Mantenimiento correctivo y preventivo para la cámara de acondicionamiento del Laboratorio de Investigación de Mecánica Lim-Uta de la Universidad Técnica de Ambato

Abstract

The present study focuses on the utmost importance of maintaining the conditioning chamber in optimal conditions, as it is fundamentally used to properly condition the samples used in the flammability test, ensuring with certainty and precision that they possess exactly the same properties distributed homogeneously throughout the extent of their surface. If, unfortunately, the chamber presents any unexpected breakdown or unforeseen defect, the process to carry out the test will be severely affected, causing untimely and costly equipment shutdowns and significant financial losses for the laboratory. Corrective maintenance consisted of analyzing the damaged parts or systems and providing them with the necessary repair. On the other hand, preventive maintenance will involve collecting information about the equipment and developing a plan to avoid possible failures and address them. These maintenance plans are essential to keep the machine in operation and extend its useful life since they allow for the development of technical specifications, dossiers, and having spare parts for components and maintenance procedures. As a result, it was possible to develop the dossier that detailed the generalities, operation, and maintenance of the conditioning chamber; examine the failure modes of the chamber components through a Failure Modes and Effects Analysis (FMEA) matrix and a criticality matrix; furthermore, thanks to this last one, the criticality levels of the equipment components were determined; perform corrective maintenance by identifying and replacing the damaged elements; and create a preventive maintenance plan that includes daily, monthly, and yearly technical activities to prevent possible failures and breakdowns.