporadic missed or false triggers, random stops or rejects.
Dirty lens or reflector
Clean the sensor face and reflector; add an air wipe in dusty areas.
Misalignment
Re-align emitter/receiver or reflector; check mounting is solid.
Ambient light or reflective targets
Shroud the sensor; switch to background suppression or a coded beam.
Marginal sensing margin
Check excess-gain margin; reposition or use a stronger sensor.
Prevention: Cleaning schedule, secure mounting, adequate sensing margin.
Sensor / photo-eyeNo output signal›
Hits OEE: Availability
Symptoms: Sensor never triggers; the PLC input stays off.
Power or wiring fault
Verify supply voltage and wiring; check connector.
Wrong output mode (PNP/NPN/NO/NC)
Confirm sensor output type matches the PLC input.
Failed sensor
Test with a known target; replace if dead.
Prevention: Standardise sensor types, protect cabling, keep spares.
PLC / controlsPLC fault / stop (fault LED)›
Hits OEE: Availability
Symptoms: PLC in fault/stop, machine dead, fault indicator on the CPU or a module.
I/O module fault
Read the fault code; reseat or replace the flagged module.
Power supply issue
Check PLC power and backplane voltage.
Watchdog / scan fault
Review the diagnostic buffer; clear the fault and investigate the logic/cause.
Field device short on an output
Find the shorted actuator/wiring on the faulted output.
Prevention: Read diagnostics first, protect outputs, keep firmware/backups current.
PLC / controlsNetwork / comms dropout›
Hits OEE: Availability
Symptoms: Devices drop offline intermittently, comms-loss faults, HMI freezes.
Cable or connector fault
Inspect/replace the suspect ethernet/fieldbus cable and connectors.
Electrical noise
Route comms away from VFD/power cables; ensure proper shielding/grounding.
Duplicate IP / addressing
Check for duplicate addresses on the network.
Failing switch or port
Swap the switch/port; check for errors on managed switches.
Prevention: Cable management, segregation from power, managed-switch monitoring.
Chiller / coolingInsufficient cooling›
Hits OEE: Performance
Symptoms: Process runs hot, chiller cannot hold setpoint, downstream quality drifts.
Low refrigerant charge
Check for leaks; have a licensed tech recharge.
Fouled condenser
Clean condenser coils; clear airflow or check water side.
Low coolant flow
Check pump, strainer and valves; bleed air; clean filters.
Scaled/fouled evaporator
Descale/clean the evaporator; treat the water loop.
Prevention: Condenser cleaning, water treatment, flow and refrigerant checks.
Chiller / coolingHigh-pressure trip›
Hits OEE: Availability
Symptoms: Chiller trips on high head pressure and shuts down.
Condenser fouling or blocked airflow
Clean the condenser; restore airflow/water flow.
Condenser fan failure
Replace the failed fan; check controls.
Overcharge or non-condensables
Have a tech correct the charge; purge non-condensables.
Prevention: Condenser maintenance, fan checks, correct charge.
Fan / blowerHigh vibration›
Hits OEE: Availability
Symptoms: Vibration, noise, fatigue cracking risk, rising bearing temperature.
Imbalance from build-up or wear
Clean the impeller; balance the rotor; check for erosion.
Bearing wear
Replace bearings; lubricate to spec.
Loose mounting or ductwork resonance
Tighten the base; check isolation and duct supports.
Prevention: Vibration trending, impeller cleaning, mounting checks.
Fan / blowerLow airflow›
Hits OEE: Performance
Symptoms: Reduced ventilation/extraction, process temperature or dust issues.
Dirty filter or impeller
Replace filters; clean the impeller blades.
Belt slip (belt-driven)
Re-tension or replace the drive belt.
Damper closed or duct blockage
Check damper position; clear duct obstructions.
Wrong rotation
Verify motor rotation matches the fan arrow.
Prevention: Filter schedule, belt checks, damper/duct inspection.
Mixer / agitatorSeal leak›
Hits OEE: Availability
Symptoms: Product leaking at the shaft entry, contamination or housekeeping issue.
Worn mechanical seal or packing
Replace the seal/packing; inspect the shaft sleeve.
Missing seal flush/lubrication
Restore flush or lubrication to the seal.
Shaft runout / misalignment
Check shaft straightness and alignment; correct bent shaft.
Prevention: Seal flush plans, shaft/alignment checks, scheduled seal renewal.
Mixer / agitatorMotor overload trip›
Hits OEE: Availability
Symptoms: Mixer drive trips on overload, especially at start or with thick product.
Product too viscous / overfilled
Reduce batch size or start at lower level; review viscosity/temperature.
Bearing or gearbox drag
Check for mechanical drag; service bearings/gearbox.
Material solidified around the impeller
Clear the build-up; review cleaning between batches.
Prevention: Batch/viscosity limits, drivetrain maintenance, cleaning SOPs.
Control valve / actuatorSticking or slow response›
Hits OEE: Performance
Symptoms: Valve responds slowly or in steps, process control hunts or drifts.
Contamination / build-up on the trim
Clean the valve internals; add filtration upstream.
Low or leaking actuator air
Check air supply pressure and lines; fix leaks.
Positioner out of calibration
Recalibrate the positioner; check feedback linkage.
Packing too tight
Adjust packing to remove excess friction.
Prevention: Clean instrument air, positioner calibration, valve stroke checks.
Control valve / actuatorValve will not fully close (passing)›
Hits OEE: Quality
Symptoms: Flow or pressure leaks through when the valve should be shut.
Worn seat or trim
Inspect and replace seat/trim; lap if applicable.
Debris trapped on the seat
Flush or strip and clean; add upstream strainer.
Insufficient actuator force
Verify actuator sizing and air pressure for shutoff.
Prevention: Upstream filtration, trim inspection, correct actuator sizing.
Heat exchangerPoor heat transfer›
Hits OEE: Performance
Symptoms: Outlet temperature off target, longer heating/cooling, throughput limited.
Fouling or scaling
Clean (CIP/chemical or mechanical); treat the water/process side.
Air binding
Vent trapped air/vapour from the unit.
Low flow on one side
Check pumps, strainers and valves on the limiting side.
Prevention: Cleaning schedule, water treatment, flow monitoring.
Heat exchangerInternal leak / cross-contamination›
Hits OEE: Quality
Symptoms: One fluid contaminating the other, pressure or level cross-talk.
Tube or plate failure
Pressure-test to find the failed tube/plate; plug or replace.
Failed gasket (plate type)
Replace gaskets; re-torque the plate pack to spec.
Prevention: Periodic integrity testing, gasket renewal, corrosion control.
WeldingPoor or inconsistent weld quality›
Hits OEE: Quality
Symptoms: Weak welds, porosity, inconsistent appearance, weld rejects.
Worn tips/electrodes or liner
Replace contact tips/electrodes; check the wire liner.
Wrong parameters
Set voltage/current/wire-feed/travel to the qualified procedure.
Dirty or oily base material
Clean the joint; remove oil, rust and scale.
Poor ground / shielding gas
Check the work clamp/ground and shielding-gas flow and coverage.
Prevention: Consumable schedule, parameter control, joint prep, gas/ground checks.
WeldingExcessive spatter or burn-through›
Hits OEE: Quality
Symptoms: Heavy spatter, holes/burn-through, rework and clean-up.
Current or voltage too high
Lower to the qualified parameters for the thickness.
Travel speed too slow
Increase travel speed; check robot/operator technique.
Wrong gas or low flow
Verify gas type and flow; check for draughts disturbing coverage.
Prevention: Parameter control, gas checks, fixture/fit-up consistency.
Cooling towerExcessive water loss›
Hits OEE: Quality
Symptoms: High make-up water use, drift/overflow, treatment cost up.
Drift (missing/damaged eliminators)
Repair/replace drift eliminators.
Overflow or float fault
Set make-up float valve; check basin level control.
Excessive blowdown
Tune blowdown to cycles of concentration.
Prevention: Eliminator inspection, level-control checks, blowdown tuning.
Steam boilerLow steam pressure›
Hits OEE: Availability
Symptoms: Cannot hold header pressure, process heating slow.
Burner/firing fault
Check burner operation, fuel supply and combustion controls.
Excess load or steam leaks
Find and fix steam leaks/failed traps; review demand.
Scaled heat surfaces
Descale; correct feedwater treatment.
Prevention: Feedwater treatment, steam-trap surveys, burner maintenance.
Steam boilerCarryover / wet steam›
Hits OEE: Quality
Symptoms: Water carried with steam, waterhammer, poor heat transfer downstream.
High water level
Correct level control; check feed system.
High TDS / foaming
Increase blowdown; correct water chemistry.
Rapid load swings
Smooth demand; review firing-rate control.
Prevention: Level-control checks, blowdown/TDS control, stable load.
Vacuum pumpLow vacuum / slow pump-down›
Hits OEE: Performance
Symptoms: Vacuum level poor, long evacuation times, process suction weak.
System leaks
Leak-check fittings, seals and the vessel; fix ingress.
Worn vanes or low/contaminated oil
Replace vanes; change oil to spec.
Blocked inlet filter
Clean or replace the inlet filter/strainer.
Prevention: Leak checks, oil changes/analysis, filter maintenance.
Vacuum pumpOverheating›
Hits OEE: Availability
Symptoms: Pump runs hot, trips, oil discolours.
Low/degraded oil
Top up or change oil; verify correct grade.
Blocked cooling or high ambient
Clean cooling surfaces; improve ventilation.
Running at deep vacuum continuously
Add gas ballast or review duty.
Prevention: Oil program, cooling/ventilation, correct duty.
Dust collectorHigh differential pressure›
Hits OEE: Performance
Symptoms: Rising pressure drop across the filter, reduced suction/capture.
Blinded filter bags/cartridges
Check pulse-clean system; replace blinded filters.
Pulse-clean fault (low air, failed valve)
Restore compressed-air supply; repair solenoid/diaphragm valves.
Hopper bridging / not discharging
Clear the hopper; fix the rotary valve/auger.
Prevention: Pulse-clean checks, filter-life monitoring, hopper discharge maintenance.
Dust collectorPoor capture / visible emissions›
Hits OEE: Quality
Symptoms: Dust escaping at the source or stack, housekeeping/compliance concern.
Low airflow (see high dP)
Restore airflow; address blinded filters and damper settings.
Ducting leaks or blockages
Seal duct leaks; clear blockages and settled dust.
Torn filter / bypass
Find and replace torn media; check seals and tube-sheet.
Prevention: Airflow balancing, duct integrity, filter inspection.
Pneumatic cylinderSlow, weak or erratic motion›
Hits OEE: Performance
Symptoms: Cylinder moves slowly, lacks force, or stutters.
Low air pressure / supply restriction
Check regulator setting and supply; clear restrictions/filters.
Worn seals (internal leak)
Rebuild or replace the cylinder; check rod for scoring.
Flow controls misadjusted
Reset meter-out flow controls; remove kinks.
Sticking valve
Clean or replace the directional valve; check pilot air.
Prevention: Clean dry air (FRL), seal/valve maintenance, flow-control setup.
Pneumatic cylinderAir leaks›
Hits OEE: Performance
Symptoms: Audible leaks, high compressed-air demand, pressure drop.
Worn rod/piston seals
Rebuild the cylinder; replace seals.
Loose fittings or damaged tubing
Tighten/replace push-fit fittings and tubing.
Failed valve seals
Service or replace the valve.
Prevention: Leak surveys, fitting/tubing checks, scheduled seal renewal.
CouplingPremature coupling wear or failure›
Hits OEE: Availability
Symptoms: Worn/cracked element, noise, vibration, repeat failures.
Misalignment
Laser-align driver and driven shafts to spec.
Worn/incorrect element
Replace the element; confirm correct type and size.
Excess torque/shock loading
Review duty; add a correctly rated coupling or soft-start.
Prevention: Precision alignment, element inspection, correct sizing.
Screw conveyorBlockage / will not convey›
Hits OEE: Availability
Symptoms: Material packs, motor labours or trips, no discharge.
Overfeeding or wet/sticky material
Reduce feed rate; address material moisture; check inlet.
Foreign object jam
Lock out and clear the obstruction.
Worn/ bent flights
Inspect and repair flighting and hanger bearings.
Prevention: Feed control, material conditioning, flight/bearing inspection.
Screw conveyorBearing or seal failure›
Hits OEE: Availability
Symptoms: Noise/heat at end bearings, material leaking at seals.
Contamination ingress
Improve sealing; fit purge/air seals on abrasive duty.
Hanger bearing wear
Inspect and replace intermediate hanger bearings.
Poor lubrication
Set lubrication interval for the duty.
Prevention: Sealing upgrades, hanger-bearing schedule, lubrication.
Checkweigher / scaleWeight drift or inaccuracy›
Hits OEE: Quality
Symptoms: Readings drift, fails calibration checks, giveaway or underfill.
Load cell drift / damage
Recalibrate; replace a damaged or overloaded load cell.
Vibration or airflow disturbance
Isolate the weigh frame; shield from draughts and conveyor vibration.
Product build-up on the weigh deck
Clean the deck; add cleaning to the schedule.
Prevention: Routine calibration, vibration isolation, deck cleaning.
Checkweigher / scaleExcessive false rejects›
Hits OEE: Performance
Symptoms: Good product rejected, yield loss, frequent stops.
Reject timing off
Re-time the reject mechanism to line speed.
Spacing / product touching
Improve infeed spacing so items weigh singly.
Threshold set too tight
Review tolerance limits against real variation.
Prevention: Reject-timing checks, infeed spacing, sensible tolerances.
Vision inspectionFalse rejects or missed defects›
Hits OEE: Quality
Symptoms: Good parts failed or bad parts passed, unstable inspection.
Lighting drift / ambient light
Stabilise and shroud lighting; re-baseline; lock exposure.
Lens/part fouling or focus
Clean optics; re-focus; secure the camera mount.
Thresholds/model not robust
Re-train or re-tune with current good/bad samples.
Prevention: Controlled lighting, optics cleaning, periodic model validation.
Lubrication systemNo or low lubricant delivery›
Hits OEE: Availability
Symptoms: Dry points, low-level/fault alarms, bearings running hot.
Empty reservoir
Refill with the correct grease/oil; check refill schedule.
Blocked line or injector
Find the blocked feed; clear or replace the injector/metering unit.
Pump or control fault
Check the lube pump, timer and pressure switch.
Prevention: Reservoir checks, line/injector inspection, monitor cycle/pressure.
Hydraulic pressLow tonnage / will not build force›
Hits OEE: Availability
Symptoms: Press cannot reach set tonnage, parts under-formed.
Relief valve set low or worn
Verify and reset relief pressure; service if bypassing.
Worn pump / internal leakage
Test pump flow; check cylinder seals and valves for bypass.
Low or aerated oil
Top up; bleed air; check suction.
Prevention: Pressure verification, seal/pump condition, oil condition.
Hydraulic pressRam drift / creep›
Hits OEE: Quality
Symptoms: Ram drifts down when held, dimensional/quality issues, safety concern.
Internal valve leakage
Identify the leaking holding/check valve; reseal or replace.
Worn cylinder seals
Reseal the main cylinder.
Counterbalance valve fault
Service or replace the counterbalance/pilot-operated check valve.
Prevention: Valve and seal maintenance, periodic drift testing.
Industrial ovenBurner will not ignite / lockout›
Hits OEE: Availability
Symptoms: Burner fails to light or locks out, no/low heat, repeated resets.
Flame-sensing fault
Clean/replace the flame rod or UV scanner; check the ground.
Ignition fault
Inspect igniter/electrode and gap; check the ignition transformer.
Fuel/air supply issue
Verify gas pressure and valves; check the air/purge proving.
Prevention: Flame-sensor cleaning, ignition checks, combustion servicing.
Industrial ovenUneven temperature / hot-cold spots›
Hits OEE: Quality
Symptoms: Product cured/dried unevenly, quality variation across the load.
Airflow imbalance / blocked ducts
Balance dampers; clear ducts and recirculation fans.
Failed heating element/zone
Test zones; replace failed elements/contactors.
Sensor placement/calibration
Calibrate and reposition temperature sensors; profile the oven.
Prevention: Airflow balancing, zone checks, periodic temperature profiling.
PalletizerPattern faults / frequent jams›
Hits OEE: Performance
Symptoms: Misformed layers, toppled product, stops at the layer/row former.
Infeed orientation/spacing wrong
Check row-former and turning devices; correct spacing.
Worn/misadjusted guides or grippers
Inspect and reset change parts for the pattern/SKU.
Product or pallet variation
Tighten incoming pallet/product spec; re-teach the pattern.
Prevention: Pattern setup sheets, change-part inspection, pallet/product QA.
ConveyorMaterial carryback / spillage›
Hits OEE: Quality
Symptoms: Material drops along the return run, housekeeping and slip hazards.
Worn or missing belt cleaners
Fit/replace primary and secondary belt scrapers.
Mistracking spilling at edges
Correct tracking; add skirting at load points.
Carryback sticking to the belt
Address material moisture; add belt washing if needed.
Prevention: Belt-cleaner maintenance, tracking, load-point skirting.
Electric motorSingle-phasing / runs noisy under load›
Hits OEE: Availability
Symptoms: Motor hums, struggles under load, overheats, may trip; one phase suspect.
Lost phase (blown fuse/loose connection)
Check all three phases and connections; fix the open phase.
Voltage imbalance
Measure phase balance; correct the supply issue.
Winding fault
Megger the windings; rewind/replace if failed.
Prevention: Connection thermography, phase-balance checks, protection settings.
CNC machineWill not home / axis alarm›
Hits OEE: Availability
Symptoms: Axis fails to reference, servo/over-travel alarm, machine will not run.
Over-travel / limit tripped
Back the axis off the limit; clear the over-travel; check the switch.
Home/reference switch or encoder fault
Test the home switch and encoder feedback; replace if faulty.
Servo/drive fault
Read the alarm code; check the drive and motor power/feedback.
Prevention: Limit/home-switch checks, feedback maintenance, read alarms first.
Injection mouldingWarping / dimensional instability›
Hits OEE: Quality
Symptoms: Parts bow or twist, out of tolerance after ejection.
Uneven cooling
Balance mould cooling; check water circuits and temperatures.
Residual stress (pack/hold)
Optimise pack/hold and cooling time; reduce over-packing.
Ejection too early / hot
Extend cooling; adjust ejection.
Prevention: Balanced cooling, validated pack/hold, adequate cooling time.
Packaging lineMissing or unreadable date/lot code›
Hits OEE: Quality
Symptoms: Coder misses prints or codes are unreadable, compliance rejects.
Printhead dirty or low ink/ribbon
Clean the printhead; replace ink/ribbon/fluids.
Trigger/encoder timing off
Check the product trigger and encoder; re-time the print.
Substrate or speed mismatch
Match settings to substrate and line speed; verify with a scanner.
Prevention: Coder cleaning schedule, trigger checks, print verification.
BearingRising vibration / early defect›
Hits OEE: Availability
Symptoms: Vibration analysis shows rising bearing-defect frequencies; subtle noise before failure.
Early spalling or brinelling
Trend vibration; plan replacement before failure.
Lubrication breakdown
Re-lube to spec; check grease type and interval.
Looseness or poor fit
Check housing/shaft fits and clamping.
Prevention: Vibration trending, correct lubrication, proper fits.
Sensor / photo-eyeAnalog sensor drift / wrong reading›
Hits OEE: Quality
Symptoms: Temperature, pressure or level transmitter reads off, control drifts.
Calibration drift
Recalibrate against a reference; set a calibration interval.
Fouled or coated probe
Clean the probe/sensing element; protect from build-up.
Wiring, ground or EMI
Check shielding and grounding; route away from VFD/power.
Prevention: Scheduled calibration, probe cleaning, proper shielding.
PLC / controlsHMI blank or frozen›
Hits OEE: Availability
Symptoms: Operator panel dark or unresponsive; machine runs but no control/visibility.
Power or comms to PLC lost
Check HMI power and the PLC link; reseat the cable.
Application crash / memory
Restart the panel; check for a faulted runtime or full memory.
Failed backlight or panel
Test backlight; replace the panel if dead.
Prevention: Stable power, comms monitoring, firmware/app backups.
Chiller / coolingShort-cycling / low-flow alarm›
Hits OEE: Performance
Symptoms: Chiller starts and stops rapidly or trips on low flow.
Low flow / clogged strainer
Clean the strainer; check pump and valve line-up.
Air in the loop
Bleed air; check expansion/make-up.
Setpoint differential too tight
Widen the control differential within spec.
Prevention: Strainer cleaning, loop de-aeration, sensible differentials.
Fan / blowerMotor overload or belt failure›
Hits OEE: Availability
Symptoms: Fan drive trips on overload or the drive belt fails repeatedly.
Damper or system resistance wrong
Set dampers correctly; check for blockage changing the operating point.
Belt tension or wear
Re-tension or replace belts; align sheaves.
Bearing drag / build-up
Service bearings; clean the impeller.
Prevention: Damper checks, belt maintenance, bearing/impeller care.
Mixer / agitatorPoor or inconsistent mixing›
Hits OEE: Quality
Symptoms: Batches not homogeneous, separation, quality variation.
Wrong speed or mix time
Set speed/time to the batch recipe; verify direction.
Worn or wrong impeller
Inspect impeller wear; confirm correct type for the duty.
Sequence or level wrong
Follow the addition sequence and minimum level for the impeller.
