BSB: “Tony, you’re in and out of a lot of shops. What tool or piece of equipment is most often neglected when it comes to regular maintenance? Why is it neglected?”
Tony Passwater: “That’s a real tough decision. There are many, many that are very abused.”
Is your shop guilty of such abuse? Check out the following to find out:
- Paint Booth
Passwater: “No one seems to relate the better the booth is maintained – both in cleanliness and maintenance – to lowering the imperfection rate in the paint finish (as long as they clean the vehicle properly before entering).”
Reasons/excuses for lack of maintenance:
Passwater: “Laziness, ‘It’s not my job’ and cost. But regular maintenance saves more than it costs.”
- MIG Welders
Passwater: “These are badly maintained and not kept up to optimized conditions. Probably one of the most safety-related tools to keep well maintained, but they’re not.”
Reasons/excuses for lack of maintenance:
Passwater: “Laziness and ‘It’s not my job.’
- Frame Racks
Passwater: “People, I believe, think that because the racks are a heavy steel construction they don’t require maintenance and care. The hydraulics aren’t often kept clean, free from being run over, hoses kinked …”
Reasons/excuses for lack of maintenance:
Passwater: “All the above.”
- Measuring Systems
Passwater: “These are normally only used when absolutely necessary, not as a tool to do the job better. So they collect a great deal of dust and are usually damaged while just laying around.”
Reasons/excuses for lack of maintenance:
Passwater: “No one cares. No one knows how to maintain the equipment correctly (let alone use it properly).”
“You could probably say these things for all pieces of equipment as a whole,” says Passwater. “There are, of course, some shops that place a great deal of emphasis on keeping equipment well maintained – but I bet the ratio is at least 100 to 1 to the other side.”
Contributing Editor Tony Passwater is president of AEII, a consulting, training and system-development company. He’s been in the industry for more than 27 years; has been a collision repair facility owner, vocational educator and I-CAR international Instructor; and has taught seminars across North America, Korea and China. He can be contacted at (317) 290-0611, ext. 101, or at ([email protected]).Visit his Web site at www.aeii.net for more information.
