Machine maintenance is a term for the periodic upkeep of a piece of equipment. Most machines have a section in the operator’s manual that covers the scheduled maintenance for that particular machine. As an operator, a couple of things that must be done daily on most machines are to lubricate and clean the equipment.

Lubrication

At the beginning of each use, the machine should be inspected and properly lubricated. Daily lubrication of the mill generally consists of a single pump of the one shot oiler. Sometimes, with heavy use, the one-shot system may need another oiling throughout the day. The head of the mill has multiple oil cups that need to be oiled periodically. Consult the operator’s manual for the correct amount of oil and grease and frequency of lubrication for the machine.

One often overlooked component that needs lubrication is the machine vise. Without regular lubrication, the vise could become sticky and difficult to use. The operator may misinterpret a tight vise mechanism for the part being secure. For this reason, the vise should also be lubricated as advised by the manufacturer.

Cleaning

General machine cleaning should be performed at the end of each use, or in the event of heavy machining operations, whenever the amount of chips becomes dangerous to the machine or the user. Cleaning a milling machine is best performed from top to bottom with a brush. Gently sweep all chips downward onto the floor below, then sweep the floor. After all chips are removed, the machine should have all the oil removed from the ways of the machine and the table parked in the center of travel. If the oil isn’t removed, over time it will build up, dry, and create a coating that is difficult to remove and will cause difficult operation and decrease accuracy. Compressed air should never be used to clean a milling machine. Compressed air can blow chips and debris under seals and into the precision mating areas of the machine, damaging them and ruining the machine’s accuracy.

Attributions

1. Figure 9.2: Oiler by Micky R. Jennings, courtesy of Wenatchee Valley College, for WA Open ProfTech, © SBCTC, CC BY 4.0
2. Figure 9.3: Oiler 2 by Micky R. Jennings, courtesy of Wenatchee Valley College, for WA Open ProfTech, © SBCTC, CC BY 4.0
3. Figure 9.4: Head lubing by Micky R. Jennings, courtesy of Wenatchee Valley College, for WA Open ProfTech, © SBCTC, CC BY 4.0
4. Figure 9.5: Lube vise ways by Micky R. Jennings, courtesy of Wenatchee Valley College, for WA Open ProfTech, © SBCTC, CC BY 4.0
5. Figure 9.6: Lube vise ways 2 by Micky R. Jennings, courtesy of Wenatchee Valley College, for WA Open ProfTech, © SBCTC, CC BY 4.0
6. Figure 9.7: Lube vise screw by Micky R. Jennings, courtesy of Wenatchee Valley College, for WA Open ProfTech, © SBCTC, CC BY 4.0
7. Figure 9.8: Vise cleaning by Micky R. Jennings, courtesy of Wenatchee Valley College, for WA Open ProfTech, © SBCTC, CC BY 4.0
8. Figure 9.9: Cleaning tee lots by Micky R. Jennings, courtesy of Wenatchee Valley College, for WA Open ProfTech, © SBCTC, CC BY 4.0
9. Video 9.1: Micky R. Jennings, courtesy of Wenatchee Valley College, for WA Open ProfTech, © SBCTC, CC BY 4.0
10. Figure 9.10: Clean bench by Micky R. Jennings, courtesy of Wenatchee Valley College, for WA Open ProfTech, © SBCTC, CC BY 4.0