Prevention: Recipe control, impeller inspection, batch SOPs.
Control valve / actuatorHunting / oscillating control›
Hits OEE: Quality
Symptoms: Controlled variable swings around setpoint, valve constantly moving.
Controller tuning too aggressive
Re-tune PID (reduce gain / lengthen integral).
Valve stiction
Service the valve/packing to remove stick-slip.
Noisy measurement
Filter the signal; fix the sensor source of noise.
Prevention: Proper loop tuning, valve maintenance, clean signals.
Heat exchangerHigh pressure drop›
Hits OEE: Performance
Symptoms: Rising differential pressure across the unit, reduced flow.
Fouling or scaling
Clean (chemical or mechanical); treat the fluid.
Partial blockage / debris
Strip and clear; fit upstream strainer.
Flow above design
Check the flow rate against the design envelope.
Prevention: Cleaning schedule, upstream filtration, flow monitoring.
WeldingWire feed problems / burnback›
Hits OEE: Availability
Symptoms: Erratic MIG wire feed, burnback to the contact tip, stoppages.
Worn or wrong liner/tip
Replace the liner and contact tip with the correct size.
Drive-roll tension or groove
Set drive-roll tension; use the correct groove for the wire.
Dirty or cast wire
Use clean wire; check spool and inlet guide.
Prevention: Consumable schedule, drive-roll setup, clean wire.
Cooling towerFan drive vibration or noise›
Hits OEE: Availability
Symptoms: Vibration or noise at the fan/gearbox, risk of drive failure.
Imbalance (build-up, ice, debris)
Clean and balance the fan; clear ice/debris.
Gearbox or bearing wear
Service the gear drive and bearings; check oil.
Loose blades or pitch off
Tighten blades; verify pitch is even.
Prevention: Fan balancing, gear-drive maintenance, blade checks.
Steam boilerFrequent low-water lockout›
Hits OEE: Availability
Symptoms: Repeated low-water trips and resets, unstable level.
Feedwater pump or valve fault
Check the feed pump, valves and feedwater supply.
Level control fouled
Clean and test level controls/probes; blow down the column.
Leaks or excess blowdown
Find and fix steam/water leaks; tune blowdown.
Prevention: Feed-system checks, level-control maintenance, leak surveys.
Vacuum pumpOil contamination / emulsification›
Hits OEE: Performance
Symptoms: Oil milky or dirty, vacuum and life drop.
Process vapour / condensate ingress
Use gas ballast; fit an inlet condensate trap/filter.
Overdue oil change
Change oil to spec; shorten the interval for wet duty.
Worn components shedding debris
Inspect and service the pump.
Prevention: Gas ballast use, inlet traps, oil analysis and changes.
Dust collectorHopper / discharge blockage›
Hits OEE: Availability
Symptoms: Dust backs up, hopper overfills, capture drops.
Rotary valve or auger fault
Clear and repair the discharge device; check the drive.
Material bridging
Fit bin aids/vibration; address material flow.
Moisture caking
Control moisture/condensation in the hopper.
Prevention: Discharge-device maintenance, flow aids, moisture control.
Pneumatic cylinderWill not extend or return›
Hits OEE: Availability
Symptoms: Cylinder stuck in one direction or fully stalled.
Valve not shifting / no pilot air
Check the directional valve and pilot supply; manual-override test.
Blocked exhaust / muffler
Clear or replace the blocked muffler/exhaust.
Jammed load or failed seal
Clear the mechanical jam; rebuild if seals bypass.
Prevention: Clean dry air, valve/muffler checks, mechanical guarding.
Screw conveyorHigh power draw / excessive wear›
Hits OEE: Performance
Symptoms: Motor amps high, fast wear of flights and trough.
Overfilling
Reduce feed rate to the design fill.
Abrasive material / no liner
Fit hardfaced flights and trough liners.
Misalignment / worn hangers
Align; replace worn hanger bearings and flights.
Prevention: Feed control, wear liners, alignment and hanger checks.
Checkweigher / scaleMissed weighments / not triggering›
Hits OEE: Performance
Symptoms: Items pass without being weighed, gaps in data, no reject decision.
Infeed spacing or speed wrong
Set spacing and conveyor speed so items weigh singly.
Trigger/photocell fault
Check and align the product trigger.
Settling time too short
Increase settling time for the weight to stabilise.
Prevention: Infeed setup, trigger checks, correct settling time.
Hydraulic pressSlow cycle / long dwell›
Hits OEE: Performance
Symptoms: Press cycles slowly, long approach or dwell, throughput down.
Low flow / worn pump
Test pump output; rebuild or replace if worn.
Relief partially bypassing
Verify relief setting; service if it leaks by.
Aerated or low oil
Top up and bleed air; check suction.
Prevention: Pump condition, relief verification, oil condition.
Industrial ovenSlow heat-up / poor recovery›
Hits OEE: Performance
Symptoms: Oven takes too long to reach temperature or recover after door opens.
Failed element or heating zone
Test zones; replace failed elements/contactors.
Low fuel/air or combustion fault
Check fuel pressure, air and burner tuning.
Heavy load or poor door seals
Right-size the load; repair door/oven seals.
Prevention: Zone checks, combustion servicing, seal maintenance.
CouplingKnocking or backlash›
Hits OEE: Quality
Symptoms: Knock on start/stop or load reversal, lost motion, positioning error.
Worn elastomer / insert
Replace the flexible element.
Loose hub or key
Re-fit hubs, keys and set screws to spec.
Too much backlash for the duty
Use a zero-backlash coupling for servo/positioning.
Prevention: Element inspection, secure hubs, correct coupling type.
CouplingElement overheating or rapid degradation›
Hits OEE: Availability
Symptoms: Flexible element runs hot, cracks or crumbles early.
Misalignment beyond rating
Laser-align; reduce angular and parallel offset.
Overload or torque spikes
Right-size the coupling; add soft-start.
Heat or chemical exposure
Use a compatible element material for the environment.
Prevention: Precision alignment, correct sizing, material selection.
Vision inspectionCamera not triggering / no image›
Hits OEE: Availability
Symptoms: No inspection result or blank image; line stops or passes everything.
Trigger signal lost
Check the trigger sensor/encoder and wiring to the camera.
Power or comms fault
Verify camera power and the link to the controller.
Illuminator failed
Check the light/strobe and its trigger.
Prevention: Trigger and lighting checks, secure cabling.
Vision inspectionInconsistent results after changeover›
Hits OEE: Quality
Symptoms: Inspection unstable after a product or format change.
Wrong program/recipe loaded
Confirm the correct recipe for the SKU.
Fixture or part position changed
Re-fixture to the taught position; check guides.
Lighting/focus not reset
Reset lighting and focus for the new product.
Prevention: Per-SKU recipes, changeover checklist, fixturing repeatability.
Lubrication systemOver-lubrication›
Hits OEE: Quality
Symptoms: Grease purging from seals, contamination, bearings running hot.
Timer/volume set too high
Recalculate grease quantity and interval per point.
Wrong injector size
Fit correctly sized metering injectors.
Manual top-up on top of auto-lube
Stop double-lubricating; rely on the system.
Prevention: Calculated lubrication, correct injectors, one method per point.
Lubrication systemBlocked line / high-pressure fault›
Hits OEE: Availability
Symptoms: System faults on high pressure; some points stay dry.
Blocked feed line or injector
Find and clear the blockage; replace the injector.
Hardened or incompatible grease
Use the specified grease; flush old product.
Crimped or damaged tube
Replace the line; reroute to avoid pinching.
Prevention: Correct grease, line protection, periodic flow checks.
PalletizerDropped or mis-placed product›
Hits OEE: Quality
Symptoms: Cases dropped or placed off-pattern, unstable stacks.
Gripper or vacuum fault
Check grip force/vacuum and cups; replace worn parts.
Taught position drift
Re-teach place positions; check for mechanical knocks.
Product or case variation
Tighten incoming case spec; adjust handling.
Prevention: Gripper maintenance, position checks, case QA.
PalletizerPallet or infeed feed fault›
Hits OEE: Availability
Symptoms: No pallet present, pallet jams, or infeed starves and backs up.
Pallet dispenser jam
Clear the magazine; remove damaged pallets.
Infeed sensor or conveyor fault
Check infeed sensors and the conveyor drive.
Poor pallet quality
Reject broken or wet pallets; tighten supplier spec.
Prevention: Dispenser maintenance, sensor checks, pallet quality control.
Filling machineFill volume out of spec (over or under-fill)›
Hits OEE: Quality
Symptoms: Net weight or fill level drifts outside limits, high giveaway or checkweigher rejects.
Worn valve or piston seals
Inspect and replace seals; rebuild worn fill heads.
Supply level or pressure varying
Stabilise the supply tank level and inlet pressure.
Viscosity or temperature change
Control product temperature; recalibrate for the recipe.
Calibration drift
Recalibrate fill volume and verify against a checkweigher.
Prevention: Routine calibration, seal inspection, stable supply and temperature.
Filling machineDripping or stringing nozzles›
Hits OEE: Quality
Symptoms: Product on threads, caps or conveyor, sticky containers and contamination.
Worn nozzle shut-off or no suck-back
Repair or replace nozzles; enable and tune suck-back.
Product too thin or aerated
Control viscosity and de-aerate; adjust fill speed.
Valve timing off
Tune valve open and close timing to the container.
Prevention: Nozzle maintenance, correct suck-back, viscosity control.
Filling machineNo fill or blocked nozzle›
Hits OEE: Availability
Symptoms: One or more heads not dispensing, missing fills rejected downstream.
Blocked nozzle or inline filter
Clean or replace the nozzle and filter.
Air lock in the manifold
Bleed air; ensure a flooded suction.
Valve actuator or signal fault
Check the valve solenoid and PLC output.
Prevention: Filter changes, CIP and flush schedule, valve checks.
Filling machineFoaming or spillage›
Hits OEE: Quality
Symptoms: Foam over the rim, inaccurate level fills, sticky mess at the heads.
Fill speed too high
Reduce fill rate; use bottom-up or diving nozzles.
Product aerated upstream
Fix pump or agitation entraining air; de-aerate.
Wrong nozzle for the product
Fit anti-foam nozzles suited to the product.
Prevention: Tuned fill profiles, leak-free suction, correct nozzle selection.
Capping machineLoose caps or low removal torque›
Hits OEE: Quality
Symptoms: Caps back off, leaks, and low application torque at QA checks.
Clutch torque set too low
Set application torque to spec; verify with a torque tester.
Worn chucks or clutch
Replace worn capping chucks and clutch liners.
Cap or neck variation
Tighten closure supplier spec; check the liner.
Prevention: Routine torque audits, chuck wear checks, closure QA.
Capping machineCross-threaded or cocked caps›
Hits OEE: Quality
Symptoms: Caps sit crooked, stripped threads, high reject rate.
Cap not seated before threading
Adjust cap placement and starter; check timing.
Chuck or spindle misalignment
Align the spindle to bottle centre; check guides.
Unstable bottle handling
Improve bottle clamping and neck support.
Prevention: Placement and timing checks, alignment, stable handling.
Capping machineCap jam or no cap feed›
Hits OEE: Availability
Symptoms: Capper starves, missing caps, sorter or chute jammed.
Sorter or elevator jam
Clear the bowl or elevator; remove deformed caps.
Chute blockage or wrong orientation
Clear the chute; check the orienting tooling.
Low cap hopper level
Maintain hopper level; check the level sensor.
Prevention: Sorter maintenance, cap quality control, hopper monitoring.
Labelling machineLabels misaligned or skewed›
Hits OEE: Quality
Symptoms: Labels crooked or in the wrong position, wrinkles, rejects.
Container speed mismatch
Match belt and roller speed to the product; sync the applicator.
Worn application rollers or brushes
Replace worn rollers and pads; check pressure.
Trigger sensor position off
Re-position the product sensor and apply point.
Prevention: Speed sync checks, roller maintenance, sensor calibration.
Labelling machineLabels not dispensing or web break›
Hits OEE: Availability
Symptoms: No label applied, the web snaps, machine stops on a label fault.
Web tension wrong or liner break
Set tension; re-thread; check the peel edge for nicks.
Label gap sensor not reading
Calibrate the gap or contrast sensor.
Empty roll or splice fault
Reload; manage splices to avoid stops.
Prevention: Tension setup, sensor calibration, roll and splice management.
Labelling machinePoor adhesion or lifting edges›
Hits OEE: Quality
Symptoms: Labels lift, corners curl, or fall off after packing.
Surface dirty, wet or cold
Clean and dry the surface; control container temperature.
Wrong adhesive for the substrate
Match adhesive to surface and temperature.
Low application pressure
Increase wipe-down pressure and brush contact.
Prevention: Surface prep, correct adhesive selection, wipe-down setup.
ExtruderSurging or inconsistent output›
Hits OEE: Performance
Symptoms: Output and pressure pulse, dimensional variation in the product.
Inconsistent feed
Check the feeder, feed-throat cooling and material flow.
Wrong temperature profile
Tune the zone profile; check for bridging in the throat.
Worn screw or barrel
Inspect for wear; restore clearances.
Prevention: Stable feeding, validated temperature profile, wear monitoring.
ExtruderMelt overheating or degradation›
Hits OEE: Quality
Symptoms: Discolouration, odour, gels or burn marks, high melt temperature.
Excess shear or screw speed
Reduce screw speed; review the screw design.
Heater control fault
Check thermocouples and heater bands; tune the PID.
Residence time too long
Avoid stagnation; purge regularly; size correctly.
Prevention: PID tuning, thermocouple checks, purge discipline.
ExtruderLow output or screw wear›
Hits OEE: Performance
Symptoms: Reduced throughput at the same speed, higher specific energy.
Worn screw flights or barrel
Measure clearances; rebuild or replace.
Feed slippage
Improve feed-throat cooling and grooving.
Wrong screw for the material
Use the correct screw geometry for the polymer.
Prevention: Wear inspection, feed-throat cooling, correct tooling.
ExtruderDie buildup or surface defects›
Hits OEE: Quality
Symptoms: Die lines, rough surface, drool at the die, frequent stops to clean.
Die buildup or degraded material
Clean the die; reduce degradation upstream.
Contamination or moisture
Dry the material; check for contamination; add a screen pack.
Wrong die temperature
Adjust die temperature for the polymer.
Prevention: Material drying, screen packs, die cleaning schedule.
Shrink wrapperPoor or open seals›
Hits OEE: Quality
Symptoms: Bags open, weak seals, product loose in the pack.
Seal temperature or dwell wrong
Tune seal temperature and dwell for the film.
Worn seal wire, PTFE or element
Replace the seal wire, PTFE tape and element.
Film tension or tracking off
Set film tension and correct tracking.
Prevention: Seal element maintenance, validated settings per film, tension control.
Shrink wrapperFilm wrinkles or burn-through›
Hits OEE: Quality
Symptoms: Wrinkled or scorched film, holes, poor shrink appearance.
Tunnel temperature or airflow wrong
Tune tunnel temperature, airflow and conveyor speed.
Wrong film or gauge
Match film type and gauge to the product.
Uneven heat distribution
Check tunnel heaters and baffles.
Prevention: Validated tunnel settings, correct film, heater checks.
Shrink wrapperInfeed or case-erection jam›
Hits OEE: Availability
Symptoms: Product backs up, cases not erected or glued, frequent stops.
Infeed metering fault
Check flighting, timing and infeed sensors.
Blank pick or glue fault
Check the vacuum pick and hot-melt glue system.
Product or blank variation
Tighten the incoming spec; adjust handling.
Prevention: Timing checks, vacuum and glue maintenance, blank and product QA.
Vibratory feederLow or no feed rate›
Hits OEE: Performance
Symptoms: Parts feed slowly or stop, the downstream station starves.
Amplitude set too low
Increase amplitude on the controller within limits.
Loose mounting or cracked spring
Tighten mounts; replace broken leaf springs.
Wrong coil air gap
Set the electromagnet air gap to spec.
Prevention: Spring and mount inspection, air-gap checks, controller settings.
Vibratory feederParts jamming or mis-orienting›
Hits OEE: Performance
Symptoms: Parts jam at the tooling or arrive in the wrong orientation at the pick point.
Worn or maladjusted tooling
Adjust or replace orienting tooling and tracks.
Overfilled bowl
Control bowl level; meter the hopper.
Part variation or tangling
Tighten the part spec; add anti-tangle tooling.
Prevention: Tooling maintenance, level control, part quality.
Vibratory feederExcessive noise or coil overheating›
Hits OEE: Availability
Symptoms: Loud buzzing or rattle, hot coil, faults or intermittent operation.
Loose hardware or resonance
Tighten all fasteners; check tuning and resonance.
Cracked spring or bad air gap
Replace springs; reset the air gap to avoid contact.
Coil or controller fault
Check coil resistance and the controller output.
Prevention: Fastener and spring checks, air-gap setup, electrical inspection.
WeldingPorosity in the weld›
Hits OEE: Quality
Symptoms: Gas pores or pinholes in the bead, failed inspection, weak joints.
Inadequate shielding gas
Check gas flow, coverage and leaks or draughts; set the correct flow.
Contaminated base metal or wire
Clean oil, rust, paint and moisture; store wire dry.
Wrong gas or technique
Use the correct gas mix; adjust travel angle and stick-out.
Prevention: Gas system checks, surface and wire cleanliness, draught control.
WeldingLack of fusion or penetration›
Hits OEE: Quality
Symptoms: Weld not fused to the base or root, undersized joint, rejects.
Heat input too low
Increase amperage and voltage and reduce travel speed to spec.
Poor joint prep or fit-up
Correct the bevel, root gap and cleanliness.
Wrong technique or angle
Adjust torch angle and aim; keep the arc on the joint root.
Prevention: WPS adherence, joint-prep standards, operator technique checks.
WeldingArc start or striking problems›
Hits OEE: Availability
Symptoms: Hard to strike an arc, stuttering start, sticking electrode.
Poor ground or work-clamp connection
Clean and secure the work clamp; check the return cable.
Wrong polarity or start settings
Set the correct polarity and start parameters for the process.
Worn contact tip or consumables
Replace the contact tip, liner and electrode.
Prevention: Ground integrity, correct settings, consumable replacement.
VFD / driveGround or earth fault trip›
Hits OEE: Availability
Symptoms: Drive trips on ground fault at start or run and will not stay running.
Motor or cable insulation breakdown
Megger the motor and cable; repair or replace the faulted item.
Moisture or contamination
Dry and clean terminations; seal cable entries.
Damaged output cable
Inspect for chafing or crush; replace the cable.
Prevention: Insulation testing, sealed terminations, cable protection.
VFD / driveMotor will not reach set speed›
Hits OEE: Performance
Symptoms: Output stuck below setpoint, current limiting, slow acceleration.
Current or torque limit reached
Check the load and mechanical drag; review the limit settings.
Accel ramp or speed reference wrong
Verify the speed-reference source and the ramp times.
Undersized drive or low voltage
Confirm drive sizing and the incoming supply voltage.
Prevention: Correct sizing, parameter review, load and supply checks.
VFD / driveNuisance tripping or random faults›
Hits OEE: Availability
Symptoms: Intermittent unexplained trips that clear on reset, with no clear pattern.
Electrical noise or EMI
Use screened cable, proper earthing and separation from signal wiring.
Loose power or control terminations
Torque-check all terminals; inspect for hot joints.
Supply disturbance
Check for sags and spikes; add a line reactor or filter if needed.
Prevention: EMC wiring practice, terminal checks, supply-quality monitoring.
PLC / controlsRetentive data or program loss›
Hits OEE: Availability
Symptoms: Recipe or counter values lost, or the program is corrupt after a power cycle.
Dead backup battery or failed memory
Replace the PLC battery; reload from the verified backup.
No current program backup
Restore the latest archive; establish a backup routine.
Power quality or improper shutdown
Fix supply issues; use controlled shutdowns and a UPS.
Prevention: Battery replacement schedule, regular program backups, clean power.
PLC / controlsIntermittent or random stops›
Hits OEE: Availability
Symptoms: The line stops sporadically with no clear fault or only a vague message.
Loose connection or intermittent sensor
Wiggle-test wiring; monitor suspect inputs over time.
Timing or race condition in logic
Review recent program changes and timing assumptions.
Heat or noise affecting the controller
Check panel cooling and grounding.
Prevention: Connection integrity, change control, panel-environment checks.
Blow moulding machineWall thickness variation›
Hits OEE: Quality
Symptoms: Uneven walls, weak spots, weight out of spec, failures in test.
Parison programming off
Re-tune the parison and wall-thickness profile.
Non-uniform temperature
Balance the zone temperatures; check the heater bands.
Worn tooling or die gap
Inspect and adjust the die and mandrel; replace worn tooling.
Prevention: Profile validation, temperature uniformity, tooling inspection.
Blow moulding machineMould clamp or close fault›
Hits OEE: Availability
Symptoms: Mould will not close or lock, cycle stops, safety fault on the clamp.
Low hydraulic pressure
Check clamp hydraulics and pressure; bleed air.
Obstruction or flash buildup
Clear flash and debris from the parting line.
Limit switch or safety fault
Check clamp limit switches and safety interlocks.
Prevention: Hydraulic maintenance, parting-line cleaning, switch checks.
CartonerCarton misfeed or no carton›
Hits OEE: Availability
Symptoms: Cartons not picked from the magazine, missing cartons, stops.
Vacuum pick fault
Check vacuum, cups and the pick timing.
