Introduction
In the industrial sector, every minute of production downtime is costly. According to several studies, an unplanned breakdown can represent several thousand euros per hour in direct and indirect losses: interrupted production, delayed delivery, emergency repair costs... However, most of these stoppages can be avoided through better maintenance strategies and intelligent management of spare parts.
Sur Catalogue, nous aidons les usines à réduire ces arrêts grâce à la disponibilité de plus de 100 000 références industrielles, livrées rapidement en Europe et à l’international.
In this article, we will review the 10 most common breakdowns in the industry and share practical tips for effectively anticipating them.
1. Wear of bearings
Bearings are at the heart of most machines. Their wear is one of the primary causes of failure.
- Frequent causes: lack of lubrication, mechanical overload, dust pollution.
- Consequences: abnormal vibrations, overheating, sudden stop.
- Solutions: implementation of vibration monitoring, regular lubrication, stock of critical bearings available.
2. Hydraulic and pneumatic leaks
A simple leak can halt a production line.
- Common causes: worn seals, excessive pressure, damaged piping.
- Consequences: loss of efficiency, decrease in performance, environmental risk.
- Solutions: scheduled visual inspections, systematic replacement of seals, repair kits available in the workshop.
3. Electrical and motor problems
Electrical failures are among the most expensive.
- Common causes: surges, faulty cables, poorly ventilated dimmers or motors.
- Consequences: machine shutdown, overheating, fire.
- Solutions: infrared thermography, preventive maintenance of engines, regular ventilation and cleaning.
4. Failure of sensors and controllers
In a modern factory, the accuracy of the sensors is vital.
- Common causes: dust, humidity, electronic obsolescence.
- Consequences: measurement errors, quality defects, unexpected stoppages.
- Solutions: regular calibrations, proactive replacement of ageing sensors, double stock for critical sensors.
5. Breakage of belts and transmission chains
These simple elements are often overlooked.
- Frequent causes: incorrect tension, natural wear, lack of lubrication.
- Consequences: loss of transmission, immediate stop.
- Solutions: tension control, periodic replacement plan, storage of spare belts and chains.
6. Mechanical blockages
A foreign object or a lubrication defect is enough to block a machine.
- Common causes: rust, dust, lack of maintenance.
- Consequences: accelerated wear, breakage of mechanical parts.
- Solutions: scheduled cleaning, systematic lubrication, acoustic monitoring to detect friction.
7. Overheating of systems
The temperature is a critical indicator.
- Common causes: dirty fans, inadequate circulation of cooling fluids.
- Consequences: failure of electronic components, premature wear.
- Solutions: temperature monitoring with IoT sensors, cleaning of circuits, replacement of cooling fluids.
8. Obsolescence of electronic components
A major problem in the industry: some parts are no longer being manufactured.
- Frequent causes: end of OEM production, components' life cycle too short.
- Consequences: machine out of service due to lack of parts, high retrofit costs.
- Solutions: anticipation through intelligent sourcing, using specialised platforms like SOSMachine to find rare parts or compatible alternatives.
9. Human errors
The operators and technicians play a key role.
- Frequent causes: lack of training, procedures not followed, haste.
- Consequences: poor handling, unnecessary stops, accidents.
- Solutions: ongoing training, standardisation of procedures, start-up checklists.
10. Obsolete software and automation
Digital is becoming a factor in failure.
- Common causes: updates not carried out, incompatibility with new equipment.
- Consequences: system errors, data loss, inability to manage production.
- Solutions: software migration plan, regular backups, ongoing technological monitoring.
How can we globally anticipate these breakdowns?
1. Implement a preventive maintenance
Schedule regular inspections and follow a replacement schedule for critical parts.
2. Use condition-based maintenance
Utilise sensor data (vibrations, temperature, energy consumption) to intervene before a failure.
3. Move to predictive maintenance
Thanks to AI and data analysis, it becomes possible to predict failure before it occurs.
4. Optimise the management of spare parts inventory
Identify critical components, automate their replenishment, and secure supply through reliable partners.
5. Continuously train the teams
A skilled and aware workforce is the first line of defence against unexpected downtime.
Conclusion
The vast majority of industrial breakdowns are not inevitable: they are predictable and therefore avoidable. By combining a good maintenance strategy with intelligent spare parts management, factories can drastically reduce their unplanned downtime and improve their profitability.
With SOSMachine, you quickly find critical parts, even rare or obsolete ones, and you automate their supply.
Result: more peace of mind, fewer breakdowns, and production running without interruption.
Avec SOSMachine.net :
- +100 000 références industrielles
- Livraison rapide en 1 à 3 jours
- Pièces critiques et obsolètes disponibles
- Support dédié B2B
Ne subissez plus vos arrêts machines : anticipez-les avec SOSMachine.net.