April Maintenance Tip Of The Month: Inspect Your Press’s Switches Regularly to Ensure Optimal Up-Time

Operator Safety is a high priority in working on or around Micronics Filter Press Systems. Most users of Micronics’ Automatic Filter Presses typically opt for a variety of recommended safety features such as Safety Light Curtains, E-stops, and more. But, just as in your home, safety devices are only useful if they are checked regularly to ensure that everything is working properly. Routinely inspecting all electronic switches, controls, and status lighting – along with maintaining an adequate press spare parts inventory – can dramatically decrease press downtime.

Not all Maintenance Tips have to be complex but attention to detail in filter press maintenance is a key to decreasing costs & improving operations.

Switches Play An Important Role In Automatic Filter Presses

Did You Know…Micronics’ Fully Automatic Filter Presses use Switches to communicate press status to a PLC. The lights on the control panel will also help you visually determine the status of your filter press. Often, filter press operation becomes impossible because a “simple switch” has failed or blown bulbs fail to indicate actual press status.

Here we will examine a few different switches, other safety features, and some simple tips.

Open Press Limit Switch

Certain interlocks must be met for your Micronics filter press to function properly.  The Press Open Limit Switch is a lever-type switch typically located on the inside of your sidebar, toward the moving head end.  Ensure the lever is tightly secured to the switch and the lever is adjusted properly. Limit Switches are used to automatically detect or sense the presence of an object and the Press Open Limit Switch can prevent your filter press from operating, should there be a safety breach.

Plate Shifter Proximity Switches and Lanyard Switch

The Automatic Plate Shifter system has two proximity switches to determine if the shifter carriage is in the home/parked bracket or if it has entered the EOT (end of travel) bracket.

Maintenance Tips:  Ensure the Proximity Switch depth is correct and that the shifter carriage will not strike it when entering either bracket.  Ensure wiring connections are tight.  You can easily identify if the switch is working properly by placing a screwdriver against the reading end of the switch.  The red light on the switch should illuminate.  The Shifter Park Proximity Switch can prevent your filter press from operating so check on this functionality routinely.

The Shifter Lanyard Switch serves to operate your press’s Automatic Plate Shifter. This is a manually operated switch that is operated by pulling down on a lanyard. This switch starts and stops the automatic plate shifter movement on the track.

Maintenance Tip: Ensure the tensioner is correctly adjusted by aligning the white line in the switch window with the white triangle on the box. A failed or malfunctioning Shifter Lanyard will prevent your filter press’s automatic plate shifter from operating when you need it to.

Drip Tray Proximity Switches

If your filter press is equipped with an Automatic Drip Tray, it will have two proximity switches as well.  One of the switches is to determine if the Drip Trays are open and one proximity switch is to determine if the Drip Trays are closed.

Maintenance Tip:  Ensure that the Drip Tray Proximity Switch adjustment is correct.  The switch should be adjusted “behind” the mechanical stop to prevent the moving cam from striking it. As with other Proximity Switches, ensure the wire connections are tight and test the switch routinely!

E-Stop Switches

E-stop lanyard switches help to improve safety.  An E-stop lanyard switch is a manual e-emergency stop that is activated by pulling down on a lanyard.  Once activated, the switch will have to be manually reset by turning the blue indicator knob to the “run” position.

Maintenance Tip:  Ensure the tensioner is correctly adjusted by aligning the green line in the switch with the green line on the box. A failed or malfunctioning E-Stop Switch will prevent your filter press from operating, even if there is no emergency.

Safety Light Curtains

Safety Light Curtains serve as an invisible barrier, preventing persons or objects from entering the filter press area during operation.

Maintenance Tip: Ensure light curtains are kept free of debris, in proper alignment, and that wiring connections are tight.  A Safety Light Curtain failure or malfunction will prevent the filter press from operating, even if there is no safety breach.

Control Panel Indicator Lights

Control panel indicator lights offer the operator a quick reference to the status of the filter press.

Maintenance Tip:  Change bulbs as necessary and keep the lights free of debris.

The Micronics Engineered Filtration Group offers a wide range of safety options for your automatic filter presses including Safety Light Curtains, E-Stops, Splash Curtains, and custom enclosures, depending on our customers’ specific needs. In all instances, routine press inspections and paying careful attention to parts such as simple switches will make a big difference in increasing press uptime. Safety features should work as intended and not be an unintended impediment.

Contact Us for the best filter press maintenance services and spare parts as well as Filter Press Solutions. We are the Micronics Engineered Filtration Group….committed to your success globally.