Magazine empty or jammed
Refill; clear jams; check carton quality.
Carton blank variation
Tighten the blank spec; control humidity and storage.
Prevention: Vacuum maintenance, magazine monitoring, blank quality control.
CartonerProduct loading jam›
Hits OEE: Availability
Symptoms: Product not loaded into the carton, jams at the loading station.
Infeed or bucket timing off
Sync the product infeed with the carton position.
Product variation or misorientation
Tighten product handling upstream.
Pusher or loader fault
Check the loader mechanism and its sensors.
Prevention: Timing and sync checks, upstream handling, loader maintenance.
Servo driveFollowing (position) error fault›
Hits OEE: Availability
Symptoms: Drive faults on excessive following error and the axis stops mid-move.
Mechanical binding or overload
Check for binding and jams; confirm the load and inertia.
Tuning gains too low
Re-tune the loop gains for the load.
Encoder feedback fault
Check the encoder, coupling and cable.
Prevention: Mechanical condition checks, correct tuning, encoder integrity.
Servo driveServo overheating or overload›
Hits OEE: Availability
Symptoms: Drive or motor overtemperature or overload fault, thermal trips.
Continuous load above rating
Check the duty cycle and sizing; reduce load or upsize.
Mechanical drag or misalignment
Fix binding, alignment and lubrication.
Cooling or ambient issue
Clean heatsinks and fans; check panel cooling.
Prevention: Correct sizing, mechanical health, cooling maintenance.
Servo driveOscillation or hunting›
Hits OEE: Performance
Symptoms: Axis vibrates, buzzes or oscillates around position, poor finish.
Gains too high
Reduce the loop gains; re-tune for stability.
Mechanical backlash or resonance
Remove backlash; add a notch filter for resonance.
Loose coupling or mounting
Tighten the coupling and mounts.
Prevention: Stable tuning, backlash control, secure mechanics.
Servo pressForce or depth outside the pass window›
Hits OEE: Quality
Symptoms: Press-fit or forming force/distance signature falls outside limits, parts flagged or rejected, insertion depth wrong.
Worn or damaged tooling / anvil
Inspect and dress or replace the punch, tip and anvil; check for pickup and deformation.
Incoming component variation
Verify part and bore/shaft dimensions; tighten the incoming spec with the supplier.
Load cell drift or miscalibration
Recalibrate the load cell against a reference; check the amplifier and wiring.
Wrong program or window for the part
Load the correct force/distance recipe; confirm the pass window matches the validated part.
Prevention: Tooling inspection, incoming-part control, scheduled load-cell calibration, verified part programs; log the force/position curve every cycle.
Servo pressBallscrew or drivetrain wear›
Hits OEE: Availability
Symptoms: Rising noise or knock at the ram, position repeatability drops, force overshoot, backlash felt on reversal.
Worn ballscrew or nut
Measure backlash and repeatability; replace the ballscrew assembly when out of tolerance.
Failing thrust bearing
Inspect the thrust bearing for play and noise; replace and set preload to spec.
Low or degraded lubrication
Re-lubricate the screw and guides to the specified grease and interval.
Loss of preload
Check and reset preload on the screw and guides; correct mounting looseness.
Prevention: Lubrication schedule, periodic backlash/repeatability checks, thrust-bearing monitoring, vibration trending; track MTBF on the press to catch wear early.
Servo pressServo motor or drive overtemperature trip›
Hits OEE: Availability
Symptoms: Press faults on servo overtemperature during high-duty runs, thermal shutdowns, lost cycles.
Duty cycle above rating (long hold/dwell)
Review the hold and dwell time; size the press to the duty or add cooling time.
Cabinet cooling fault
Clean filters and heat exchangers; verify the panel fan and air conditioner.
Mechanical drag raising current
Fix binding, alignment and lubrication so the motor is not fighting the mechanism.
Holding brake dragging
Check the motor holding brake releases fully; repair or replace a dragging brake.
Prevention: Duty-cycle sizing, panel-cooling maintenance, drag and alignment checks, brake inspection.
Servo pressHome or reference position lost›
Hits OEE: Availability
Symptoms: Press will not home or faults on reference at start-up, cycle aborts, depth zero reads wrong.
Home or reference switch fault
Test the home/limit switch and wiring; clean, adjust or replace it.
Coupling slip losing zero
Check the motor-to-screw coupling for slip or wear; retighten or replace and re-home.
Ballscrew end-play
Check axial end-play at the screw; correct bearing preload and mounting.
Absolute-encoder data loss
Replace the encoder backup battery; re-establish the reference per the OEM procedure. Block the ram and dissipate stored energy before working in the press.
Prevention: Home-switch and encoder checks, coupling integrity, absolute-encoder battery replacement on schedule.
Tablet pressTablet weight variation›
Hits OEE: Quality
Symptoms: Weights drift outside limits, rejects at the checkweigher, content uniformity risk.
Inconsistent die fill
Check the feeder, paddle speed and powder flow; improve granule flowability.
Worn punches or dies
Inspect and replace worn tooling; verify tip and die wear.
Press speed too high for the powder
Reduce turret speed; balance feed to dwell time.
Prevention: Granule flow control, tooling inspection, validated speed.
Tablet pressCapping or lamination›
Hits OEE: Quality
Symptoms: Tablet caps split off or peels in layers, failed friability.
Trapped air in the die
Add pre-compression; slow the press; reduce fill depth.
Over-compression or wrong force
Tune main and pre-compression force to spec.
Poor granule binding or moisture
Adjust the formulation/moisture; check the granulation.
Prevention: Pre-compression use, force control, granulation quality.
Tablet pressSticking or picking›
Hits OEE: Quality
Symptoms: Powder sticks to punch faces, surface defects, embossing fills in.
Insufficient lubrication
Adjust lubricant level and blend time.
High moisture or tacky formulation
Control moisture; review the formulation.
Worn or damaged punch tips
Polish or replace the affected punches.
Prevention: Lubrication control, moisture control, punch maintenance.
Slitter rewinderWeb breaks›
Hits OEE: Availability
Symptoms: Web snaps during the run, frequent stops and re-threads.
Tension too high or uneven
Set unwind/rewind tension and taper; check load cells/dancers.
Nicked slit edge or dull knives
Replace or reposition knives; check the edge quality.
Roll defects or splices
Inspect parent rolls; manage splices and defects.
Prevention: Tension control, knife maintenance, parent-roll quality.
Slitter rewinderRoll telescoping or baggy edges›
Hits OEE: Quality
Symptoms: Finished rolls slip sideways or have loose, baggy edges.
Tension or taper profile wrong
Tune the taper tension through the build.
Misaligned cores or rollers
Align cores, chucks and idlers.
Caliper variation across the web
Address gauge bands upstream; spread the web.
Prevention: Taper-tension setup, alignment, caliper control.
Slitter rewinderWrinkles or poor slit edge›
Hits OEE: Quality
Symptoms: Wrinkles in the web, ragged or dusty slit edges.
Worn or wrong knives/anvils
Replace knives and bands; set correct overlap/depth.
Spreading or alignment issue
Add/adjust spreader rollers; align the path.
Tension or nip wrong
Tune tension and nip pressure.
Prevention: Knife maintenance, web spreading, tension and nip control.
GranulatorLow throughput or dull blades›
Hits OEE: Performance
Symptoms: Reduced regrind output, larger particles, higher energy per kg.
Dull or misadjusted knives
Sharpen or replace; set the correct rotor-to-bed clearance.
Worn or wrong screen
Replace the screen; select the right hole size.
Overfeeding
Meter the feed to the rotor capacity.
Prevention: Knife sharpening schedule, correct screen, controlled feed.
GranulatorExcessive fines or dust›
Hits OEE: Quality
Symptoms: Too much dust/fines in the regrind, downstream feeding and quality issues.
Blade clearance too tight or dull
Set clearance; keep knives sharp.
Screen too fine or rotor speed too high
Use a coarser screen; review rotor speed.
Recutting material in the chamber
Improve evacuation; check airflow/screen open area.
Prevention: Clearance and sharpness control, correct screen, good evacuation.
GranulatorJamming or motor overload›
Hits OEE: Availability
Symptoms: Rotor stalls, overload trips, material packs in the chamber.
Overfeed or oversized parts
Control feed size and rate; pre-cut large parts.
Foreign object or metal
Lock out and clear; add metal detection upstream.
Blunt knives or blocked screen
Service knives; clear and replace the screen.
Prevention: Feed control, contamination prevention, knife/screen service.
Induction furnaceLow melting rate or power›
Hits OEE: Performance
Symptoms: Melt takes too long, power output below rating, schedule slips.
Poor charge or coupling
Improve charge density and packing; correct charging practice.
Power supply or capacitor fault
Check the converter, capacitors and tuning.
Coil or lining condition
Inspect coil and lining thickness; reline if worn.
Prevention: Good charging practice, power-system checks, lining management.
Induction furnaceCoil or refractory fault›
Hits OEE: Availability
Symptoms: Ground/leak alarms, hot spots, risk of run-out, forced stop.
Refractory lining wear or crack
Inspect and reline on schedule; monitor wear.
Coil insulation or grout failure
Repair coating/grout; check the coil for shorts.
Leak-detection trip
Investigate the ground-leak system before restart; never ignore a run-out warning.
Prevention: Lining wear monitoring, coil maintenance, leak-detection testing.
Induction furnaceCooling water alarm or overheating›
Hits OEE: Availability
Symptoms: High coil temperature, low flow alarm, automatic power cutback.
Low flow or blockage
Check pumps, strainers and for scale in the coil circuit.
Scaling or poor water quality
Treat and monitor water; descale the circuit.
Heat-exchanger or fan fault
Service the cooling tower/heat exchanger and fans.
Prevention: Water-quality program, flow monitoring, cooling maintenance.
Decanter centrifugePoor separation or cloudy effluent›
Hits OEE: Quality
Symptoms: Wet cake or cloudy liquid, off-spec separation, carryover.
Wrong differential/pond settings
Tune bowl speed, differential and pond depth for the feed.
Feed rate or flocculant off
Adjust feed rate; optimise polymer/flocculant dosing.
Worn scroll or tiles
Inspect and rebuild the scroll wear surfaces.
Prevention: Correct process setup, dosing control, scroll wear checks.
Decanter centrifugeVibration›
Hits OEE: Availability
Symptoms: High vibration alarm, noise, risk of trip or damage.
Imbalance from uneven cake build-up
Flush/clean the bowl; review feed consistency.
Bearing wear
Check and replace main bearings.
Scroll or bowl damage
Inspect for wear/damage; rebalance after rebuild.
Prevention: Cleaning regime, bearing condition monitoring, balance checks.
Decanter centrifugeTorque or differential overload›
Hits OEE: Availability
Symptoms: Backdrive/torque overload trips, scroll struggles to convey cake.
Solids overload or heavy feed
Reduce feed rate/solids; adjust differential.
Compacted or sticky cake
Tune pond and dosing; flush as needed.
Gearbox or backdrive fault
Inspect the gearbox/backdrive and lubrication.
Prevention: Feed/solids control, process tuning, gearbox maintenance.
Stretch wrapperFilm breaks during wrapping›
Hits OEE: Availability
Symptoms: Film snaps mid-cycle, frequent stops and re-threads.
Pre-stretch or tension too high
Reduce pre-stretch/film force; tune for the film gauge.
Sharp load edges
Add edge protection; adjust corner handling.
Film quality or carriage rollers
Check the film spec and the pre-stretch rollers.
Prevention: Correct film-force settings, edge protection, carriage maintenance.
Stretch wrapperPoor load containment›
Hits OEE: Quality
Symptoms: Loose loads, shifting in transit, damaged pallets.
Too few wraps or low force
Set wrap count and containment force; add top/bottom revolutions.
Wrong wrap pattern
Program a pattern suited to the load.
Pre-stretch not optimised
Increase pre-stretch for better cling and holding force.
Prevention: Validated wrap recipes, correct force, pre-stretch tuning.
Stretch wrapperFilm not cutting or clamping›
Hits OEE: Availability
Symptoms: Film tail not cut/clamped, film drags, cycle faults.
Cut-and-clamp fault
Check the cutter, heat element and clamp mechanism.
Timing or sensor issue
Verify the carriage home position and sensors.
Film wrap-around on rollers
Clean rollers; correct threading.
Prevention: Cut/clamp maintenance, sensor checks, correct threading.
HomogeniserLow or unstable pressure›
Hits OEE: Performance
Symptoms: Homogenising pressure low or fluctuating, poor product consistency.
Worn valve seats or plungers
Inspect and replace the homogenising valve and plunger seals.
Air or cavitation on suction
Ensure flooded suction; remove air; check feed pump.
Worn pump valves
Service the suction/discharge valves and springs.
Prevention: Valve and seal maintenance, stable flooded feed, valve service.
HomogeniserValve or seat wear›
Hits OEE: Quality
Symptoms: Drifting particle size, poor emulsion, rising pressure for the same setting.
Eroded homogenising valve/seat
Replace the valve and seat; check the impact ring.
Abrasive or hard product
Use the correct valve material; plan wear-part changes.
Wrong stage balance
Set first/second stage pressures correctly.
Prevention: Wear-part program, correct materials, stage-pressure setup.
HomogeniserOverheating or seal leakage›
Hits OEE: Availability
Symptoms: Hot block, leaking plunger seals, product loss or contamination risk.
Plunger seal wear or poor cooling
Replace seals; verify the seal-cooling/flush water.
Inadequate lubrication
Check the crankcase oil and lubrication system.
Misalignment or worn plunger
Inspect plungers and alignment; replace worn parts.
Prevention: Seal cooling, lubrication checks, plunger maintenance.
Stamping pressBurrs or poor part quality›
Hits OEE: Quality
Symptoms: Excessive burr, rough edges, dimensional drift, rising reject rate.
Worn or dull tooling
Sharpen or replace punches and dies; restore the cutting edge.
Wrong die clearance
Set the punch-to-die clearance for the material and thickness.
Misalignment or worn guides
Align the die set; check guide pins and bushings for wear.
Prevention: Tooling sharpening schedule, correct clearance, die-set alignment.
Stamping pressMisfeed or feed length error›
Hits OEE: Availability
Symptoms: Strip feeds short or long, double hits, jams, scrap at start of coil.
Feeder or pilot release timing off
Re-time the feed and pilot release to the press cycle.
Slipping feed rolls or wrong tension
Adjust roll pressure; check the straightener and loop.
Stock or coil-set variation
Tighten incoming stock spec; check the straightener.
Prevention: Feed timing checks, roll/straightener maintenance, stock quality.
Press brakeInconsistent bend angle›
Hits OEE: Quality
Symptoms: Bend angle varies part to part, out-of-tolerance angles, rework.
Springback variation
Use angle measurement/adaptive bending; compensate for the material.
Material thickness or grade variation
Sort and verify stock; adjust the program per batch.
Worn tooling or wrong vee
Select the correct die opening; replace worn tooling.
Prevention: Angle compensation, material control, correct tooling selection.
Press brakeSpringback or part variation›
Hits OEE: Quality
Symptoms: Parts open up after bending, dimensions drift across a run.
Material property variation
Control material source; measure and adapt per batch.
Tonnage or bottoming wrong
Tune the force/coining; verify the bending method.
Crowning not set
Set crowning to keep the bend even across the length.
Prevention: Material control, correct bending method, crowning setup.
Press brakeBackgauge positioning fault›
Hits OEE: Availability
Symptoms: Backgauge does not reach position, faults, wrong flange lengths.
Drive, belt or encoder fault
Check the backgauge drive, belt and encoder feedback.
Mechanical binding or debris
Clean and lubricate the axis; clear obstructions.
Reference or homing error
Re-home the axis; verify the reference.
Prevention: Axis maintenance, cleanliness, periodic homing checks.
Laser cutterPoor cut edge or dross›
Hits OEE: Quality
Symptoms: Rough edge, dross/burr on the underside, striations, rework.
Wrong feed, power or focus
Tune cutting parameters; set the correct focus position.
Assist-gas pressure or purity
Check gas pressure, type and nozzle condition.
Dirty or damaged lens/nozzle
Clean or replace the lens and nozzle; check alignment.
Prevention: Validated parameters, gas/nozzle checks, optics maintenance.
Laser cutterLoss of cutting power or not cutting through›
Hits OEE: Performance
Symptoms: Incomplete cuts, slower feeds needed, beam seems weak.
Dirty or misaligned optics
Clean and align mirrors/lens; check the beam path.
Source or resonator issue
Check the laser source power and service per OEM.
Worn nozzle or wrong standoff
Replace the nozzle; set correct standoff height.
Prevention: Optics cleaning, source servicing, nozzle/standoff control.
Laser cutterHead crash or focus fault›
Hits OEE: Availability
Symptoms: Head collides with tipped parts, capacitive height fault, stops.
Tip-ups from cut parts
Use micro-tabs/common-line cutting; improve nesting.
Height-sensor or nozzle fault
Clean/calibrate the capacitive sensor; replace the nozzle.
Slat condition or debris
Clean slats and the bed; remove slag.
Prevention: Smart nesting, height-sensor calibration, bed housekeeping.
Spot welderWeak or cold welds›
Hits OEE: Quality
Symptoms: Undersized nuggets, peel failures, low weld strength at checks.
Low current or short weld time
Set current and weld time to the schedule; verify the weld controller.
Poor electrode force or contact
Set force; check the cylinder and tip contact.
Worn electrodes or contamination
Dress or replace electrodes; clean the faying surfaces.
Prevention: Weld-schedule control, force checks, electrode maintenance.
Spot welderElectrode wear or sticking›
Hits OEE: Availability
Symptoms: Electrodes mushroom or stick to the part, marking, frequent dressing.
Excess current or insufficient cooling
Tune current; verify electrode water cooling flow.
Worn or wrong cap
Dress on schedule; use the correct cap alloy and shape.
Contaminated or coated material
Adapt the schedule for coatings; clean surfaces.
Prevention: Cooling-flow checks, tip-dressing schedule, schedule for coatings.
Spot welderExpulsion or burn-through›
Hits OEE: Quality
Symptoms: Weld spatter/expulsion, holes, surface burn, weak joints.
Current too high or time too long
Reduce current/time; tune the schedule.
Insufficient electrode force
Increase and verify force before current.
Poor fit-up or gaps
Improve part fit-up and clamping.
Prevention: Balanced weld schedule, correct force, good fit-up.
Reflow ovenSolder defects (tombstoning, bridging)›
Hits OEE: Quality
Symptoms: Components stand up (tombstone), bridges between pads, opens.
Unbalanced reflow profile
Tune the zone profile; balance heating across the board.
Paste volume or stencil issue
Check stencil aperture and paste deposit upstream.
Placement offset
Verify the placement accuracy (see pick-and-place).
Prevention: Validated profile, stencil/paste control, placement checks.
Reflow ovenProfile or temperature out of spec›
Hits OEE: Quality
Symptoms: Profile alarms, cold or overheated joints, inconsistent results.
Heater or blower fault
Check zone heaters, blowers and thermocouples.
Conveyor speed wrong
Set belt speed to the validated profile.
Nitrogen or exhaust issue
Verify N2 level and exhaust balance.
Prevention: Profiling/verification schedule, heater and sensor checks.
Reflow ovenConveyor or board-warp issues›
Hits OEE: Availability
Symptoms: Boards jam, sag or warp, drop off the edge rails, stops.
Edge-rail width or support wrong
Set rail width; add centre support for large boards.
Chain wear or lubrication
Service the conveyor chain and lubrication.
Excessive top-bottom delta
Balance top/bottom heating to reduce warp.
Prevention: Rail setup, conveyor maintenance, balanced heating.
Wave solder machineBridging or shorts›
Hits OEE: Quality
Symptoms: Solder bridges between leads/pads, electrical shorts, rework.
Wave height or contact time wrong
Tune wave height, speed and contact time.
Flux amount or activation low
Check flux quantity and preheat activation.
Conveyor angle or design
Adjust the conveyor angle; review pad design.
Prevention: Validated wave/flux settings, preheat control, conveyor angle.
Wave solder machineInsufficient or skipped joints›
Hits OEE: Quality
Symptoms: Dry/insufficient joints, skips, poor hole fill on through-hole.
Low preheat or weak flux
Raise preheat to activate flux; check flux coverage.
Wave contact or height low
Increase wave contact; check the nozzle/pump.
Oxidation or poor solderability
Manage dross/oxidation; verify board/component solderability.
Prevention: Preheat and flux control, wave maintenance, solderability checks.
Wave solder machineDross or wave-height instability›
Hits OEE: Performance
Symptoms: Excess dross, fluctuating wave, inconsistent results, downtime.
Excess turbulence or exposure
Tune pump speed; use a low-dross design/cover gas.
Pump or nozzle wear
Service the pump and nozzle; remove dross build-up.
Solder level or temperature drift
Maintain solder level and pot temperature.
Prevention: Dross management, pump/nozzle maintenance, level/temperature control.
Pick-and-placePlacement misalignment or offset›
Hits OEE: Quality
Symptoms: Components placed off-pad or rotated, downstream solder defects.
Vision or fiducial calibration off
Recalibrate the vision system and fiducials.
Nozzle or head wear
Inspect and replace worn nozzles; check head accuracy.
Board support or warp
Improve board support; flatten warped boards.
Prevention: Vision calibration, nozzle/head maintenance, board support.
