Proper care of rubber and other materials gives your equipment a better chance of lasting a very long time with few issues. If you haven't been careful to keep the humidity levels stable and haven't been able to protect rubber parts from rain and other bad weather, you know that the parts could fail earlier than expected. You also need to be aware of the secondary effects of bad environmental conditions on the items the rubber parts are holding together or are covering up.
Cracking Pipes and Parts
Humidity can make rubber swell a bit, and in most cases, the parts all have enough give to safely make it through that swelling. But if the parts are very tightly compacted and there's not a lot of room for error, swelling could actually crack something, either the rubber part or the other parts next to the rubber. For example, a rubber connector holding a set of plastic pipes together could swell and place enough pressure on the plastic so that it cracks. What that means is that, if you know that the environmental conditions haven't been very good, you need to inspect not only the rubber parts but also the other parts next to or inside rubber connectors and so on.
Mildew and Mold
Too much humidity or condensation can lead to mold or mildew growth, even on industrial equipment. That can set off allergies and even lead to respiratory problems if specific types of dangerous mold form. It may be difficult to search large pieces of equipment over and over again for spots of mold and mildew, but try to keep an eye out during your regular inspections for small spots. Those can indicate a larger problem hiding in the machinery, and the sooner you detect the problem, the easier it will be to solve.
Leaks -- and They Aren't Always Easy to Detect
Along with cracked pipes and other parts come leaks of both gas and liquid. These leaks can be tiny, and as is especially the case with gases, they can be difficult to detect. Not all leaks are huge spray-everything-everywhere types; some are so small that the leak can go undetected for a long time. Keep an eye on pressure and how much of the gas or liquid actually makes it through the pipe in question. Investigate drops -- even small ones -- to be sure you're not dealing with a leak.
Rubber is a versatile material, but it can suffer due to environmental issues. Always keep the humidity at a moderate level if you can, and watch out for large swings in temperature.
Share21 September 2018
Hello, I am Keesha Rhames. I would like to talk to you about metal fabrication equipment used in manufacturing plants. Metal fabrication requires the use of rolling, melting and cutting equipment of all kinds. The type of metal used for each product influences the equipment requirements for the manufacturing process. I will share information about metal choices and alternatives on this site. I will also discuss the use and repair of fabrication equipment. In particular, I will talk about maintenance needs of each type of equipment. I hope you will visit my site often to learn about this interesting subject. Thank you for coming by.