Preventive maintenance of machinery and equipment Chapter V

Abstract

The measure of confidence that the reliability of a machine inspires depends on the probability that each partial system shall function without failure. The determination of the margin of safety depends on personal judgement based on the initial tests and controls to be carried out on the various mechanisms. Consequently the instructions provided by the manufacturers should always be followed, as well as tests that are the result of sound practical experience in the past. The habit of «what should be done», and «how shoult it be done» should be general rules for each type of machinery and ought to be carefully followed. It should not be left to the personal judgement of a particular person what kind of tests and safety precautions to undertake. Such a procedure would be too subjective, and would not constitute a balanced set of overhauling tests to control correctly the state of efficiency of the machine.