Pick-and-placeFeeder pickup errors or missed parts›
Hits OEE: Performance
Symptoms: Frequent pickup errors, missing components, machine throttles down.
Feeder misfeed or jam
Service the feeder; check indexing and tape advance.
Vacuum or nozzle clog
Clear the nozzle; check vacuum and filters.
Component or tape variation
Verify reels; manage splices and moisture.
Prevention: Feeder maintenance, vacuum/nozzle care, reel quality.
Pick-and-placeNozzle clog or vacuum fault›
Hits OEE: Availability
Symptoms: Drops parts, vacuum alarms, repeated pick failures.
Clogged nozzle or filter
Clean or replace the nozzle and vacuum filter.
Vacuum pump or leak
Check the vacuum source and lines for leaks.
Wrong nozzle for the part
Use the correct nozzle size/type for the component.
Prevention: Nozzle/filter cleaning, vacuum-system checks, correct tooling.
Blister pack machinePoor seal or leaking blisters›
Hits OEE: Quality
Symptoms: Leak-test failures, weak lidding seal, channels in the seal.
Seal temperature, pressure or dwell wrong
Tune sealing temperature, pressure and dwell for the materials.
Foil/film or web tension issue
Set tension; verify the lidding foil and forming film.
Worn or contaminated sealing plate
Clean or replace the sealing tooling.
Prevention: Validated seal settings, web-tension control, tooling care.
Blister pack machineFeeding or missing-tablet faults›
Hits OEE: Quality
Symptoms: Empty pockets, double fills, vision rejects, stops.
Feeder or brush-box misadjusted
Adjust the feeder/brush box; check pocket fill.
Vision/detection fault
Calibrate the empty-pocket detection.
Product or pocket variation
Verify product size; match pocket format.
Prevention: Feeder setup, detection calibration, format control.
Bucket elevatorBelt or chain slip and misalignment›
Hits OEE: Availability
Symptoms: Belt slips on the pulley, tracks to one side, wear and stops.
Low tension
Re-tension the belt/chain at the take-up to spec.
Pulley lagging worn or material build-up
Replace lagging; clean the boot and pulleys.
Misalignment of the casing/pulleys
Align the head and boot pulleys; check level.
Prevention: Tension checks, pulley/lagging maintenance, alignment.
Bucket elevatorMaterial blockage or boot choke›
Hits OEE: Availability
Symptoms: Boot fills and chokes, motor overload, no throughput.
Overfeeding or boot build-up
Meter the feed; clean and prevent boot accumulation.
Wet or sticky material
Manage moisture; review boot design and clean-out.
Worn or missing buckets
Replace damaged buckets; restore digging.
Prevention: Feed control, boot housekeeping, bucket maintenance.
Bucket elevatorBucket damage or spillage (backlegging)›
Hits OEE: Performance
Symptoms: Material falls back down the casing, low capacity, damaged buckets.
Speed wrong for the discharge
Set the correct speed for centrifugal/continuous discharge.
Worn buckets or spacing
Replace buckets; set correct spacing and fixings.
Belt/chain stretch causing strikes
Re-tension; check clearances to avoid bucket strikes.
Prevention: Correct speed, bucket condition checks, tension control.
Paint boothPoor finish (orange peel, runs, sags)›
Hits OEE: Quality
Symptoms: Textured, runny or sagging finish, reject and rework, repaint.
Viscosity, atomisation or fan pattern wrong
Set viscosity; tune atomising air and fan pattern.
Gun distance, speed or overlap off
Standardise gun technique/robot path; set distance and overlap.
Temperature, humidity or flash time
Control booth temperature/humidity and flash-off time.
Prevention: Viscosity and spray setup, standard application, climate control.
Paint boothOverspray or low transfer efficiency›
Hits OEE: Performance
Symptoms: High paint usage, heavy overspray, fast filter loading.
Atomising pressure too high
Reduce atomising air; optimise the spray for transfer efficiency.
Poor electrostatics (where used)
Check the electrostatic voltage and grounding of parts.
Gun-to-part distance/pattern
Optimise distance, pattern and triggering.
Prevention: Tuned spray setup, electrostatic checks, application standards.
Paint boothAirflow or pressure-balance fault›
Hits OEE: Availability
Symptoms: Booth pressure alarms, dirt in finish, doors hard to open, faults.
Loaded intake/exhaust filters
Change filters on differential pressure; follow the schedule.
Fan or damper fault
Check supply/exhaust fans and dampers/balance.
Make-up air or AHU issue
Service the make-up air unit; verify balance.
Prevention: Filter management, fan/damper maintenance, balanced make-up air.
Powder coating systemPoor coverage or Faraday-cage gaps›
Hits OEE: Quality
Symptoms: Bare or thin areas in recesses and corners, poor wrap.
Charging voltage too high for recesses
Lower kV for recesses; use Faraday-cage settings/modes.
Poor part grounding
Clean hooks; verify ground resistance to the part.
Gun distance or air flow
Adjust distance and powder/air settings.
Prevention: Recess settings, reliable grounding, application standards.
Powder coating systemUneven film thickness›
Hits OEE: Quality
Symptoms: Thick/thin variation, fails DFT spec, appearance defects.
Powder output or gun balance off
Balance gun output; calibrate powder flow.
Line speed or reciprocator mismatch
Match reciprocator stroke/speed to line speed.
Fluidisation or feed inconsistency
Check hopper fluidisation and pump/venturi wear.
Prevention: Gun balancing, motion sync, stable fluidisation.
Powder coating systemPowder feed faults or gun spitting›
Hits OEE: Availability
Symptoms: Surging powder, spitting, blockages, inconsistent spray.
Worn venturi/pump or hose
Replace worn pump parts and hoses.
Moisture or impact fusion in powder
Control powder storage/humidity; sieve; clean lines.
Blocked nozzle or electrode
Clean the nozzle and electrode.
Prevention: Pump/hose maintenance, powder/humidity control, nozzle cleaning.
Spray dryerWet powder or high moisture›
Hits OEE: Quality
Symptoms: Out-of-spec moisture, sticky powder, caking downstream.
Inlet/outlet temperature too low
Set the temperature profile for the product and feed solids.
Feed rate or solids wrong
Balance feed rate to the evaporative capacity.
Atomisation too coarse
Tune the atomiser (nozzle/wheel) for finer droplets.
Prevention: Validated temperature profile, feed control, atomiser setup.
Spray dryerWall build-up or fouling›
Hits OEE: Availability
Symptoms: Deposits on the chamber wall, lumps in product, forced clean-outs.
Stickiness near the glass-transition
Adjust temperature/humidity; review formulation.
Poor air distribution or atomisation
Check air disperser and atomiser pattern.
Wall temperature or insulation
Manage wall temperature; use air sweeps/hammers as designed.
Prevention: Process window control, air/atomiser setup, cleaning regime.
Spray dryerFines or poor particle size›
Hits OEE: Quality
Symptoms: Excess fines, dusty product, poor flow or solubility.
Atomisation too fine
Coarsen atomisation; adjust wheel speed/nozzle.
No or poor agglomeration
Use fines return/agglomeration as designed.
Cyclone/bag efficiency
Check cyclone and baghouse performance.
Prevention: Atomiser control, agglomeration setup, collection-efficiency checks.
AutoclaveFailed come-up or temperature distribution›
Hits OEE: Quality
Symptoms: Slow come-up, cold spots, failed lethality/cycle, holds.
Air not vented (steam retorts)
Verify venting schedule to remove air; check the cycle.
Loading/spacing impeding flow
Standardise loading patterns and dividers.
Steam supply or trap fault
Check steam pressure, traps and distribution.
Prevention: Validated venting/loading, steam-system checks, distribution studies.
AutoclavePressure or steam fault›
Hits OEE: Availability
Symptoms: Cannot hold pressure, slow heating, cycle aborts.
Steam supply low or trap blocked
Restore steam pressure; service traps and strainers.
Control valve or sensor fault
Check control valves, RTDs and the controller.
Leaks in the vessel or lines
Find and repair leaks; verify relief devices.
Prevention: Steam-system maintenance, instrument checks, leak inspection.
AutoclaveDoor or seal leak›
Hits OEE: Availability
Symptoms: Steam leaks at the door, cannot pressurise, safety interlock faults.
Worn or dirty door gasket
Clean or replace the gasket; check the seating.
Door interlock or seal-inflation fault
Check the locking mechanism and seal-inflation system.
Hinge/alignment issue
Align the door; service hinges and clamps.
Prevention: Gasket maintenance, interlock testing, door alignment.
Tunnel pasteuriserPasteurisation units (PU) out of spec›
Hits OEE: Quality
Symptoms: PU low or high, under or over-processing, quality/safety risk.
Zone temperatures off
Calibrate and set zone temperatures; verify PU calculation.
Line speed or dwell wrong
Match conveyor speed to the validated PU.
Spray distribution uneven
Clean nozzles; ensure even water coverage.
Prevention: Temperature calibration, validated dwell, spray maintenance.
Tunnel pasteuriserZone temperature drift›
Hits OEE: Quality
Symptoms: Zones drift from setpoint, inconsistent PU across the belt.
Heat exchanger or steam control fault
Service the heat exchanger; check steam/control valves.
Recirculation pump issue
Check zone recirculation pumps and flow.
Sensor calibration
Calibrate the temperature sensors.
Prevention: Heat-exchanger upkeep, pump checks, sensor calibration.
Tunnel pasteuriserSpray, pump or conveyor fault›
Hits OEE: Availability
Symptoms: Dry areas, low flow, belt stops or jams, throughput loss.
Blocked nozzles or strainers
Clean nozzles and strainers; treat water.
Pump or level fault
Check zone pumps and water levels.
Conveyor drive or tracking
Service the belt drive; correct tracking.
Prevention: Nozzle/water management, pump checks, conveyor maintenance.
Blast freezerNot reaching temperature or slow pull-down›
Hits OEE: Performance
Symptoms: Cycles run long, product not cold enough, throughput loss.
Frost/ice on the evaporator coil
Run defrost; check the defrost system and schedule.
Low refrigerant or compressor capacity
Check charge, compressors and condenser performance.
Airflow blockage or overloading
Improve loading/air gaps; check fans and baffles.
Prevention: Defrost management, refrigeration checks, correct loading.
Blast freezerIce or frost build-up›
Hits OEE: Availability
Symptoms: Heavy coil frosting, dripping, reduced airflow and capacity.
Defrost fault or schedule
Repair the defrost (electric/hot-gas); tune timing.
Door seals or infiltration
Fix door seals and air curtains; reduce infiltration.
High moisture load
Manage product moisture and door discipline.
Prevention: Defrost reliability, door/seal upkeep, moisture control.
Blast freezerRefrigeration fault or compressor trip›
Hits OEE: Availability
Symptoms: High/low pressure trips, compressor stops, no cooling.
Condenser fouling or fan fault
Clean condensers; service fans; check water/ambient.
Refrigerant charge or oil issue
Check charge, oil and superheat (qualified tech).
Control or safety fault
Investigate pressure/safety controls before reset.
Prevention: Condenser maintenance, refrigeration servicing, control checks.
Bagging machineBag weight out of spec›
Hits OEE: Quality
Symptoms: Over/under-weight bags, giveaway, checkweigher rejects.
Weigher/feeder calibration
Recalibrate the scale/feeder; check the dribble feed.
Product density or flow change
Adjust for density; manage product condition.
Timing between fill and clamp
Tune fill cut-off and bag-clamp timing.
Prevention: Scale calibration, product control, timing checks.
Bagging machinePoor seal or closure›
Hits OEE: Quality
Symptoms: Open or weak seams, leaking bags, stitching/heat-seal faults.
Heat-seal temperature/pressure wrong
Tune seal heat, pressure and dwell for the bag.
Contamination in the seal area
Improve dust control; clean the seal zone.
Stitching/closure mechanism fault
Service the sewing head or seal bars.
Prevention: Validated seal settings, clean seal area, closure maintenance.
Bagging machineBag placement or no-bag fault›
Hits OEE: Availability
Symptoms: No bag presented, mis-placed bags, spills, stops.
Bag magazine or pick fault
Refill; service the vacuum pick and magazine.
Bag quality or static
Tighten bag spec; manage static/curl.
Sensor or timing issue
Check bag-present sensors and timing.
Prevention: Magazine/pick maintenance, bag quality, sensor checks.
DepalletizerLayer or row sweep jam›
Hits OEE: Availability
Symptoms: Containers jam during sweep/transfer, stops, fallen units.
Sweep timing or alignment
Re-time the sweep; align infeed/sweep plates.
Tier-sheet or slip-sheet handling
Check the sheet remover; manage sheet quality.
Container variation
Tighten incoming container spec.
Prevention: Timing/alignment checks, sheet-handling maintenance, container QA.
DepalletizerDropped or toppled containers›
Hits OEE: Quality
Symptoms: Containers fall or topple during destacking, damage, spills.
Grip or vacuum fault (where used)
Check grip/vacuum heads and settings.
Speed too high or harsh transfer
Reduce speed; smooth the transfer.
Unstable or damaged pallets
Reject poor pallets; stabilise the load.
Prevention: Head maintenance, tuned speed, pallet/load quality.
DepalletizerPallet or infeed fault›
Hits OEE: Availability
Symptoms: No pallet, pallet jams, infeed starves or backs up.
Pallet conveyor or dispenser jam
Clear the magazine/conveyor; remove damaged pallets.
Sensor or positioning fault
Check pallet-present and position sensors.
Poor pallet quality
Reject broken/wet pallets; tighten the spec.
Prevention: Conveyor/dispenser maintenance, sensor checks, pallet quality.
Rotary airlockAir leakage or pressure loss›
Hits OEE: Performance
Symptoms: System pressure low, blowback, reduced conveying capacity.
Worn rotor tips or housing
Measure clearances; replace tips/rebuild the valve.
Wrong clearance for the duty
Set rotor-to-housing clearance for temperature/pressure.
Vent line blocked
Clear the vent; ensure proper venting.
Prevention: Clearance monitoring, correct setup, vent maintenance.
Rotary airlockJamming or rotor stall›
Hits OEE: Availability
Symptoms: Rotor stalls, overload trips, material shears at the pocket.
Oversized or foreign material
Screen the feed; add protection; use a shear-protection valve.
Product packing or bridging
Improve feed; manage sticky/wet product.
Bearing or drive fault
Check the gearmotor, chain/coupling and bearings.
Prevention: Feed screening, product management, drive maintenance.
Rotary airlockWear or material bypass›
Hits OEE: Quality
Symptoms: Increasing leakage, contamination, falling efficiency over time.
Abrasive wear of rotor/housing
Use wear-resistant materials; plan rebuilds.
Excess clearance from wear
Restore clearance; replace worn parts.
Seal wear
Replace end seals; check shaft condition.
Prevention: Wear-resistant specification, clearance restoration, seal upkeep.
Surface grinderPoor surface finish or chatter›
Hits OEE: Quality
Symptoms: Chatter marks, rough Ra, waviness, scrap.
Wheel imbalance or dressing
Balance and dress the wheel; check the spindle.
Wrong wheel or speeds/feeds
Select the correct wheel; tune speeds and feeds.
Loose work-holding or machine condition
Secure work-holding; check ways and vibration.
Prevention: Wheel balance/dressing, correct wheel selection, machine condition.
Surface grinderBurn or thermal damage›
Hits OEE: Quality
Symptoms: Burn marks, discolouration, micro-cracks, rejected parts.
Excessive infeed or dull wheel
Reduce infeed; dress or change the wheel.
Insufficient coolant
Improve coolant flow, placement and quality.
Wrong wheel grade
Use a softer/open wheel for the material.
Prevention: Light infeed, good coolant delivery, correct wheel grade.
Surface grinderWheel loading or glazing›
Hits OEE: Performance
Symptoms: Wheel loads/glazes, poor cutting, rising forces and heat.
Wrong wheel for the material
Select an appropriate wheel structure/grade.
Dressing too infrequent or fine
Dress more often/coarser to open the wheel.
Coolant or swarf issue
Improve coolant filtration and swarf removal.
Prevention: Correct wheel, regular dressing, coolant filtration.
Filter pressPoor cake dryness or incomplete dewatering›
Hits OEE: Quality
Symptoms: Wet cake, high disposal cost, long cycles, poor release.
Insufficient pressure or cycle time
Run the full pressing/blow-down cycle; check the feed pump.
Blinded cloths
Wash or replace filter cloths.
Feed solids/conditioning
Adjust dosing/conditioning of the slurry.
Prevention: Full cycle, cloth maintenance, slurry conditioning.
Filter pressCloth blinding or slow filtration›
Hits OEE: Performance
Symptoms: Filtration slows, cycles lengthen, low throughput.
Cloth blinding or wrong cloth
Wash/replace cloths; select the correct media.
Poor pre-coat or conditioning
Use pre-coat/flocculant as appropriate.
Feed pump or pressure profile
Check the feed pump and pressure ramp.
Prevention: Cloth selection/wash, conditioning, feed-pump health.
Filter pressLeaking plates or blowout›
Hits OEE: Availability
Symptoms: Leaks between plates, blowout, mess, forced stop.
Insufficient closing force
Check the hydraulic closing system and pressure.
Cake on sealing faces or worn plates
Clean sealing surfaces; replace worn/cracked plates.
Feed pressure above rating
Keep feed pressure within the plate rating.
Prevention: Closure-system checks, plate cleaning/replacement, pressure limits.
LathePoor surface finish or chatter›
Hits OEE: Quality
Symptoms: Chatter marks, rough finish, vibration during the cut.
Worn or wrong insert
Replace the insert; select the correct grade/geometry and nose radius.
Speeds and feeds wrong
Tune cutting speed and feed for the material.
Workholding or overhang
Improve clamping/support; reduce overhang; use a steady rest.
Prevention: Insert management, correct speeds/feeds, rigid workholding.
LatheDimensional drift or taper›
Hits OEE: Quality
Symptoms: Parts grow/shrink over a run, unwanted taper, out of tolerance.
Tool wear
Index/replace inserts; use wear offsets/tool monitoring.
Thermal growth
Warm up the machine; allow for thermal compensation.
Tailstock/alignment off
Align the tailstock; check headstock and bed wear.
Prevention: Tool-wear control, thermal management, alignment checks.
LatheChip control or built-up edge›
Hits OEE: Performance
Symptoms: Bird-nesting chips, built-up edge, poor finish and tool life.
Wrong chipbreaker or feed
Select the right chipbreaker; adjust feed/depth.
Insufficient or wrong coolant
Improve coolant delivery and concentration.
Speed too low for the material
Raise speed to avoid built-up edge.
Prevention: Correct chipbreaker, good coolant, appropriate speed.
ReactorTemperature control problems›
Hits OEE: Quality
Symptoms: Cannot hold/reach temperature, exotherm overshoot, off-spec batch.
Jacket/coil fouling or flow
Clean the jacket/coil; check heating/cooling flow.
Control loop tuning
Tune the temperature loop; check the control valve.
Agitation poor (hot/cold spots)
Verify agitation; check the impeller and baffles.
Prevention: Heat-transfer surface upkeep, loop tuning, agitation checks.
ReactorAgitator or seal issues›
Hits OEE: Availability
Symptoms: Mechanical-seal leak, agitator vibration, contamination risk.
Mechanical seal wear
Service the seal; check the seal flush/barrier fluid.
Bearing or coupling wear
Inspect drive bearings and coupling.
Imbalance or fouling on the impeller
Clean and inspect the impeller and shaft.
Prevention: Seal-support upkeep, drive condition monitoring, impeller checks.
ReactorPressure or relief concerns›
Hits OEE: Availability
Symptoms: Pressure alarms, relief device lifts, batch holds for safety.
Vent/relief path blocked
Verify clear vent/relief paths; inspect rupture disc/PRV.
Overcharge or reaction upset
Follow charging/recipe controls; manage the reaction rate.
Instrument or interlock fault
Check pressure transmitters and safety interlocks.
Prevention: Relief-path integrity, recipe control, instrument/interlock testing.
Refrigeration compressorHigh discharge pressure or temperature›
Hits OEE: Availability
Symptoms: High-pressure trips, hot discharge, capacity loss.
Condenser fouling or fan fault
Clean the condenser; service fans; check water/airflow.
Non-condensables or overcharge
Purge non-condensables; verify charge (qualified tech).
Restricted discharge
Check valves and discharge line restrictions.
Prevention: Condenser maintenance, charge/purge management, valve checks.
Refrigeration compressorLow suction or loss of cooling›
Hits OEE: Performance
Symptoms: Low suction pressure, poor cooling, long run times.
Low refrigerant charge or leak
Leak-test and recharge (qualified tech).
Evaporator frosting or low airflow
Run defrost; clean coils; check fans.
Expansion-valve or filter-drier fault
Check the TXV/EEV and filter-drier for restriction.
Prevention: Leak management, defrost/coil upkeep, metering-device checks.
Refrigeration compressorShort cycling or oil issues›
Hits OEE: Availability
Symptoms: Compressor starts/stops rapidly, oil-pressure trips, wear risk.
Control differential or charge
Set the pressure/temperature control differential; check charge.
Oil return or level problem
Verify oil return, level and the oil-pressure safety.
Contactor or electrical fault
Check the contactor, overloads and connections.
Prevention: Correct control settings, oil-management checks, electrical upkeep.
Spiral conveyorBelt tracking or tension faults›
Hits OEE: Availability
Symptoms: Spiral belt mistracks, tension alarms, stops on the tower.
