Why Is It Important to keep your Plastering and Rendering Machine Maintained

A penny saved is a penny earned; a motto some of you may live by, making tactical cutbacks and skimping on certain things to help boost the bank balance. However, when it comes to your plastering and rendering machines it is vital not to cut corners since in the long term it can actually cost you more. For more detailed information on how to maintain your machine take a look at our blog here >

Here are 8 reasons why it is crucial to maintain your rendering machine:

Spotting Faults

If you complete daily visual checks, you will become familiar with the machine and its mechanisms and recognise when to replace parts, grease elements and top up oils. Common faults or wear that you may spot include:

• Blocked Filters
• Empty or depleted oil levels
• Worn Rotor and stator
• Perished hoses
• Missing seals (particularly on delivery hose)
• Dirty connections between hoses/spray gun/machine
• Damaged safety grill
• Damaged tyres/towbar/trailer lights (on road-towable units)

Preventing Damage

By maintaining your machine you will prevent further deterioration. For example if you don’t change the oil on your diesel machine, you will cause long term damage to the engine. You should act on any faults immediately since the issue can worsen and in most cases prevent the machine from working. If you are mid-spray and the machine cuts out, not only is this frustrating but also has cost implications; don’t we all know time is money. If you’re not able to complete your job in a certain time-frame this can have a knock on effect on subsequent jobs. Secondly it will cause product wastage which also costs money because the product will go off and cannot be used. In turn, this can cause further machine damage as the material will dry and block the hoses. Finally you will end up with an inconsistent finish as the render or plaster will be applied at different times and potentially dry to differing shades.

Saving Money

Whilst you may be reluctant to spend out on that new rotor and stator, keeping a machine running with worn parts will cause more damage and further costs in the long term. Operating a machine with damaged parts means it will not work so efficiently and can cause product waste too, adding further unnecessary cost to a job.

Avoiding Downtime

If you don’t keep on top of regular maintenance and servicing  (we recommend servicing every 150 hours) you may find things begin to go wrong with your machine. The longer you leave it, the more potential for machine issues. You may incur a sudden problem which then causes downtime on a job that you didn’t plan for. Your machine may need to have a repair which cannot always be fixed immediately. You should consider the possibility of additional time for ordering parts or companies not being able to fit you in immediately for repair work, all of which extend the job downtime.

Improving Company Image

Sites can be dusty and dirty environments and these grimy elements not only act as an abrasive on your machine but also look pretty awful. Keeping your machine clean will firstly allow you to easily spot any machine faults and errors and secondly will show your company in the very best light. A clean machine will improve your company's image and make you more attractive to prospective customers.  

Site Safety

If certain parts of your machine aren’t looked after correctly, they can become a danger to you and your colleagues. It is particularly important to look after your hoses since a worn or perished hose can easily split and when a machine is under pressure this is even more dangerous and can cause serious injury. Checking the tow bar on a road-towable diesel machine is also crucial since a deteriorating towbar is a danger for yourself as the driver, other drivers and pedestrians.

Increasing Machine Longevity

A new machine is expensive so keeping your current machine in the best condition for as long as possible is important. Regular maintenance and servicing will reduce stress on the machine's engine and parts and keep it operating at optimum performance. Assessing the wear parts (mixing paddle and rotor and stator) and keeping grease points (mixing hopper and bottom hopper) lubricated will help with machine longevity. 

Improving the Finish

Finally render and plaster is all about the flawless finish and achieving the look your customer requires. You will find a well-maintained machine will spray more efficiently, waste less material and create the desired spray finish.

For more information and CES’s top render tips all in one place check out our Ultimate Guide to Rendering.