Matcon IBC - The Powder Handling Experts

The Importance of Maintaining Your IBCs for Powder and Tablet Handling

Written by Matt Baumber | 22 July 2020

Implementing an Intermediate Bulk Container (IBC) system to enhance your production capabilities is essential to realising an effective manufacturing process. However, as with all equipment, if you do not take steps to correctly maintain your machinery, you may find yourself with an unreliable and inefficient system.

Implementing a programme that includes regular cleaning and servicing of your IBC system will ensure that your equipment remains in an optimal condition, resulting in a consistently reliable and effective production process.

The importance of maintenance

The importance of consistently maintaining your IBC system, cannot be underestimated. A properly maintained production line is not only key to the continued success of your manufacturing process, but it also helps to keep overheads down. Equipment that has not been correctly maintained, often leads to extensive production line downtime due to unexpected component breakdown. A production malfunction, where a part needs replacing due to minimal or no maintenance, could lead to downtime that amasses to several days, or even weeks, and that’s assuming that the part doesn’t need to be shipped in from another country. This all equates to a lot of lost manufacturing time and revenue, that would not occur if an effective maintenance programme was in place.

Poorly maintained equipment also exposes your products to increased risk of cross-contamination and inconsistencies. Damaged seals, or ineffective components, carry with them the potential to expose your products to airborne contaminants, as well as the possibility that your equipment is no longer able to effectively manage product flow, creating an inconsistent product that does not meet requirements. These types of issues inevitably result in scrapped product, incurring high levels of lost resource and time.

These issues could easily be avoided with the implementation of an effective preventative maintenance programme, overseen by an in-house technician. A robust system should include regular equipment checks, operator training and detailed best practice processes. However, we understand that it’s not always possible to provide the level of maintenance that is required to properly care for your system, which is why Matcon offers a comprehensive maintenance programme, to help users realise the full benefits of their IBC system, and achieve good return on investment.

Matcon’s preventative maintenance programme

The Matcon Maintenance Programme was designed to provide users with full system support, from day one. Our technical engineers schedule in regular site visits and offer priority support to ensure that your system remains in optimal working condition, providing you with a consistent and reliable manufacturing process.

Part of our maintenance programme is to train your in-house engineers and onsite team, so that your own employees have a comprehensive understanding of how to maintain your IBCs and are able to resolve minor issues. Although we are always available to you when you need us.

The Matcon maintenance programme includes:

  • Regular site visits
  • Equipment checks
  • Priority breakdown call outs
  • Discounted parts
  • Operator training
  • Routine maintenance checks training
  • Strip down and rebuild guidance
  • Reporting on preventative maintenance actions
  • Help with system sequences, automation set up, controls, software modifications or issues
  • Review of replaceable parts in line with our recommended change out programme
  • Detailed and informative site visit reports, including actions and recommendations
  • Guidance on best practice and upgrades
  • Information on best practice cleaning and lubrication, in relation to maintenance

Implementing an effective and comprehensive preventative maintenance programme is essential to the continued success of your manufacturing process. If you would like the added benefits of setting up a maintenance programme with Matcon, that suits your specific needs, or if you have any further questions for our specialist team, please get in touch.