Tension or take-up off
Set belt tension/take-up; check the overdrive (low-tension) cage.
Cage/drum slip or build-up
Clean the cage/drum; check the friction drive.
Belt wear or damaged links
Inspect and replace worn belt sections.
Prevention: Tension/cage setup, cleaning, belt-condition checks.
Spiral conveyorProduct temperature out of spec›
Hits OEE: Quality
Symptoms: Product too warm/cold leaving the spiral, downstream issues.
Airflow or refrigeration fault
Check fans, coils and refrigeration capacity.
Dwell/belt speed wrong
Match belt speed to required cooling/freezing time.
Loading or air short-circuiting
Improve loading and air management/baffles.
Prevention: Airflow/refrigeration upkeep, correct dwell, loading control.
Spiral conveyorJams or product transfer faults›
Hits OEE: Availability
Symptoms: Product jams at infeed/discharge transfers, fallen product, stops.
Transfer timing or guide fault
Adjust transfer plates, guides and timing.
Product variation or sticking
Manage product handling; check release/coatings.
Belt or sprocket wear
Service sprockets and belt; check engagement.
Prevention: Transfer setup, product handling, drive maintenance.
EvaporatorReduced capacity or poor heat transfer›
Hits OEE: Performance
Symptoms: Lower evaporation rate, longer cycles, higher energy per kg.
Scaling/fouling on tubes
Clean (CIP/descale) the heating surfaces; manage fouling.
Non-condensables or vacuum loss
Purge non-condensables; fix vacuum/condenser issues.
Low steam or circulation
Check steam supply, traps and the circulation pump.
Prevention: Descaling/CIP schedule, vacuum integrity, utility checks.
EvaporatorProduct carryover or foaming›
Hits OEE: Quality
Symptoms: Product in the condensate, foaming, yield loss, contamination.
Level too high or surging
Control the level; stabilise feed; use a defoamer if allowed.
Separator/demister fault
Check the vapour separator and demister.
Boiling too vigorous
Tune the temperature/vacuum to control boiling.
Prevention: Level/feed control, separator upkeep, gentle boiling.
EvaporatorVacuum or condenser problems›
Hits OEE: Availability
Symptoms: Cannot hold vacuum, high boiling temperature, capacity loss.
Air in-leak
Find and seal in-leaks; test the system.
Condenser fouling or low cooling water
Clean the condenser; verify cooling-water flow/temperature.
Vacuum pump/ejector fault
Service the vacuum pump or steam ejector.
Prevention: Leak testing, condenser maintenance, vacuum-source upkeep.
Overhead craneWill not lift or hoist motor fault›
Hits OEE: Availability
Symptoms: Hoist will not raise the load, hums or trips, no lift.
Overload or upper-limit fault
Check the load against rating; test the upper-limit switch.
Brake not releasing or motor fault
Inspect the hoist brake and motor; check contactors.
Control or interlock fault
Verify the pendant/radio, E-stops and interlocks.
Prevention: Load management, brake/limit testing, control inspection.
Overhead craneLoad drifting or brake slipping›
Hits OEE: Availability
Symptoms: Load creeps down when stopped, poor spotting, safety concern.
Worn or maladjusted brake
Adjust or replace the brake; check the lining and gap.
Brake contamination
Remove oil/grease contamination; fix the source.
Coupling or gearbox wear
Inspect the drive train for backlash and wear.
Prevention: Brake inspection schedule, contamination control, drive checks.
Overhead craneTravel or trolley fault›
Hits OEE: Availability
Symptoms: Bridge or trolley will not move, jerks, or trips on travel.
Wheel/rail debris or misalignment
Clean and align rails; check wheels and end stops.
Drive or VFD fault
Check the travel motor, brake and drive.
Festoon/collector or control fault
Inspect power feed (festoon/conductor bar) and controls.
Prevention: Rail/wheel maintenance, drive checks, power-feed inspection.
AGV / AMRNavigation or localisation errors›
Hits OEE: Performance
Symptoms: Robot gets lost, deviates from path, misses drop points.
Map or environment change
Re-map after layout changes; keep reference features stable.
Dirty sensors or markers
Clean LiDAR/cameras; restore floor markers/reflectors.
Localisation tuning
Recalibrate localisation; check wheel-odometry/encoders.
Prevention: Map management, sensor cleaning, localisation calibration.
AGV / AMRBattery or charging faults›
Hits OEE: Availability
Symptoms: Short run time, fails to dock/charge, unexpected shutdowns.
Ageing battery or cells
Test capacity; replace degraded batteries.
Charger or contact fault
Clean charge contacts; service the charger/dock.
Docking misalignment
Align the dock; check approach navigation.
Prevention: Battery health monitoring, charger/contact upkeep, dock alignment.
AGV / AMRSafety stops or obstacle faults›
Hits OEE: Availability
Symptoms: Frequent safety stops, robot freezes on phantom obstacles.
Dirty or misaligned safety scanner
Clean and align the safety LiDAR; check fields.
Clutter or people in the path
Manage traffic lanes; keep paths clear.
Scanner field configuration
Review protective-field setup for speed/zones.
Prevention: Scanner cleaning/alignment, traffic management, field config.
Air handling unitLow airflow or pressure›
Hits OEE: Performance
Symptoms: Insufficient airflow, pressure alarms, comfort/process issues.
Loaded filters
Change filters on differential pressure; follow the schedule.
Belt slip or fan fault
Check/replace fan belts; inspect the fan and bearings.
Damper or duct blockage
Verify damper position; clear duct restrictions.
Prevention: Filter management, belt/fan maintenance, damper checks.
Air handling unitCoil freezing or poor heating/cooling›
Hits OEE: Availability
Symptoms: Coil freezes, no/low heating or cooling, capacity loss.
Low flow or air bypass
Check coil flow, valves and air bypass/face dampers.
Control valve or actuator fault
Service the heating/cooling valve and actuator.
Fouled coil
Clean the coil; restore heat transfer.
Prevention: Flow/valve checks, coil cleaning, control calibration.
Air handling unitFilter, fan or belt fault›
Hits OEE: Availability
Symptoms: High pressure drop, noise/vibration, fan trips.
Blocked filters
Replace filters; check seals and bypass.
Worn belts or bearings
Replace belts; service fan bearings.
Imbalance or debris on the fan
Clean and balance the fan wheel.
Prevention: Filter and belt schedules, bearing care, fan cleaning.
Vibrating screenPoor screening or blinding›
Hits OEE: Quality
Symptoms: Oversize in product, blinded/pegged mesh, poor separation.
Blinding or pegging of the mesh
Use anti-blinding screens/ball decks; clean the mesh.
Wrong stroke, speed or angle
Tune the stroke, speed and inclination for the material.
Worn or wrong mesh
Replace mesh; select the correct aperture/type.
Prevention: Anti-blinding setup, correct motion, mesh management.
Vibrating screenLow throughput or material build-up›
Hits OEE: Performance
Symptoms: Reduced capacity, material pooling, carryover.
Overloading or uneven feed
Spread and meter the feed across the width.
Insufficient stroke/G-force
Set the correct stroke and counterweights.
Moisture or sticky material
Manage moisture; use heated/anti-stick measures.
Prevention: Even feeding, correct motion, moisture control.
Vibrating screenExcessive vibration or structural cracks›
Hits OEE: Availability
Symptoms: Abnormal vibration, cracks in the body, loose fixings, stops.
Cracked side plates or welds
Inspect and repair the structure; follow OEM limits.
Worn springs or imbalance
Replace springs/isolators; check exciter balance.
Loose fasteners or bearings
Torque fixings; service exciter bearings.
Prevention: Structural inspection, spring/bearing care, fastener checks.
CrusherReduced throughput or wrong product size›
Hits OEE: Performance
Symptoms: Lower output, oversize product, fines out of spec.
Worn liners/jaws or wrong setting
Adjust the closed-side setting; replace worn liners/jaws.
Uneven or choke-feed issue
Maintain correct feed; avoid trickle or surging.
Material harder/wetter than design
Verify feed; adjust the process.
Prevention: Liner/setting management, correct feeding, feed control.
CrusherBlockage or bridging›
Hits OEE: Availability
Symptoms: Material bridges the inlet, chokes, crusher stalls.
Oversize feed or bridging
Control top size; use a grizzly/scalper upstream.
Wet or sticky material
Manage moisture; clear and prevent build-up.
Discharge blocked
Check the discharge conveyor and chute.
Prevention: Feed-size control, moisture management, discharge checks.
Grinding millLow grinding efficiency or coarse product›
Hits OEE: Performance
Symptoms: Coarse product, low throughput, high energy per tonne.
Worn liners/lifters
Inspect and replace liners; restore the lifter profile.
Wrong media charge or size
Top up/grade the grinding media to spec.
Feed rate or classification off
Balance feed; tune the classifier/cyclones.
Prevention: Liner and media management, feed/classifier control.
Grinding millBearing, trunnion or drive fault›
Hits OEE: Availability
Symptoms: Bearing temperature/lube alarms, drive trips, vibration.
Lubrication system fault
Check the trunnion/bearing lube system and oil.
Bearing or trunnion wear
Inspect bearings/trunnion; service per OEM.
Drive/gear or clutch fault
Check the girth gear, pinion and drive.
Prevention: Lube-system upkeep, bearing monitoring, drive maintenance.
Rotary dryerWet product or under-drying›
Hits OEE: Quality
Symptoms: Product moisture too high, inconsistent drying, downstream issues.
Inlet temperature or airflow low
Set the temperature/airflow; check the burner and fans.
Feed rate or moisture variation
Control feed rate and incoming moisture.
Flights worn (poor showering)
Inspect and repair lifting flights for good material curtain.
Prevention: Temperature/airflow control, feed control, flight maintenance.
Rotary dryerBuild-up or ringing inside the drum›
Hits OEE: Availability
Symptoms: Material rings/builds inside, reduced capacity, imbalance.
Sticky moisture zone / temperature profile
Adjust the profile; manage the sticky zone; recycle dry product.
Worn flights causing dead zones
Repair/replace flights.
Feed consistency
Stabilise feed moisture and rate.
Prevention: Profile control, flight upkeep, feed stability.
Rotary dryerDrive, seal or tyre/roller fault›
Hits OEE: Availability
Symptoms: Drum drifts, seal leaks/air ingress, drive trips, hot rollers.
Tyre/trunnion-roller wear or misalignment
Align the drum; service tyres and support rollers.
Seal wear (air ingress)
Replace drum seals to control air leakage.
Drive/girth-gear or thrust fault
Check the drive, girth gear and thrust rollers.
Prevention: Alignment, seal upkeep, drive/roller maintenance.
Metering pumpLoss of flow or loss of prime›
Hits OEE: Availability
Symptoms: No/low dosing flow, pump runs but does not deliver.
Air bound or gas locked
Bleed/prime; fit a bleed valve; manage off-gassing chemicals.
Suction blockage or closed valve
Clear the strainer; confirm the suction line-up.
Stuck or worn check valves
Clean or replace the suction/discharge check valves.
Prevention: Priming aids, suction checks, valve maintenance.
Metering pumpInaccurate dosing›
Hits OEE: Quality
Symptoms: Dose drifts from setpoint, process out of spec.
Calibration drift
Recalibrate; verify against a calibration column.
Backpressure or siphoning
Fit a backpressure/anti-siphon valve; stabilise system pressure.
Worn diaphragm or valves
Replace worn wet-end parts.
Prevention: Routine calibration, correct valving, wet-end maintenance.
Metering pumpDiaphragm or valve failure / leak›
Hits OEE: Availability
Symptoms: Leak, loss of dose, chemical on the pump, alarm.
Diaphragm rupture
Replace the diaphragm; check for over-pressure cause.
Incompatible materials
Verify chemical compatibility of wet-end parts.
Over-pressure or relief fault
Check the relief valve and discharge for blockage.
Prevention: Diaphragm replacement schedule, correct materials, relief checks.
Progressive cavity pumpLow or no flow›
Hits OEE: Performance
Symptoms: Reduced or no delivery, pressure low, process starved.
Stator/rotor wear
Measure performance; replace the stator/rotor.
Air lock or starved suction
Ensure flooded suction; bleed air; check feed.
Wrong direction or speed
Verify rotation and speed for the duty.
Prevention: Wear monitoring, flooded suction, correct setup.
Progressive cavity pumpStator or rotor wear›
Hits OEE: Quality
Symptoms: Falling flow at the same speed, more slip, higher energy.
Abrasive product
Use correct stator material; manage solids/abrasion.
Run-dry heat damage
Prevent dry running; fit protection.
Over-pressure
Operate within pressure rating; check downstream.
Prevention: Material selection, dry-run protection, pressure control.
Progressive cavity pumpRun-dry damage or seal failure›
Hits OEE: Availability
Symptoms: Burnt stator smell, seal leak, sudden failure.
Dry running
Fit dry-run/temperature protection; ensure feed.
Mechanical seal or packing wear
Service the seal/packing; check flush.
Misalignment or coupling wear
Align the drive; inspect the coupling and joints.
Prevention: Dry-run protection, seal upkeep, alignment.
EDM machinePoor surface finish or slow cutting›
Hits OEE: Quality
Symptoms: Rough finish, slow material removal, inconsistent results.
Wrong power/energy settings
Tune the spark parameters for the finish/speed.
Poor flushing
Improve dielectric flushing to clear debris.
Electrode or wire condition
Check the electrode/wire and contacts.
Prevention: Validated settings, good flushing, electrode/wire upkeep.
EDM machineWire breaks (wire EDM)›
Hits OEE: Availability
Symptoms: Frequent wire breaks, stops and re-threads, lost time.
Excess power or poor flushing
Reduce energy in the cut; improve flushing.
Wire tension or guides
Set tension; check/replace worn guides.
Contaminated dielectric
Filter/replace the dielectric; check resistivity.
Prevention: Energy/flushing balance, guide and tension care, dielectric quality.
EDM machineArcing, short circuits or flushing issues›
Hits OEE: Quality
Symptoms: Arcing/burn marks, frequent shorts, unstable machining.
Debris not cleared (flushing)
Improve flushing pressure/placement; adapt retraction.
Wrong gap control
Tune the servo/gap control parameters.
Dielectric condition
Maintain dielectric filtration and level.
Prevention: Flushing optimisation, gap-control tuning, dielectric upkeep.
Waterjet cutterPoor cut, taper or striations›
Hits OEE: Quality
Symptoms: Tapered edges, striation lines, rough finish, rejects.
Feed too fast for thickness
Reduce feed; match speed to material and quality level.
Worn orifice or focusing tube
Replace the orifice/mixing tube; check alignment.
Low pressure or abrasive flow
Verify pressure and abrasive feed rate.
Prevention: Correct feed, consumable replacement, pressure/abrasive control.
Waterjet cutterLoss of pressure (intensifier)›
Hits OEE: Availability
Symptoms: Cannot reach/hold pressure, weak jet, stops.
Seal or check-valve wear (intensifier)
Service the high-pressure seals and check valves.
Worn orifice (pressure bleed)
Replace the orifice.
Inlet water or pump fault
Check the booster pump and water quality.
Prevention: HP-seal maintenance, orifice management, inlet-water care.
Waterjet cutterNozzle or orifice wear or clog›
Hits OEE: Performance
Symptoms: Deteriorating cut, clogs, splashback, frequent stops.
Worn orifice or mixing tube
Replace consumables on a wear schedule.
Abrasive blockage
Clear the abrasive line; check feed and moisture.
Misalignment
Align orifice to the mixing tube.
Prevention: Consumable schedule, dry abrasive handling, alignment.
Plasma cutterPoor cut quality, dross or bevel›
Hits OEE: Quality
Symptoms: Dross on the underside, bevelled or rough edge, rejects.
Wrong speed, amperage or height
Tune cut speed, current and torch height for the material.
Worn consumables
Replace the nozzle and electrode.
Gas pressure/quality
Set correct gas type, pressure and flow; check for moisture.
Prevention: Validated cut charts, consumable management, gas quality.
Plasma cutterShort consumable life›
Hits OEE: Performance
Symptoms: Nozzles/electrodes wear fast, rising cost, inconsistent cuts.
Poor pierce technique or height
Use correct pierce height/delay; avoid low piercing.
Wrong gas or coolant flow
Set gas/coolant correctly; check the cooling.
Excess current for the consumable
Match amperage to the consumable rating.
Prevention: Correct piercing, gas/coolant setup, amperage matching.
Plasma cutterLoss of arc or fails to pierce›
Hits OEE: Availability
Symptoms: Arc will not start/transfer, fails to pierce, stops.
Worn consumables or poor contact
Replace consumables; check the torch connections.
Low gas or air contamination
Check gas supply, pressure and dryer/filter.
Work-lead/ground fault
Verify the work clamp and ground connection.
Prevention: Consumable and torch upkeep, clean dry gas, ground integrity.
Cooling towerPoor cooling / high approach temperature›
Hits OEE: Performance
Symptoms: Water leaves warmer than design, process cooling suffers, capacity loss.
Scaling or fouling on fill
Clean or replace the fill; treat the water.
Low airflow (fan/belt)
Check fan pitch, belts and motor; clear obstructions.
Poor water distribution
Clean nozzles and the distribution deck for even flow.
Prevention: Water treatment, fan/airflow upkeep, distribution cleaning.
ConveyorBelt damage or rips›
Hits OEE: Availability
Symptoms: Longitudinal rips, gouges, edge damage, frequent repairs.
Trapped or sharp material
Fix loading; add rip detection and chute design.
Seized idlers gouging the belt
Replace seized idlers; inspect the return run.
Tracking causing edge wear
Correct tracking; protect belt edges.
Prevention: Loading/chute design, idler maintenance, tracking control.
GearboxOil leakage›
Hits OEE: Availability
Symptoms: Oil around seals or joints, falling oil level, contamination risk.
Worn shaft seals
Replace the input/output seals; check shaft condition.
Blocked breather (pressure build-up)
Clean or replace the breather to relieve pressure.
Overfilling or wrong oil
Set the correct level and grade; check the gasket/joints.
Prevention: Seal and breather maintenance, correct oil level and grade.
Electric motorTripping on overload›
Hits OEE: Availability
Symptoms: Motor overload relay trips, will not stay running, nuisance trips.
Mechanical overload or jam
Check the driven load for binding/overload; clear jams.
Voltage imbalance or single-phasing
Measure phase voltages/currents; fix supply and connections.
Wrong overload setting
Set the overload to the motor FLA; verify the service factor.
Prevention: Load checks, supply/connection integrity, correct overload setting.
Hydraulic systemOil overheating›
Hits OEE: Availability
Symptoms: High oil temperature, alarms, thin oil, accelerated wear.
Cooler fouled or fan/water fault
Clean the cooler; check the cooling fan or water flow.
Continuous relief over the valve
Find pressure set too high or a stuck valve dumping over relief.
Low oil level or wrong viscosity
Top up; use the correct viscosity grade.
Prevention: Cooler maintenance, correct pressure settings, oil level/grade.
Steam boilerCarryover or wet steam›
Hits OEE: Quality
Symptoms: Water carries over with steam, waterhammer, poor steam quality.
High water level or load swing
Control the level; avoid sudden large load changes.
High TDS / poor water chemistry
Manage blowdown and water treatment to control TDS.
Separator or valve fault
Check the steam separator and main valves.
Prevention: Level control, blowdown/water-treatment program, separator checks.
BearingContamination or lubrication failure›
Hits OEE: Availability
Symptoms: Early bearing failure, discoloured grease, ingress of dirt or water.
Seal failure / ingress
Replace seals; improve sealing against dust and water.
Wrong or contaminated grease
Use the specified grease; keep it clean; purge old product.
Over or under-greasing
Grease to a schedule with the right quantity.
Prevention: Seal integrity, clean correct grease, planned re-greasing.
Air compressorWater in the compressed air›
Hits OEE: Quality
Symptoms: Water at points of use, rust, product/process contamination.
Dryer fault or undersized
Service the refrigerant/desiccant dryer; verify dew point.
Drain traps blocked or failed
Clean/replace condensate drains; check operation.
High intake humidity/temperature
Improve intake conditions and aftercooler performance.
Prevention: Dryer maintenance, drain-trap upkeep, intake/aftercooler care.
VFD / driveOutput phase loss or motor runs rough›
Hits OEE: Performance
Symptoms: Rough running, vibration, output phase-loss fault, torque ripple.
Loose output connection
Torque-check output terminals and motor connections.
Output cable or motor winding fault
Megger the cable and motor; repair or replace.
Parameter or tuning issue
Check motor data and tuning/autotune.
Prevention: Termination checks, insulation testing, correct motor parameters.
PLC / controlsAnalog signal noise or drift›
Hits OEE: Quality
Symptoms: Analog readings jump or drift, false alarms, poor control.
Grounding or shielding fault
Use a single-point shield ground; separate from power wiring.
Sensor or wiring fault
Check the transmitter, wiring and loop power.
Scaling or calibration error
Verify the analog scaling and calibrate.
Prevention: Proper shielding/grounding, loop checks, calibration.
Industrial robotOverheating or overload fault›
Hits OEE: Availability
Symptoms: Axis overload/overheat fault, slowdowns, stops mid-cycle.
Payload or speed above limits
Verify payload/inertia and speeds; stay within rating.
Mechanical binding or worn gearbox
Check joints/gearboxes for binding and wear.
Cooling or duty-cycle issue
Check fans/cooling; review duty cycle.
