MECHANICAL MAINTENANCE SKILLS

COURSE 700: 4 DAYS

This course provides personnel with the necessary skills to perform mechanical maintenance, including the removal and replacement of equipment (pumps, gearboxes, motors and power transmission systems) and identification and rectification of bearing faults within these systems.

PARTICIPANTS

Designed to benefit anyone required to undertake mechanical maintenance on production/process equipment. This course is equally suitable for production operatives or for craft personnel already involved in maintenance activities.

COURSE PRESENTATION

One of the practical exercises on the mechanical maintenance skills course: Using vernier calipers to check the exact size of components to detect for wear

The course format is very much ‘hands-on’ – the emphasis being on the development of sound practical skills within the context of safe working practices.

COURSE OBJECTIVES

On completion of the course, participants will be able to

apply safe working practices and understand the principles of preventative and first-line maintenance
safely isolate mechanical systems when necessary to prevent danger
correctly diagnose a range of mechanical faults and plan a suitable course of action
understand the principles of power transmission systems; recognise, remove and refit taper-lock bushes, keyed shafts, belts, chains & couplings; install & align shafts; tension drive train components
understand the function of lubricants and how to select correct lubricants for specific applications
correctly remove and refit various types of bearings (roller, ball, etc) identify various bearing types, understand their typical applications & recognise common defects
correctly remove and replace seals, gaskets and gland packing
correctly use measuring equipment to identify different types of screw threads by means of outside diameter, inside diameter, thread form and pitch
understand the operation of various pumps (positive displacement, centrifugal, hydraulic and air) and state typical faults and their symptoms
understand the operation of various gearboxes, (helical, spur and worm-wheel) and state typical faults and their symptoms
understand the operation of variable speed drives
correctly dismantle and replace drive belts
recognise various types of conveyor systems and their main components
identify typical faults and correctly remove, replace and track a conveyor belt.

Successful completion of the course leads to the award of Amicus / Technical Training Solutions competence certificate 700: Mechanical Maintenance Skills.

The Consolidation Scheme allows candidates to practice their new skills at work, generating all the necessary evidence for their competence
This course is particularly suitable for our on-site consolidation scheme, which enables candidates to practice their newly acquired skills in the workplace. For more information on the scheme, please contact us.

Contact us for more information on how the mechanical maintenance skills course leads to competence in performing mechanical maintenance

What do candidates on the Mechanical Maintenance Skills course actually do?

The mechanical maintenance skills course begins by providing the candidates with an understanding of fault diagnosis by analysing various symptoms. These symptoms include excessive heat, vibration, smell or changes in speed. The aim is to make the candidate aware of the possible outcomes if action is not taken once a fault has been discovered. Because safety is always of paramount importance within our training methods, candidates are taught to write their own method statements for working on moving machinery. The instructor works with the groups to ensure all instructions are clear, short, and safe.

Candidates are provided with comprehensive course notes, which include the important technical reference material:

This is page 12 of the mechanical skills training course notes This is page 19 of the mechanical skills training course notes This is page 58 of the mechanical skills training course notes

Throughout the course the technical instruction is interspersed with many practical exercises. The first of these is the manufacture of gaskets to fit between machined faces. Candidates are shown the various techniques and materials used to produce engineering seals within the workshop.

A wide range of bearings are provided along with suitable lubrication regimes.

One of the demonstration bearings used on the mechanical skills course

Candidates will practice removal and refitting ball races using pullers and correct engineering procedures.

With the emphasis on practical skills, candidates will use special rigs to practice the alignment of shafts, motors and pulleys. Because poor shaft alignment results in early bearing failure and cracked castings, candidates are taught to shim and align moving parts to a high accuracy using traditional engineering methods. Torque wrenches are used to tighten critical parts, as well as discovering what setting were used on existing component parts.

One of the practical rigs used on the mechanical skills course - this exercise used for candidates to practice the correct alignment of motor drive shafts in three dimensions, using dial test indicators to ensure accuracies within thousandths of an inch

The belt tension gauge used by candidates on the mechanical course to ensure the correct tensioning of drive belts One of the practical rigs used on the mechanical skills course - this exercise used for candidates to practice the correct tensioning of timing drive belts

The alignment rig incorporates a chain and sprocket drive, Vee belts and timing belts, all of which provide the candidate with an opportunity to practice the correct tensioning of the various drives.

Candidates practice adjusting the length of simplex and triplex chains by adding or removing links.

Candidates are provided with a range of chains - they insert or remove links using special tools on the mechanical course A range of sprocket drives, taper-lock bushes and pulleys are used to teach candidates how to detect for wear, how to ensure correct fitting, etc

Wheels and pulleys are fitted to shafts using keyways, taper-lock bushes and flanges. The correct methods of removal and refitting are demonstrated and candidates practice these skills to gain sufficient understanding.

Candidates are given a range of industrial pumps and gearboxes to examine and repair once faults have been diagnosed.

One of the pumps used by candidates to practice examination and repair of devices on the mechanical course

These faults are introduced by the instructor so that a practical assessment can be made of the candidate’s progress. Once these exercises have been completed, the candidate will replace and refit and re-track a conveyor belt. In order to do this, they have to complete a safe isolation procedure (for mechanical maintenance purposes), using the mult-function motor isolator, which simulates early-break or normal contacts.

The multi-function isolator used on the mechanical course to explore the correct isolation procedures necessary for safety The conveyor unit on which candidates practice the removal and replacement of belts, tracking and alignment etc on the mechanical course

If you would like to see some of the equipment used on the Mechanical Maintenance Skills course for yourself, then please call us to arrange a visit to our base in Kent. Alternatively, our customer liason staff can visit you with demonstration parts anywhere in the British Isles.