Preventative Maintenance Best Practices for Industrial Valve Actuators

Industrial processes are built on the concept of precision. Thousands of working parts and pieces come together in a complex system, each doing a simple job to contribute to a larger result. Each piece and process is important, and if one singular aspect fails, so does the entire overhanging process.

It’s this concept that makes something like industrial valve actuation in Utah so important. A valve that’s non-functional or malfunctioning not only causes an immediate problem—it causes an overhanging one that will stress other parts within a system. It’s quite simple for a damaged valve to quickly lead to the slowdown or shutdown of an entire system.

Preventing valve issues

The simplest way to prevent industrial valve actuators from malfunctioning is through preventative maintenance. Not only does proactive maintenance prevent abrupt malfunction of valves and actuators, it also helps extend life expectancy and preserve function. Ultimately, this saves time and money, preventing process disruptions and costly setbacks.

Best practices for maintenance

There are a number of things that can be done to preserve industrial valve actuation in Utah. Some of the best and easiest solutions come in the form of routine preventative maintenance:

• Conduct routine inspections of valves, including looking for corrosion, leakage and other imperfections. This also includes testing mechanics, such as knobs and levers. Also important is the inspection of gauges and fitments.
• Test the function of your actuator by opening and closing the valve manually. This will serve to doubly check the function of the knob or handle, while also signaling that the internal actuator is functioning as it should be.
• For more invasive, thorough inspections, disassemble the valve and inspect the integrity of internal components—including o-rings. For explosion-proofed actuators, be sure to also check the flame path during this internal inspection.
• Observe tightness on any fittings, bolts, screws and nuts to make sure they’re completely secure.

It’s also important to inspect both locally and remotely. This means testing the function of the valve manually, while also triggering open/close protocols from a terminal (if applicable).

Staying ahead of actuator failure

In many industrial facilities, routine inspection of valves is already mandated by OSHA and other regulatory bodies. Taking the time to monitor industrial valve actuation in Utah during these inspections can accomplish two duties at the same time, giving site operators and managers peace of mind about the fluidity of the systems they oversee.

Actuator failure is something you can ill afford to deal with in your facilities—especially if it results in downtime for any processes or systems (which it certainly will). Stay ahead of breakdowns and extend the life of your valves and their function through maintenance best practices.

If the worst does happen and you experience actuator failure, make sure your first call is to Intermountain Valve Services, Inc. We’ll repair the issue quickly and help you understand what caused it. Our mission is to help our customers become better informed about what they can do to sustain the function of their industrial valves and actuators.

Categorised in: Industrial Valve Actuation

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