Prevention: Payload/speed within spec, joint maintenance, cooling checks.
Heat exchangerFouling or reduced heat transfer›
Hits OEE: Performance
Symptoms: Falling duty, rising pressure drop, outlet temperature off target.
Scaling/biofouling on surfaces
Clean (CIP/mechanical); manage water chemistry.
Flow restriction or maldistribution
Check strainers, flow rates and distribution.
Air or non-condensables
Vent air/non-condensables from the shell or plates.
Prevention: Cleaning schedule, flow management, venting.
Centrifugal pumpExcessive vibration or noise›
Hits OEE: Availability
Symptoms: High vibration, noise, premature seal/bearing failure.
Misalignment
Laser-align the pump and motor; check soft foot.
Cavitation or operating off BEP
Restore NPSH; run nearer the best efficiency point.
Imbalance or worn bearings
Balance the impeller; replace worn bearings.
Prevention: Alignment, run near BEP, bearing/balance checks.
Diesel generatorEngine will not crank›
Hits OEE: Availability
Symptoms: Nothing turns over on the start command, no engine rotation; the controller may show a fault or stay dark.
Flat or failed starting battery
Test and charge or replace the battery; clean and tighten terminals; check the charger and charge-alternator output.
Loose or corroded starter/earth connections
Isolate the battery first, then clean and torque the starter, battery and earth connections.
Failed starter motor or solenoid
Test the starter and solenoid; replace if the solenoid clicks but the motor does not turn.
Controller lockout or open safety
Check the controller for an active shutdown (emergency stop, low oil pressure lockout); find the cause before resetting the fault.
Prevention: Scheduled battery load tests, clean and torqued connections, weekly test runs, controller fault-log review.
Diesel generatorCranks but will not start›
Hits OEE: Availability
Symptoms: Engine turns over but does not fire, or fires and dies, often after fuel work or a long standstill.
Air in the fuel system
Bleed the fuel system at the filters and injection pump per the OEM procedure; confirm the lift pump primes.
No or low fuel / blocked filter
Check tank level and valves; replace clogged fuel filters; clean a fouled strainer.
Fuel shut-off solenoid not energising
Verify the run/stop shut-off solenoid pulls in on start; check its fuse, wiring and the controller output.
Cold engine with failed starting aids
Check glow plugs or intake heater and the jacket-water heater; a worn engine with low compression also resists cold starts.
Prevention: Clean fuel with scheduled filter changes, fuel polishing on standby tanks, working jacket-water heater, periodic under-load test runs.
Diesel generatorOverheating / high coolant temperature›
Hits OEE: Availability
Symptoms: Rising coolant temperature, high-temp alarm or shutdown, coolant loss, steam at the radiator.
Low coolant or a leak
Let it cool, then check level and pressure-test for leaks; repair hoses, radiator or water pump; refill with the correct coolant mix.
Blocked radiator or restricted airflow
Clean the radiator core and clear obstructions; check enclosure louvres and hot-air recirculation.
Failed cooling fan or slipping belt
Inspect the fan drive and belt tension; replace a glazed or worn belt; check the viscous or electric fan.
Faulty thermostat or water pump
Test and replace a stuck thermostat; check the water pump for wear and weep-hole leakage.
Prevention: Coolant level and condition checks, radiator core cleaning, belt inspection, adequate ventilation and clear hot-air discharge, alarm testing.
Diesel generatorLow output or will not take full load›
Hits OEE: Performance
Symptoms: Voltage or frequency drops under load, breaker trips, engine bogs or surges when load is applied.
Fuel starvation under load
Replace fuel filters; check for a restricted supply line and a weak lift pump; confirm tank draw and vent are clear.
Clogged air filter or exhaust restriction
Replace the air filter; check for a blocked or collapsed exhaust and high back-pressure.
Governor or actuator fault
Check the electronic governor, actuator and speed sensor; correct droop/isochronous settings; look for hunting from a sticking actuator.
AVR or excitation problem
Test the automatic voltage regulator, sensing leads and exciter; replace a failed AVR; check for loose alternator connections.
Prevention: Regular under-load or resistive load-bank tests, filter changes, governor and AVR checks, connection-torque audits.
CIP systemPoor cleaning results or failed swab tests›
Hits OEE: Quality
Symptoms: ATP or micro swabs fail after a completed cycle, visible soil in tanks or lines, repeat cleans needed before release.
Blocked or worn spray balls and rotary heads
Pull and inspect spray devices; clear blocked holes, replace worn heads and confirm rotation with a coverage (riboflavin) test.
Low supply flow or pressure
Verify CIP pump output against the validated flow for each circuit; check for throttled valves, blocked strainers and cavitation.
Chemical concentration below spec
Titrate wash solutions and calibrate conductivity dosing; check chemical stock, dosing pump prime and suction lines.
Wash temperature never reached
Check steam supply and the heat exchanger for fouling; verify the temperature probe and recipe setpoints against the validated cycle.
Prevention: Routine spray-device inspection, periodic coverage tests, titration checks against conductivity readings, and trending cycle temperature and flow curves.
CIP systemCIP cycles taking longer every week›
Hits OEE: Availability
Symptoms: Cleaning windows overrun into production time, rinse phases run to timeout instead of setpoint, heating steps crawl.
Fouled heat exchanger slowing heat-up
Inspect and clean the CIP heater plates; trend heat-up time per circuit and descale on a threshold, not on failure.
Rinse running to conductivity timeout
Calibrate or replace the return-line conductivity probe; a drifting probe never sees rinse-complete and burns water and minutes.
Valve sequencing waits and manual steps
Review the recipe for oversized hold times and steps waiting on manual confirmation; retime against the validated cycle.
Return pump losing prime
Check the scavenge/return pump and air admission; slow returns stretch every phase and leave pooling in tanks.
Prevention: Trend phase times per circuit, alarm on drift from the validated baseline, keep probes calibrated and heaters clean.
CIP systemChemical carryover into product lines›
Hits OEE: Quality
Symptoms: Taints or pH deviation in the first product after a clean, residue traces in final rinse samples, failed rinse-water checks.
Final rinse ended too early
Verify rinse-complete conductivity thresholds and probe placement in the true return path; extend rinse validation to the worst-case circuit.
Leaking mix-proof valve seats
Test and service double-seat valve seals; a weeping seat lets caustic cross into product piping.
Dead legs holding solution
Survey the circuit for dead legs and low-point pockets; re-pipe or add drain points so lines fully drain and rinse.
Poor drainage between phases
Check line slopes and air-blow steps; standing solution in sagging lines survives the rinse.
Prevention: Mix-proof valve seat testing on a schedule, dead-leg audits after every pipework change, rinse validation with worst-case sampling.
Multihead weigherGiveaway creeping up›
Hits OEE: Performance
Symptoms: Average pack weight drifts well above target, combination misses force larger dumps, product cost per pack rises.
Too few heads available for combinations
Bring disabled heads back into service and fix chronic stickers; the algorithm needs several stable heads per dump to hit target tightly.
Uneven feed onto the top cone
Centre the infeed and set the dispersion vibrator so all pool hoppers fill evenly; starved heads force poor combinations.
Radial feeder amplitudes badly set
Tune per-head vibration so each weigh hopper receives close to target-divided-by-heads grams; oversized single-head loads wreck combination maths.
Sticky product clumping
Adjust product coating or temperature upstream and use dimpled or coated contact surfaces so portions release cleanly.
Prevention: Weekly head-availability review, giveaway trending per SKU, feeder amplitude checks at changeover, scheduled load-cell calibration.
Multihead weigherFrequent misweighs and no-dump cycles›
Hits OEE: Performance
Symptoms: Machine pauses waiting for a valid combination, reject rate climbs, downstream bagger starves.
Load cell drift or damage
Run the calibration check with test weights per head; replace cells that will not zero or repeat.
Product bridging in pool hoppers
Fit or tune hopper agitation, review product size vs hopper geometry and reduce moisture pickup at the infeed.
Static or product hang-up in weigh buckets
Clean and polish buckets, fit anti-static measures and check dump-door timing and seals.
Unstable infeed rate
Level-control the infeed conveyor to keep the top cone in its working band instead of flood-and-starve cycles.
Prevention: Daily test-weight checks, bucket and hopper cleaning at every changeover, infeed level control tuned per product.
Multihead weigherProduct sticking in trays and buckets›
Hits OEE: Quality
Symptoms: Residue builds through the shift, portions hang then avalanche as double drops, washdown takes longer each night.
Wet or oily product on plain surfaces
Specify dimpled, embossed or fluoropolymer-coated contact parts for sticky recipes.
Scratched or worn contact surfaces
Replace polished parts once scratched; damage gives product a key to grip.
Condensation after washdown
Dry the machine fully and let it reach ambient before restart; cold surfaces sweat and glue fines to steel.
Vibration settings too gentle to self-clean
Add short clean-out bursts between dumps for high-residue products.
Prevention: Surface-finish inspection in PM, correct contact-part spec per recipe, full dry-down after washdown.
Case erectorBlank feed jams›
Hits OEE: Availability
Symptoms: Repeated stops at the magazine, torn or double-fed blanks, operators camped at the infeed.
Warped or damp corrugated blanks
Store board dry and flat, rotate stock, and reject pallets stored against cold walls; damp board droops and double-feeds.
Worn or wrong vacuum cups
Replace cracked cups, match cup spec to board weight and verify vacuum level and pump filters.
Magazine over- or under-loaded
Keep the stack in the designed working band and square to the pick face; train to top-up little and often.
Adhesive or dust on pick faces
Clean pick plates and cups on a fixed cadence; board dust kills grip mid-shift.
Prevention: Board storage discipline, cup replacement on schedule, magazine level marks, pick-face cleaning cadence.
Case erectorFlaps popping open after gluing›
Hits OEE: Quality
Symptoms: Cases re-open on the conveyor, glue strings but no bond, rejects at the packer.
Glue temperature low or char in the tank
Verify tank and hose temperatures, drain and clean charred adhesive, and keep the melt at the adhesive maker's spec.
Blocked or misaimed nozzles
Clean or replace nozzles and confirm bead placement and size against the pattern drawing.
Compression time too short
Check compression-section length and belt speed give the adhesive its open/set time.
Dusty or high-recycled-content board
Test bond on each board lot; adjust add-on weight or adhesive grade for hard-to-bond liners.
Prevention: Adhesive system PM (filters, nozzles, tank cleanliness), bead pattern checks per SKU, bond tear tests each shift.
Die casting machinePorosity in castings›
Hits OEE: Quality
Symptoms: Leak-test failures, pores exposed after machining, scattered X-ray indications.
Gas entrained by a poor shot profile
Optimise slow-shot speed to roll the air out of the shot sleeve ahead of the metal; verify the changeover point and fill fraction.
Inadequate venting or vacuum
Clean and re-cut vents and overflows; verify vacuum valve function and line vacuum level if fitted.
Wet or gassy melt
Degas and flux the melt on schedule, keep charge material dry and limit contaminated returns.
Excess plunger lube or die spray
Cut lubricant volumes to the minimum that releases; burnt residues gas into the cavity.
Prevention: Shot-trace monitoring per die, melt quality checks each shift, vent and overflow cleaning in the die PM.
Die casting machineShort shots and cold laps›
Hits OEE: Quality
Symptoms: Incomplete fill at thin walls and far gates, visible flow lines and laps, intermittent at cycle restarts.
Metal temperature too low
Verify furnace and ladle temperatures against the alloy spec; insulate and shorten transfer paths.
Die too cold
Bring the die to its working temperature with warm-up shots or die heating; balance cooling circuits, especially after stoppages.
Low fast-shot speed or intensification
Check the shot trace against the process card; look for a worn plunger tip and sleeve leaking pressure.
Undersized biscuit or early solidification
Verify metal dose so the biscuit feeds intensification pressure through solidification.
Prevention: Shot-trace alarms per parameter band, die-temperature monitoring, plunger tip and sleeve wear PM.
Die casting machineSoldering and castings sticking in the die›
Hits OEE: Availability
Symptoms: Ejection strains or bent pins, aluminium build-up shining on die faces, cycle stops for hand-pulling parts.
Die hot spots
Find hot spots with a thermal camera; clear blocked cooling channels and adjust spray targeting to those zones.
Damaged or low-draft die surfaces
Polish soldered zones, restore draft and surface finish, and consider surface treatment on chronic areas.
Iron pickup chemistry with aluminium
Keep die steel condition and coatings healthy; control melt iron content within alloy spec.
Release spray coverage inadequate
Verify spray pattern, dilution and volume reach the sticking zones without over-cooling elsewhere.
Prevention: Thermal-camera die surveys, cooling-circuit flow checks, spray-pattern verification at die set.
Resin dryerSplay and moisture defects downstream›
Hits OEE: Quality
Symptoms: Silver streaks on mouldings, bubbles or brittleness, defects worst after weekends or material changes.
Return-air dew point too high
Check dew point at the dryer; regenerate or replace exhausted desiccant and fix regen faults before blaming the press.
Insufficient residence time
Size the hopper so material sees the resin maker's hours-at-temperature at the actual throughput; top up little and often.
Wrong drying temperature for the resin
Set temperature per the resin datasheet; too cold never dries, too hot degrades and yellows.
Leaks in the drying-air loop
Inspect hoses, gaskets and hopper lids; humid ambient air leaking in defeats the desiccant.
Prevention: Dew-point monitoring with alarms, residence-time check on every rate change, loop leak inspection in PM.
Resin dryerDesiccant not regenerating›
Hits OEE: Availability
Symptoms: Dew point stays poor straight after regeneration, regen cycles complete suspiciously fast or alarm out.
Regen heater failure
Test heater elements and contactors; verify regen air actually reaches setpoint temperature.
Switching valve stuck
Service the bed-changeover valve; a stuck valve keeps drying on a wet bed while roasting the other.
Blocked regen airflow
Clean regen filters and check the blower; low flow cannot carry moisture out of the bed.
Contaminated desiccant
Replace beads fouled by dust or oil mist; fit and maintain inlet filtration.
Prevention: Regen temperature and time trending, valve exercise checks, filter changes on schedule, desiccant replacement interval.
Resin dryerLong dry times and high energy use›
Hits OEE: Performance
Symptoms: Material not ready at startup, dryers run hotter and longer than the datasheet, energy per kg climbs.
Blocked process filters choking airflow
Clean or replace process-air filters; low airflow means slow, uneven drying.
Heater degradation
Verify actual air temperature at the hopper inlet vs setpoint; replace tired elements.
Hopper size mismatched to throughput
Right-size the hopper; a hopper far too large wastes energy, one too small forces overtemperature shortcuts.
Humid air ingress
Keep lids sealed and takeoff points tight; every leak adds latent load the dryer must burn off.
Prevention: Airflow and temperature verification in PM, filter cadence, drying-readiness check in the startup routine.
Freeze dryerChamber vacuum not reaching setpoint›
Hits OEE: Availability
Symptoms: Cycle holds at evacuation, pressure rise tests fail, pump runs continuously without reaching setpoint.
Door gasket or penetration leaks
Inspect and replace door seals, check valve shaft seals and stopper penetrations; leak-locate with a systematic isolation test.
Vacuum pump oil contaminated
Change pump oil (water-saturated oil kills ultimate vacuum); verify gas-ballast operation during high-moisture phases.
Condenser at capacity
Confirm ice load is within condenser capacity and refrigeration reaches design temperature; de-ice fully between runs.
Leaking drain or vent valves
Test and service chamber isolation valves; a weeping drain valve is a classic hidden leak.
Prevention: Scheduled leak-rate (pressure rise) tests, pump-oil condition checks, seal replacement intervals.
Freeze dryerUneven drying across shelves›
Hits OEE: Performance
Symptoms: Edge vials finish wet or collapsed while centre vials are fine (or the reverse), moisture results scatter by tray position.
Shelf temperature nonuniformity
Run a shelf-mapping check; service the heat-transfer fluid circulation and verify shelf flatness.
Radiation edge effects
Expect hotter edges near walls and door; qualify worst-case positions and load with edge protection if needed.
Trays warped, poor shelf contact
Replace warped trays; poor contact turns conduction into guesswork.
Overdense loading
Respect validated load patterns; crowding changes vapour paths and local drying rates.
Prevention: Periodic shelf mapping, tray flatness checks, fixed validated load patterns.
Freeze dryerProduct collapse or meltback›
Hits OEE: Quality
Symptoms: Shrunken or glassy cake, retained moisture, reconstitution problems.
Product exceeded critical temperature in primary drying
Lower shelf temperature or chamber pressure in primary drying; verify product thermocouples represent the batch.
Secondary drying started too early
Confirm the end of primary drying (pressure-rise or comparative pressure measurement) before ramping.
Chamber pressure control unstable
Service the control valve and gauge pair; pressure spikes drive local melt.
Freezing step incomplete
Ensure complete solidification below the formulation's critical point before evacuation.
Prevention: Recipe guard bands validated per formulation, pressure and temperature trending with alarms, gauge calibration.
Capsule fillerFill weight variation out of limits›
Hits OEE: Quality
Symptoms: In-process weight checks trend wide or bimodal, rejects rise, assay variability follows.
Powder flow inconsistency
Review blend flow properties and hopper level control; segregation or rat-holing upstream shows up as weight scatter.
Tamping pins worn or misadjusted
Inspect pins and springs, reset tamping depths per the setup card.
Dosing disc height wrong
Verify disc thickness and clearance for the recipe; renew worn discs.
Hopper level fluctuating
Keep powder level in the working band with level control; head pressure changes dosing density.
Prevention: Blend flow characterisation, tamping-station PM, setup verification with first-piece weights each batch.
Capsule fillerCapsule splitting, dents or locking faults›
Hits OEE: Quality
Symptoms: Split or telescoped capsules in the outfeed, dented caps, poor lock lengths at QC.
Shell moisture out of range
Store capsules at the maker's humidity spec; dry shells crack, damp shells dent and stick.
Rectification block wear
Inspect orientation components; mis-oriented capsules jam and split at joining.
Closing force or length misadjusted
Set the closing station to the shell maker's lock dimensions; verify with a gauge, not by eye.
Worn segment bores
Replace worn segments; sloppy bores misalign cap and body at closing.
Prevention: Shell storage humidity control, closing-length checks per batch, rectification and segment wear PM.
Capsule fillerEmpty or unseparated capsules getting through›
Hits OEE: Performance
Symptoms: Empty capsules found downstream at the checkweigher, separation faults alarm, yield drops.
Weak vacuum separation
Check vacuum pump, filters and per-bore vacuum ports; blocked ports fail to pull bodies from caps.
Capsule lot quality
Audit incoming shells for dimensional variance and pre-locked units; quarantine bad lots.
Static in dry conditions
Control room humidity and add ionisation where shells cling and misfeed.
Worn separation components
Replace worn separation fingers and bushings that skip capsules under speed.
Prevention: Vacuum port cleaning cadence, incoming shell inspection, checkweigher reconciliation to catch drift early.
Flexo pressRegistration drift between stations›
Hits OEE: Quality
Symptoms: Colour-to-colour misregister grows during the run, restarts need long re-set, waste climbs.
Web tension instability
Check dancer or load-cell tension loops zone by zone; service brakes and drives that hunt.
Register marks or sensors contaminated
Clean sensors and verify mark contrast on the substrate; a misread mark walks the register.
Thermal growth of repeats
Allow warm-up and re-register after the press reaches temperature; watch sleeves and mandrels for heat growth.
Worn plate or sleeve mounting
Inspect mandrels, sleeves and mounting tapes; runout at the plate shows as register bounce.
Prevention: Tension-loop health checks, sensor cleaning cadence, warm-up-then-trim discipline, mounting hardware PM.
Flexo pressDirty print, dot gain or bridging›
Hits OEE: Quality
Symptoms: Type fills in, highlights gain, random spots and halos through the run.
Anilox cells plugged
Deep-clean aniloxes and audit cell volume; a plugged anilox under-delivers and prints dirty at the same time.
Ink viscosity drift
Automate or schedule viscosity checks; solvent balance drifts with temperature and time.
Doctor blade worn or badly set
Replace blades on cadence and set angle and pressure to spec; a tired blade leaves an ink film that bridges dots.
Plate swelling
Match plate compound to the ink system; swollen plates gain and smear.
Prevention: Anilox audit program with volume tracking, viscosity control, blade change cadence, plate and ink compatibility checks.
Flexo pressWeb breaks›
Hits OEE: Availability
Symptoms: Breaks cluster at acceleration or at splices, threads of substrate wrap rollers, long re-web times.
Splice quality
Standardise splice prep and tapes; test splice strength, most breaks start at the join.
Tension spikes on speed changes
Tune acceleration ramps and tension control so zones track through speed changes.
Edge nicks from upstream slitting
Audit unwind rolls for edge damage; a nicked edge tears at the first stress riser.
Brittle substrate
Condition material to the pressroom environment; cold, dry film snaps at tensions paper shrugs off.
Prevention: Splice SOP with strength checks, ramp tuning, incoming roll edge inspection, substrate conditioning.
Edge banderGlue line gaps or edging peeling›
Hits OEE: Quality
Symptoms: Visible glue line, tape lifts at corners days later, adhesion tests fail.
Glue temperature off or adhesive degraded
Verify pot and application temperatures; drain charred EVA or PUR and keep pot residence times short.
Pressure rollers misadjusted
Set roller pressure and parallelism to panel thickness; a poor nip never wets the joint.
Panel edge dusty or out of square
Check panel sizing quality and dust extraction ahead of gluing; adhesive cannot bond to dust.
Wrong glue amount
Set application weight per adhesive spec; starving and flooding both fail, differently.
Prevention: Adhesive temperature logging, roller setting checks per thickness change, edge quality audits from the saw or CNC.
Edge banderChipping at trim and flush units›
Hits OEE: Quality
Symptoms: Chips at panel corners and along trims, fuzzy edges on brittle boards, rework at inspection.
Worn trim cutters
Replace or rotate trim knives on cadence; dull tools tear rather than cut.
Feed speed vs cutter mismatch
Match feed rate to cutter RPM and tooth count for the material; too much per tooth chips melamine.
Insufficient hold-down
Check pressure beams and belts; panel vibration during trimming leaves chatter and chips.
Brittle or thin edging stock
Adjust tooling and speeds for thin or brittle tapes; pre-heat zones help some materials.
Prevention: Cutter change cadence by metres run, speed recipes per material, hold-down inspection in PM.
Edge banderTape misfeed or snapping›
Hits OEE: Availability
Symptoms: Feed stops mid-panel, short-fed edges, coil end whips the magazine.
Guide wear or misalignment
Realign tape guides and replace grooved wear parts so stock tracks true into the shear.
Magazine brake tension wrong
Set the coil brake so tape pays out without looping or snatching.
Old or damp coil stock
Store edging dry and rotate stock; brittle tape snaps at the feed rollers.
Shear or cutter timing off
Verify cut-to-length timing after jams; short feeds follow a mistimed shear.
Prevention: Guide wear checks, coil storage discipline, timing verification after every crash.
CNC routerParts moving on the vacuum table›
Hits OEE: Quality
Symptoms: Cut paths wander mid-part, small parts launch at the final pass, scrapped sheets.
Spoilboard sealed or worn
Resurface the spoilboard and keep it flat; a glazed board blocks airflow to the part.
Low vacuum
Check pump performance, filters and gasket leaks; verify zoning matches the nest.
Small parts with too little hold area
Use onion skinning, tabs or pods for small parts instead of trusting raw vacuum.
Porous material bleeding vacuum
Use gasketing or sacrificial films under porous sheets.
Prevention: Spoilboard resurfacing cadence, vacuum-level checks in setup, nest rules for minimum part area.
CNC routerPoor edge finish, fuzzing or burning›
Hits OEE: Quality
Symptoms: Fuzzy laminate edges, burn marks on hardwood, melted edges on plastics.
Dull or wrong tooling
Replace tools on cadence and pick geometry for the material (compression for laminates, O-flute for plastics).
Chipload wrong
Set feed and speed for the recommended chipload; rubbing burns, over-feeding tears.
Wrong cut direction
Use climb vs conventional appropriately per material and pass.
Resin build-up on the tool
Clean pitch and resin off tools; build-up cooks the edge even with sharp carbide.
Prevention: Tool-life tracking by metres cut, feed and speed recipes per material, tool cleaning routine.
CNC routerSpindle overheating or early bearing failure›
Hits OEE: Availability
Symptoms: Spindle hot to touch, thermal alarms late in shift, noise or runout rising over weeks.
Cooling system faults
Service spindle fans or chiller loops; verify coolant flow and temperature to liquid-cooled spindles.
Unbalanced tooling
Balance holders and tools for the operating RPM; imbalance hammers bearings continuously.
Contaminated collet or taper
Clean collets and tapers every tool change; chips in the taper cause runout and heat.
Aggressive cycles beyond duty
Match cut parameters to the spindle duty rating; sustained overload cooks grease and bearings.
Prevention: Spindle temperature trending, tool balancing discipline, collet-cleaning routine, duty-cycle review for new programs.
Nutrunner stationHigh NOK torque rate›
Hits OEE: Quality
Symptoms: Torque or angle results out of window on good parts, rework queue grows, line stops on repeated NOK.
Joint or fastener friction variation
Audit fastener lots and plating; friction change moves achieved clamp at the same torque, consider a torque-angle strategy.
Tool calibration drift
Calibrate transducers on schedule against a reference; trend drift instead of waiting for failures.
Wrong program parameters after changeover
Verify pset selection and parameters against the joint spec; the wrong pset is a classic Monday fault.
Operator side-load on hand tools
Fit reaction arms or retrain posture; side load corrupts torque readings on hand-held tools.
Prevention: Transducer calibration cadence, fastener lot audits, pset verification at changeover, reaction arms on high torques.
Nutrunner stationCross-threading and rundown errors›
Hits OEE: Quality
Symptoms: Rundown aborts early with high torque at low angle, damaged threads at rework, sporadic by fixture.
Tool-to-hole misalignment
Check fixture and tool mounting alignment; renew worn guides and compliance devices.
Engage speed too high
Use a slow-start step so threads seat before speed; most controllers support multi-step rundown.
Damaged threads upstream
Audit tapping and thread forming; chase or reject damaged parts rather than letting the spindle find them.
No rundown-angle monitoring
Enable rundown-angle windows to flag cross-threads instead of torquing through them.
Prevention: Alignment checks in PM, slow-start psets, upstream thread quality audits, rundown-angle windows enabled.
Shot blast machineUneven cleaning or coverage›
Hits OEE: Quality
Symptoms: Some faces blasted bright while others stay scaled, rework blasting, coverage complaints from coating.
Worn wheel blades or control cage
Replace worn blades in sets and verify the control-cage setting; wear shifts the hot spot off the work.
Work mix degraded
Maintain the media working mix with correct additions; too many fines lose impact energy.
Part shadowing on fixtures
Rework hangers or tumble time so all faces present to the blast pattern.
Carrier speed too high
Slow the belt, table or hanger rotation to achieve full coverage per the process spec.
Prevention: Blade and cage inspection cadence, sieve analysis of the media mix, coverage checks per part family.
Shot blast machineExcessive dust and poor visibility›
Hits OEE: Availability
Symptoms: Dust escaping at doors, dust collector alarms, housekeeping and inspection times climb.
Dust collector filters blinded
Pulse-clean or replace cartridges; verify differential pressure is in the working band.
Airflow balance wrong
Set dampers so the cabinet holds slight negative pressure; too little flow lets dust escape.
Seal and liner wear
Replace worn door seals and liners that leak dust-laden air.
High fines from separator faults
Fix the separator; fines in circulation multiply the dust load.
Prevention: Differential-pressure monitoring on the collector, damper settings recorded and audited, seal PM.
Compressed air dryerHigh dew point, water downstream›
Hits OEE: Quality
Symptoms: Water in FRLs and tools, rust in lines, moisture-sensitive processes failing after weather changes.
Refrigerated dryer losing capacity
Check the refrigeration circuit and condenser cleanliness; verify approach temperature at the evaporator.
Desiccant regen failure
Test purge, heater and switching valves on desiccant units; a failed regen wets both towers within hours.
Dryer overloaded
Compare actual flow and inlet temperature to the dryer rating; hot, wet summer air can exceed design.
Failed condensate drains upstream
Repair drains on aftercoolers and receivers; slugs of water overwhelm any dryer.
Prevention: Dew-point monitoring with alarms, drain function checks, seasonal load review, regen system PM.
Compressed air dryerHigh pressure drop across the dryer›
Hits OEE: Performance
Symptoms: Pressure at machines sags while the compressor works harder, differential across dryer and filters climbs.
Blinded pre and after filters
Change filter elements on differential pressure, not calendar; oily condensate blinds elements fast.
Fouled heat exchangers
Clean air-side and refrigerant-side surfaces on refrigerated units.
Desiccant bed compaction or dusting
Replace degraded desiccant and verify flow is within bed design velocity.
Undersized dryer for demand peaks
Check peak-flow sizing; consider a receiver or a larger unit rather than running past rating.
Prevention: Differential-pressure gauges maintained and logged across dryer and filters, element cadence, desiccant condition checks.
Compressed air dryerDesiccant dust carryover›
Hits OEE: Quality
Symptoms: White dust in downstream filters and tools, valves sticking, after-filter elements loading fast.
Desiccant breaking down
Replace aged beads; rapid pressure cycling and over-temperature regen crumble desiccant.
Missing or failed after-filter
Fit and maintain a particulate after-filter rated for desiccant fines.
Flow above design velocity
Keep flow within bed design; fluidised beads grind themselves to dust.
Regen temperature too high
Verify regen heater control; overheating shortens desiccant life sharply.
Prevention: After-filter element cadence, desiccant replacement interval, regen temperature verification.
Flow wrapperPrint registration drifting off the eye mark›
Hits OEE: Quality
Symptoms: Graphics wander along the pack, cut lands mid-print, waste film piles up at restarts.
Eye-mark sensor dirty or misaligned
Clean the registration sensor, re-teach on the actual film lot and verify mark contrast; a misread mark walks the cutoff.
Film slipping at the draw rollers
Check draw roller pressure and wear; dusty or waxy films need cleaning cadence on the rollers.
Unwind tension unstable
Service the unwind brake or dancer so tension stays constant as the roll diameter falls.
Prevention: Sensor cleaning cadence, re-teach at every film lot change, draw roller wear checks, unwind tension verification in PM.
Flow wrapperWeak or burnt end seals›
Hits OEE: Quality
Symptoms: Packs open at the crimp, channel leaks at the corners, dark scorched seals on slowdowns.
Crimper temperature wrong for the speed
Match sealing temperature to line speed and film spec; fixed heat that is right at full speed burns seals at crawl.
Worn or dirty crimper jaws
Clean product residue from the knurls and re-cut or replace worn jaws; damaged knurls leave unfused channels.
Film or gusset misfolded at the seal
Check forming box setup and product height so extra film layers do not enter the crimp.
Prevention: Seal integrity checks each shift (squeeze or dye test), jaw cleaning cadence, temperature-speed recipe per film.
Flow wrapperProduct jams at the infeed chain›
Hits OEE: Availability
Symptoms: Products tip or double up at the lugs, wrapper stops on product-in-seal faults, crushed product in the film tube.
Infeed timing off vs product pitch
Re-time the infeed so product centres between lugs; check the product-in-place sensor position.
Irregular product size or shape
Tighten upstream size control; oversize product strikes the forming box and jams.
Worn lugs or guides
Replace bent lugs and worn side guides that let product skew before the tube.
Prevention: Infeed timing check at changeover, upstream product size audits, lug and guide inspection in PM.
Tray sealerLeaking tray seals›
Hits OEE: Quality
Symptoms: Leak-test rejects rise, packs blow or weep in distribution, seals peel at a corner.
Contaminated seal flange
Fix product loading so sauce or fines stay off the flange; add flange cleaning or adjust fill levels.
Seal tool temperature or pressure off
Verify platen temperature, pressure and dwell against the film and tray spec; check heater zones for cold spots.
Tray or film lot variation
Audit incoming trays for warp and flange quality; qualify film lots before committing a shift.
Prevention: Leak testing per batch, seal tool temperature mapping, flange contamination audits, incoming tray checks.
Tray sealerHigh residual oxygen in MAP packs›
Hits OEE: Quality
Symptoms: Gas analyser rejects, shelf-life complaints, O2 creeping up across the shift.
Insufficient vacuum or gas flush time
Verify the vacuum level and gas flush settings against the validated recipe; do not trade cycle time for residual O2.
Gas supply problems
Check gas mix, supply pressure and blocked nozzles; confirm the mix at the tool, not just at the manifold.
Chamber or tool leaks
Test chamber gaskets and fittings; a small chamber leak pulls air back in before sealing.
Prevention: Gas analysis per batch with trending, chamber gasket PM, gas supply checks at startup.
Tray sealerFilm wrinkles or misaligned lidding›
Hits OEE: Quality
Symptoms: Wrinkled lids across the seal area, print off-centre, film tears at the grippers.
Film tension or tracking off
Adjust unwind tension and web guides; verify the film width matches the tool.
Worn film grippers or transport
Replace worn gripper chains and check they pull evenly on both sides.
Tool alignment
Check seal tool alignment to the tray pockets after any crash or tool swap.
Prevention: Film tracking checks at changeover, gripper wear PM, tool alignment verification after crashes.
Can seamerDouble-seam defects (cut-over, false seam, sharp seam)›
Hits OEE: Quality
Symptoms: Seam teardowns out of spec, cut-over at the crossover, leakers found in incubation.
First or second operation rolls worn or misadjusted
Measure seam thickness, height, body hook and cover hook against spec; reset roll clearances and replace grooved rolls.
Chuck and roll alignment off
Check seaming chuck fit and roll parallelism; a worn chuck lets the can rock during seaming.
Can or end lot variation
Audit incoming cans and ends for flange and curl dimensions; quarantine deviating lots.
Prevention: Scheduled seam teardown checks per seaming head, roll and chuck wear PM, incoming can and end audits.
Can seamerCans damaged or jamming at the seamer›
Hits OEE: Availability
Symptoms: Dented flanges at the infeed, cans crushed at the lifter, frequent stops to clear wrecks.
Infeed timing off
Re-time feed screws, star wheels and the end feed so cans and ends meet the chuck in phase.
Lifter spring or pressure wrong
Set lifter load to spec for the can size; a weak lifter mis-seats the can under the chuck.
Worn guides and change parts
Replace worn change parts and verify the correct set is installed for the format.
Prevention: Timing verification after jams, lifter load checks, change-part condition audit at every format change.
Can seamerLeakers found after filling and seaming›
Hits OEE: Quality
Symptoms: Low-vacuum or swollen cans in the warehouse, micro-leak rejects, seam looks visually fine.
Compound placement or coverage poor
Check the end lining compound for skips and voids with the end maker; compound gaps leak past a dimensionally correct seam.
Seam tightness marginal
Review tightness rating on teardowns; wrinkle-free hooks with correct overlap still need adequate tightness.
Damage after seaming
Audit conveyors and basket loading for impacts that break the seal after a good seam.
Prevention: Incubation and vacuum checks, teardown tightness ratings trended per head, post-seamer handling audits.
Inkjet coderMissing or illegible codes›
Hits OEE: Quality
Symptoms: Blank or smudged date codes, verification camera rejects, rework relabelling.
Printhead dirty or clogged
Run the cleaning cycle and manual head wash on schedule; dried ink on the gutter or nozzle ruins character formation.
Wrong throw distance or product movement
Set head-to-product distance per spec and stabilise product presentation; vibration blurs characters.
Ink or makeup out of spec
Use in-date fluids, verify viscosity control and check for wrong cartridge swaps.
Prevention: Head cleaning cadence, fluid stock rotation, code verification checks each run start.
Inkjet coderCoder faults stopping the line›
Hits OEE: Availability
Symptoms: Gutter faults, high-voltage trips, phase faults on startup, line waits on the coder.
Ink system contamination
Service filters and pumps per the maintenance module; old ink varnishes the hydraulics and causes gutter and phase errors.
Condensation or washdown ingress
Check enclosure sealing and air supply dryness; moisture trips high-voltage faults.
Worn head components
Replace nozzle and charge electrode assemblies at the service interval instead of running to failure.
Prevention: Service-interval discipline, dry clean air to the head, sealed enclosures for washdown lines.
Inkjet coderWrong code or date printed›
Hits OEE: Quality
Symptoms: Retailer complaints or recalls risk, wrong batch or best-before on good product, found at audit not at the line.
Manual message selection errors
Move to job selection from a controlled list or barcode scan; free-typing dates on the line invites errors.
Clock or offset misconfiguration
Verify coder clock, time zone and shelf-life offsets after power cycles and season changes.
No verification at the point of print
Fit or enable code verification (vision or scanner) so a wrong code stops the line, not the customer.
Prevention: Controlled job selection, clock checks in startup routine, automated code verification with hard stops.
Bottle unscramblerBottles discharged misoriented or upside down›
Hits OEE: Performance
Symptoms: Downstream filler faults on flipped bottles, operators hand-correcting at the outfeed.
Change parts wrong or worn
Verify the correct sleeve and selector set for the bottle and replace worn orientation parts.
Hopper level too high or low
Keep the working level in band; flooding the bowl overwhelms the selectors.
Air jets or sensors misadjusted
Reset orientation air jets and confirm sensor timing for the format.
Prevention: Format change checklist with first-off checks, change-part condition audits, hopper level control.
Bottle unscramblerJams in the bowl, elevator or chutes›
Hits OEE: Availability
Symptoms: Repeat blockages at the same spot, elevator belt slipping, bottles wedged at transfer points.
Static or dusty bottles
Add ionisation and keep bulk bottle supplies covered; dusty rPET bridges in chutes.
Damaged or lightweight bottle lots
Audit incoming bottles; short-shot or ovalised bottles wedge where good ones flow.
Worn transfer guides
Polish or replace guides and verify gaps at every transfer for the format.
Prevention: Incoming bottle audits, transfer gap checks at changeover, chute and guide wear PM.
Bottle unscramblerBottle scuffing and damage›
Hits OEE: Quality
Symptoms: Scuff rings and scratches visible after labelling, cosmetic rejects, customer complaints on premium SKUs.
Overfilled bowl churning bottles
Lower the working level so bottles single out quickly instead of grinding against each other.
Rough or worn contact surfaces
Replace worn liners and polish contact points; renew UHMW wear strips.
Excessive backpressure at discharge
Balance line speeds so bottles do not dwell and spin against guides.
Prevention: Bowl level discipline, wear-strip PM, line balance review per format.
Case packerCollation errors, wrong count or pattern›
Hits OEE: Quality
Symptoms: Cases rejected at the checkweigher for count, mixed or shingled product in the case, downstream palletizer faults.
Infeed lane control unstable
Tune lane sensors and gates so collation builds only from stable, back-to-back product.
Timing drift between collation and loader
Verify servo phasing after stops and jams; re-home per the recovery procedure.
Product dimension variation
Audit upstream pack dimensions; bulged or short packs break the pattern.
Prevention: Lane sensor checks at changeover, controlled recovery procedure after jams, upstream pack dimension audits.
Case packerJams at the case loading point›
Hits OEE: Availability
Symptoms: Product or flights crash at the mouth of the case, torn flaps, repeated minor stops all shift.
Case presentation misaligned
Square the case transport and funnel guides to the loader path; renew worn funnels.
Poorly erected cases from upstream
Fix the erector first; skewed cases jam every packer downstream.
Loader speed vs product fragility
Tune load stroke speed and cushioning so product seats without bounce-back into the mouth.
Prevention: Funnel and guide wear PM, erector quality checks, load-stroke tuning per SKU.
Case packerCrushed or damaged product in cases›
Hits OEE: Quality
Symptoms: Damage found at retail or palletizing, crushed corners on inner packs, claims rise on specific SKUs.
Overcompression at loading or closing
Set compression and flap-fold forces for the board and product; verify after format changes.
Wrong case or partition spec
Confirm internal dimensions and partitions give the product clearance; tight cases crush at close.
Drops and transfers too aggressive
Reduce drop heights and add guides or decelerators at transfers.
Prevention: Damage sampling per SKU, case spec review with packaging engineering, transfer audit walk of the line.
HTST pasteuriserFrequent flow diversions›
Hits OEE: Availability
Symptoms: Divert valve kicks product back to balance tank, throughput collapses, restarts burn time and product.
Hot water or steam supply unstable
Fix the heating loop first: verify steam pressure, hot water set point stability and control valve behaviour.
Fouled plates reducing heat transfer
Shorten run time between cleans for the recipe or improve CIP; trend the temperature approach to spot fouling early.
Flow rate instability
Check the timing pump, homogeniser coordination and level control in the balance tank.
Prevention: Trend holding-tube temperature margin, heating loop PM, CIP effectiveness verification.
HTST pasteuriserFouling shortens production runs›
Hits OEE: Performance
Symptoms: Pressure drop climbs across the plate pack, temperature approach widens through the run, runs end early for cleaning.
Protein or mineral fouling faster than planned
Review product preheat and regeneration temperatures; small profile changes slow deposit formation.
CIP not restoring the plates
Verify chemical strength, temperature and flow in CIP; inspect plates periodically instead of trusting cycle completion.
Plate gaskets aging
Replace gaskets on schedule; leaking gaskets disturb flow distribution and hot spots foul faster.
Prevention: Run-length and pressure-drop trending, periodic plate inspection, gasket replacement intervals.
HTST pasteuriserRegeneration efficiency falling, energy climbing›
Hits OEE: Performance
Symptoms: Steam and chilled water consumption rise for the same throughput, product enters heating colder than design.
Regeneration section fouled
Include regen sections in cleaning verification, not just the heating section.
Flow imbalance between passes
Check for blocked channels and verify differential pressures against commissioning data.
Instrument drift hiding the loss
Calibrate the temperature sensors around the regen section so efficiency numbers are real.
Prevention: Energy per litre trending, commissioning-baseline comparisons, sensor calibration cadence.
Heat-treat furnaceScale, decarburisation or soot on parts›
Hits OEE: Quality
Symptoms: Surface defects after treatment, hardness fall-off at the surface, sooty deposits inside the furnace.
Atmosphere composition off
Verify carbon potential or protective atmosphere flow and analysers; calibrate probes on schedule.
Air ingress
Fix door seals, fan shaft seals and sample ports; tramp air oxidises parts and burns atmosphere.
Wrong burnout or recovery procedure
Follow soot burnout procedures; running dirty changes surface chemistry unpredictably.
Prevention: Probe calibration cadence, leak checks in PM, atmosphere trend logging per recipe.
Heat-treat furnaceHigh fuel or power consumption per load›
Hits OEE: Performance
Symptoms: Energy per tonne climbs quarter on quarter, longer heat-up, burners cycling hard.
Insulation degradation
Survey shell temperatures with a thermal camera and repair hot spots in the lining.
Burner tuning drift
Tune air-fuel ratios and check recuperator performance; rich or lean burn wastes fuel.
Underloaded cycles
Schedule full loads where the recipe allows; half-empty furnaces burn the same energy.
Prevention: Energy per load trending, shell thermal surveys, burner tuning cadence, load planning.
Case packerProduct jams at collation or infeed›
Hits OEE: Availability
Symptoms: Products back up before the loading head, misgrouped rows, jams that stop the machine or misfeed the case.
Upstream feed rate or gapping wrong
Balance the infeed conveyor speed and gapping to the packer rate; smooth surging from the upstream filler or wrapper.
Worn or mistimed grouping flights / lane dividers
Inspect and replace worn flights and guides; re-time the collation to the loading head.
Unstable or damaged product on the infeed
Fix leaners and fallen packs upstream; check that the product is stable enough to group at rate.
Photo-eye or count sensor misread
Clean and align the collation sensors; verify triggering against the actual product.
Prevention: Line-rate balancing, flight and divider inspection, upstream stability control, sensor cleaning; log micro-stops at the infeed to catch drift early.
Case packerCases not erecting square›
Hits OEE: Availability
Symptoms: Blanks open skewed or partially, cases crush at load, frequent stops at the erector, blanks left in the magazine.
Vacuum cup wear or weak vacuum
Replace worn suction cups; check the vacuum pump, filters and hoses for leaks and restore the set vacuum level.
Magazine set-up or blank quality
Reset the magazine hold-down and gate to the blank; reject warped or out-of-spec corrugated with the supplier.
Mistimed or worn erecting arm / plough
Re-time the erector to the blank pick; inspect and replace worn forming tooling.
Wrong case-size change-over settings
Reconfirm the recipe and mechanical settings for the case size; verify guide rail positions.
Prevention: Vacuum-system upkeep, blank-quality control, erector timing checks, verified change-over recipes.
Case packerPoor case seal (glue or tape)›
Hits OEE: Quality
Symptoms: Flaps pop open, weak or stringing hot-melt, skewed tape, cases rejected downstream or failing on the pallet.
Glue temperature or pattern wrong
Set the hot-melt tank and hose to the adhesive spec; clean or replace the nozzle; correct the bead pattern and add-on weight.
Compression time too short
Increase flap-compression dwell so the adhesive sets before release; check the compression section belts.
Worn tape head / blade or low tack
Service the tape head, replace a dull blade, and confirm the tape grade and roll tension.
Flaps not folded square before sealing
Correct flap-folder timing and guides so major and minor flaps meet cleanly before glue or tape.
Prevention: Adhesive temperature and pattern control, compression dwell checks, tape-head maintenance, flap-folder alignment.
Case packerMiscount or wrong pack pattern›
Hits OEE: Quality
Symptoms: Short or over count in the case, wrong orientation or layer pattern, mixed formats, giveaway or customer complaints.
Count sensor fault or miscalibration
Clean and align the count photo-eyes; verify the count against a manual check and recalibrate.
Wrong recipe or pattern loaded
Load the correct pack-pattern recipe for the SKU; confirm rows, layers and orientation on the HMI.
Product slipping or tipping in the group
Adjust guides and pusher to hold the pattern; fix slippery or unstable product presentation.
Indexing or pusher timing drift
Re-time the indexer and load pusher; check for worn cams, belts or servo tuning.
Prevention: Sensor calibration, recipe discipline at change-over, stable product handling, indexing/pusher timing checks; log rejects by SKU to spot recurring pattern faults.
Die casting machineGas porosity in castings›
Hits OEE: Quality
Symptoms: Voids or blisters found on machining or X-ray, leak-test failures, blistering after heat treat, scrap concentrated on specific cavities.
Air trapped by turbulent fill
Reduce gate velocity or re-time the shot so the cavity fills more smoothly; review runner and gate design.
Inadequate die venting or vacuum
Clean and enlarge vents; check the chill-vent or vacuum-valve seals and timing.
Excess die lubricant or plunger lube gassing off
Cut spray volume and extend blow-off; switch to a lower-residue lubricant and confirm the die is dry before the shot.
Low metal or die temperature
Raise holding-furnace and die temperature to spec so gas escapes before freeze-off.
Prevention: Vent and vacuum maintenance, controlled lube spray with blow-off, metal and die temperature control, shot-profile verification; log scrap by cavity to catch drift early.
Die casting machineDie soldering or part sticking›
Hits OEE: Availability
Symptoms: Aluminium welds to the die face, parts stick and tear on ejection, rising cycle time, drag marks and pickup on the casting surface.
Insufficient or failed die-release lubricant
Restore even lube coverage on the hot spots; check spray pattern, nozzle blockage and dilution ratio.
Metal temperature too high
Lower the holding-furnace temperature toward the low end of the alloy window; verify the thermocouple.
Localised die hot spots or poor cooling
Check cooling-line flow to the affected insert; clear scaled or blocked cooling channels.
Worn or damaged die surface or coating
Inspect and re-polish or re-coat the affected area; correct low alloy iron content that promotes soldering.
Prevention: Die-temperature mapping and cooling-line checks, disciplined lube coverage, alloy chemistry control, scheduled die-surface inspection.
Die casting machineExcessive flash at the parting line›
Hits OEE: Quality
Symptoms: Thin metal fins along the parting line or slides, heavy trim load, dimensional creep, flash breaking off into the die.
Insufficient clamp or tie-bar force
Check clamp tonnage and tie-bar strain balance; correct for projected area and intensified pressure.
Worn or damaged parting faces
Blue-check the parting line; dress or repair worn faces and slide fits.
Intensification pressure too high for the die
Trim intensification to the minimum that still fills and feeds; recheck for shrink before cutting further.
Die deflection or debris on the face
Remove flash and debris every cycle; check for die deflection and support the affected area.
Prevention: Tie-bar strain balancing, parting-face inspection, right-sized clamp for projected area, keep faces clean; trend flash by shot to catch tie-bar drift.
Die casting machineShort shot or incomplete fill›
Hits OEE: Quality
Symptoms: Rounded or missing edges, unfilled thin sections and far cavities, non-fill at the vents, rejects rising on cold starts.
Low metal or die temperature
Raise metal and die temperature to spec; let the die reach thermal steady state before running parts.
Insufficient shot volume or biscuit too short
Increase the metal charge and set the correct biscuit thickness; check ladle accuracy.
Slow injection or low intensification pressure
Raise fast-shot velocity and intensification to fill before freeze-off; verify the accumulator pre-charge.
Blocked gates or vents
Clean sprayed-up gates and vents; confirm runner and gate cross-section against the part program.
Prevention: Thermal warm-up discipline, verified shot weight and biscuit, accumulator pre-charge checks, gate and vent cleaning; log fill rejects by cavity.
Ultrasonic welderWeak or inconsistent welds›
Hits OEE: Quality
Symptoms: Parts pull apart, weld strength varies shot to shot, weld collapse out of spec, rejects rising.
Worn or contaminated horn face
Clean the sonotrode; inspect for cracks and replace a worn or pitted horn.
Insufficient amplitude or weld energy
Raise amplitude, weld energy or weld time to the part spec; verify the booster ratio.
Poor part fit or worn energy director
Check joint design and energy-director condition; correct moulding flash and fixture nesting.
Low or uneven weld force
Calibrate trigger and weld force; check the air regulator and cylinder.
Prevention: Horn inspection, amplitude and energy verification, part-fit and fixture checks, weld-force calibration.
Ultrasonic welderNo ultrasound output or converter fault›
Hits OEE: Availability
Symptoms: Press cycles but no weld forms, overload or error on the generator, no vibration at the horn.
Failed converter or transducer
Test the converter and replace it if the ceramics have failed.
Loose or damaged stack joints
Torque the converter, booster and horn interfaces to spec; replace worn mating faces.
Generator fault
Read the generator error code; test the output with a known-good stack.
Cracked horn detuning the stack
Scan the stack frequency; replace a cracked horn.
Prevention: Stack-torque schedule, periodic converter testing, horn crack inspection.
Ultrasonic welderHorn overheating or cracking›
Hits OEE: Availability
Symptoms: Horn hot to touch, screeching or buzzing, visible cracks, frequency out of tune.
Horn overdriven near its limit
Reduce amplitude and duty; confirm the horn design frequency and gain.
Fatigue micro-cracks
Replace the horn; polish out minor surface marks before they propagate.
Dirty or loose stack raising losses
Clean and re-torque the stack interfaces to cut heating.
Horn hitting metal or a hard stop
Correct down-speed and hold; protect the horn face from bottoming out.
Prevention: Amplitude limits, fatigue-life tracking, clean torqued stack, correct downstroke setup.
Ultrasonic welderFlash, marking or part burn›
Hits OEE: Quality
Symptoms: Melt flash at the joint, cosmetic marks on show surfaces, scorched or discoloured plastic.
Too much amplitude or weld time
Reduce weld energy; trim weld time and hold to just fuse the joint.
Worn or wrong horn contour
Match the horn contour to the part; replace a worn contact face.
Missing or wrong energy director
Right-size the energy director or shear joint in the tool.
Horn-to-part misalignment
Align the horn square to the part; correct fixture nesting.
Prevention: Energy tuning per part, horn-contour matching, alignment checks.
BalerLow bale density or will not compress›
Hits OEE: Performance
Symptoms: Loose bales, bales fall apart, low bale weight, cycle finishes without full compaction.
Low hydraulic pressure
Check the relief-valve setting and pump output; test system pressure against spec.
Worn ram or platen seals
Rebuild the main cylinder; replace worn seals losing compaction force.
Overfilled or wrong material
Charge the correct volume; separate un-baleable or springy material.
Worn shear blade leaving overhang
Sharpen or replace the shear blade so the charge shears cleanly.
Prevention: System-pressure checks, cylinder and seal PM, blade sharpening schedule, feed control.
BalerRam will not advance or stalls mid-stroke›
Hits OEE: Availability
Symptoms: Ram creeps or stops, motor runs but no motion, chattering under load.
Low oil or air in the hydraulics
Top up to spec, bleed trapped air, and check for a suction-side leak.
Failing pump or coupling
Test pump flow; inspect the pump-motor coupling for wear.
Stuck or faulty directional valve
Clean or replace the spool valve; check the shift solenoid.
Material jam ahead of the ram
Lock out and clear the jam; confirm the feed size is within limits.
Prevention: Oil level and quality checks, pump and valve PM, feed-size control, jam-clear SOP.
BalerWire or strap tie failures›
Hits OEE: Quality
Symptoms: Broken or loose ties on ejection, bales bursting after ejection, missed ties.
Wire tension or twist set wrong
Adjust the tensioner and twist count; confirm the wire gauge matches spec.
Worn twist or gripper mechanism
Inspect and replace worn twister pinions and grippers.
Poor wire quality or rust
Use spec wire and keep it dry; rusty wire snaps under tension.
Needle timing off
Re-time the needles to the twister so the tie forms fully.
Prevention: Tie-mechanism PM, correct wire spec and storage, needle-timing checks.
BalerBale will not eject or jams at the door›
Hits OEE: Availability
Symptoms: Door will not open, bale stuck in the chamber, eject cycle faults out.
Overfilled or oversized bale
Right-size the charge and cycle; do not overfill the chamber.
Door latch or eject-ram fault
Check the latch interlock and eject sequence; inspect the actuators.
Debris in the chamber rails
Lock out and clean the chamber and guide rails.
Low eject pressure
Check the eject-circuit relief and cylinder for internal leakage.
Prevention: Fill control, door-interlock testing, chamber cleaning, eject-circuit checks.
Rotary kilnRefractory failure or hot shell spots›
Hits OEE: Availability
Symptoms: Red or hot patches on the shell by thermal scan, falling brick, unplanned outages.
Thermal cycling and overheating
Stabilise operation; avoid rapid temperature swings and repeated stops that spall brick.
Shell ovality or mechanical flexing
Check tyre and roller wear and shell roundness; correct alignment.
Wrong brick spec or poor install
Use zone-correct refractory; verify keying and installation quality.
Coating loss exposing brick
Restore a stable protective coating through flame and feed control.
Prevention: Shell thermal scanning, alignment and ovality checks, correct refractory selection, stable-coating management.
Rotary kilnAir in-leakage at the seals›
Hits OEE: Performance
Symptoms: High excess oxygen and false air, poor fuel efficiency, unstable draft, dusting at the seals.
Worn inlet or outlet end seals
Replace or adjust the graphite, leaf or pneumatic end seals.
Failed seal springs or lamellas
Renew the springs and lamellas and set correct contact pressure.
Shell distortion at the seal face
True up the seal face and correct alignment so the seal tracks.
Draft or pressure balance off
Rebalance the ID and FD fans and dampers to control false air.
Prevention: Seal inspection and PM, draft-balance monitoring, oxygen and false-air trending.
Rotary kilnDrive or girth-gear vibration and misalignment›
Hits OEE: Availability
Symptoms: Gear noise, uneven tooth wear, high vibration, shell wobble at the tyres.
Girth-gear or pinion misalignment or backlash
Set root clearance and backlash to spec; align the pinion to the girth gear.
Worn support rollers or tyres
Skew-adjust the rollers; regrind or replace worn tyres and rollers.
Poor gear lubrication
Correct the spray-lube type, coverage and timing on the open gear.
Shell axial float mismanaged
Adjust roller skew to keep thrust and float within limits.
Prevention: Alignment and backlash checks, roller and tyre wear monitoring, gear-lube management, thrust and float control.
Band sawCrooked or out-of-square cuts (blade wander)›
Hits OEE: Quality
Symptoms: Cut drifts off the line, out-of-square or bellied faces, oversize or undersize stock, the blade leads to one side.
Blade tension too low
Set blade tension to the manufacturer's spec with a tension gauge; a slack band deflects and wanders in the cut.
Dull, chipped or unevenly set blade
Replace the blade; worn teeth or lost set on one side pull the cut off line.
Guide bearings worn or set too loose
Adjust or replace the side and back guides so they support the blade close to the workpiece.
Feed force too high
Reduce down-feed pressure; let the blade cut at its rated rate instead of forcing it and bowing the band.
Prevention: Correct tension at every blade change, guide-bearing inspection, blade-condition checks, feed-rate discipline; log cut time per blade to catch drift.
Band sawPremature blade breakage›
Hits OEE: Availability
Symptoms: Blade snaps mid-cut, cracks at the weld or in the tooth gullets, short blade life, repeated breakage on the same machine.
Blade over-tensioned
Set tension to spec; over-tension fatigues the band and cracks the gullets and weld.
Wrong tooth pitch for the section
Match tooth pitch (TPI) to the wall thickness and section; too coarse strips teeth, too fine overloads the gullet.
Poor blade weld or damaged band
Re-weld and grind the joint flush and annealed per procedure, or replace a nicked band.
Wheel or guide misalignment
Align the wheels and guides so the blade tracks true and does not flex at the back edge each revolution.
Prevention: Correct tension and blade selection, quality welds, wheel and guide alignment, a reduced-feed break-in on new blades.
Band sawRapid tooth wear / short blade life›
Hits OEE: Performance
Symptoms: Cut time climbing, burnt or blued chips, rough finish, teeth rounding over or stripping early.
Break-in skipped on a new blade
Run the reduced-feed break-in for the first cuts so a fresh tooth edge hones in rather than micro-chipping.
Blade speed or feed wrong for the material
Set blade speed (SFM) and feed to the material chart; running too fast work-hardens and burns the teeth.
Coolant starvation or wrong mix
Restore coolant flow and concentration at the teeth; check the pump, nozzles and mix ratio.
Work-hardening alloy or hard mill scale
Keep the blade fed into the cut without dwelling, remove scale, and select the correct tooth grade for the alloy.
Prevention: Proper break-in, correct speed and feed, coolant maintenance, blade grade matched to the material; trend blade life to spot a process drift.
Band sawExcessive vibration, noise or poor finish›
Hits OEE: Performance
Symptoms: Chatter marks on the cut face, rattling or banging through the cut, ridged finish, noise rising as the blade loads.
Tooth pitch too coarse for the section
Keep at least three teeth engaged in the work; switch to a finer or variable-pitch blade for thin walls and tube.
Loose or worn guides or wheel bearings
Tighten and align the guides; replace worn wheel or guide bearings that let the blade vibrate.
Workpiece not clamped securely
Clamp the stock firmly and support long or thin sections so they cannot move under the blade.
Damaged blade or uneven tooth set
Replace a blade with missing teeth or lost set that hammers the cut and chatters.
Prevention: Correct tooth pitch (three-tooth rule), guide and bearing upkeep, secure clamping, blade-condition checks.
SMT stencil printerInsufficient or missing solder paste deposits›
Hits OEE: Quality
Symptoms: Low paste volume at SPI, skipped or partial deposits on fine-pitch and small chip pads, open joints found after reflow.
Paste not releasing from small apertures
Check the area ratio (aperture opening area divided by aperture wall area); below about 0.66 release becomes unreliable, so move to a thinner or step stencil, or to nano-coated and electroformed apertures.
Clogged or paste-caked apertures
Run the underside wipe more often (vacuum plus solvent), and deep-clean the stencil; inspect the apertures under magnification for dried paste.
Paste past its working life or cold from storage
Bring paste to room temperature in its sealed jar before opening, respect the stencil life on the datasheet, and discard paste worked far beyond it.
Poor stencil-to-board gasketing
Check board support under the print area, flatten a warped panel with dedicated supports, and confirm the stencil sits flush with zero print gap.
Prevention: Design apertures to an area ratio above 0.66, keep a scheduled underside-wipe and deep-clean routine, control paste handling and stencil life, and support every board properly.
SMT stencil printerSolder paste bridging or smearing between pads›
Hits OEE: Quality
Symptoms: Paste smeared across the board surface, deposits joined between fine-pitch pads, bridges found at SPI or as shorts after reflow.
Paste bleeding under the stencil
Restore gasketing: correct board support, zero print gap, and check for a bent or dented stencil foil.
Squeegee pressure too high
Reduce to the lowest pressure that gives a clean wipe (roughly 0.2 to 0.3 kg per cm of blade length as a starting point) so the blade does not scoop or flex into apertures.
Underside wipe interval too long
Shorten the wipe frequency (for example every 3 to 5 prints on fine-pitch assemblies) and verify the wipe is actually reaching the aperture area.
Snap-off or separation speed too fast for the paste
Slow the separation speed so deposits break cleanly rather than being dragged, and re-check the paste viscosity against its datasheet.
Prevention: Correct board support and zero print gap, lowest effective squeegee pressure, disciplined underside-wipe interval, separation speed tuned to the paste.
SMT stencil printerPrint offset or poor registration to the pads›
Hits OEE: Quality
Symptoms: Deposits sitting off-centre or rotated relative to the pads, offset growing across the panel, SPI registration alarms.
Fiducial recognition drifting
Clean the board and stencil fiducials, re-teach them, and check camera lighting and focus; a marked or lacquered fiducial reads inconsistently.
Board not seated or clamped repeatably
Check edge clamps, vacuum or magnetic supports and the conveyor stop; any board movement during print shows up as offset.
Stencil frame loose or foil tension lost
Re-tension or replace a slack foil and verify the frame locks squarely in the printer every load.
Stencil artwork or scaling mismatch to the board
Verify the stencil revision matches the board revision and that any fiducial-based scaling compensation is set correctly.
Prevention: Clean readable fiducials, repeatable clamping and support, tensioned in-date stencils, and a revision check at every changeover.
SMT stencil printerPrinter stops on a vision, clamp or conveyor fault›
Hits OEE: Availability
Symptoms: Cycle halts mid-print, alarm for fiducial not found, board not clamped or board not detected; the line starves downstream.
Fiducial not found
Clean the fiducial, check illumination and camera focus, and re-teach the pattern; a partly obscured mark is the most common trigger.
Board sensor or conveyor stop misaligned
Lock out stored energy, then clean and align the sensors and the stop; verify the sensor sees the board edge reliably at speed.
Low air pressure to clamps or lifters
Check supply pressure and regulators, and look for leaks in the clamp and lifter circuit; weak clamping trips the not-clamped interlock.
Guard, door or light-curtain interlock open
Verify each interlock and light curtain, and check the wiring on any door that is opened frequently for cleaning.
Prevention: Scheduled sensor and camera cleaning, air-system leak checks, interlock testing, and logging every stop with its cause so the repeat offender is visible.
SMT stencil printerPrint cycle slower than the line takt›
Hits OEE: Performance
Symptoms: Printer is the bottleneck, downstream placement machines wait, cycle time above the planned takt on the fine-pitch products.
Conservative print and separation speeds left from debugging
Re-optimise print stroke and separation speed for the current paste and stencil rather than leaving trial settings in the recipe.
Excessive cleaning frequency
Set the wipe interval from the defect data, not habit; over-wiping burns cycle time, under-wiping causes bridging, so trend both.
Double or triple print strokes not needed
Review whether the extra stroke still earns its place after aperture or stencil changes.
Slow board handling
Check conveyor speeds, lift and clamp timing and the upstream handoff, since transport can dominate a fast print.
Prevention: Recipe optimisation per product, wipe interval driven by defect data, and cycle-time trending against takt so the bottleneck is visible.
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