Savcor Products knows that maintenance and protection are essential in protecting key assets in the industrial industry. The company has high-quality, proven solutions that will keep customers equipment running smoothly.
Forklifts are the workhorses of almost every industry. Designed to carry, move, and lift loads in warehouses or manufacturing environments, these tools do a variety of heavy tasks that make manufacturing, storage, and shipping possible.
While many forklifts are used in dry, protected environments, others are exposed to salts or harsh chemicals made or used in the production process. With the right tools, a few simple preventative maintenance steps can extend equipment service life and save on costly forklift replacements.
Passivate existing rust
The first step is to passivate existing forklift corrosion. Peeling paint and underlying loose rust should be brushed off and the surface primed with Cortec® CorrVerter® Rust Converter Primer. CorrVerter is a fast-drying, water-based, one-coat system. By utilising a unique formulation of chelating agents, combined with a high solids waterborne latex with extremely low water vapor permeability, CorrVerter is able to convert rusted surfaces to a hydrophobic passive layer that prevents further rusting.
Apply protective coatings
Once existing rust has been passivated, the next step is to apply an anticorrosion coating. Savcor recommends that products such as EcoShield® VpCI®-386 or VpCI®-391 be directly over the painted surfaces.
EcoShield VpCI-386 is a fast drying, water-based acrylic topcoat that provides excellent multimetal protection. It can be applied clear but can also be tinted to match most custom colours.
VpCI-391 is a water-based removable coating that dries to a thin, clear, non-tacky film. It has achieved good results when used for annual maintenance on front-end loaders that are used for transporting high-corrosion materials such as fertilisers or deicing salts.
Unpaintable, moving metal parts may be protected with VpCI-369. This is an oil-based, wet-film, corrosion inhibiting temporary coating/lubricant.
Protect electricals
Last, but not least, electricals should be protected as corrosion to these parts can result in failures and expensive replacements.
Protection can be as simple as spraying exposed electrical connections with ElectriCorr VpCI-239. In addition, or as an alternative, a small VpCI Emitter will emit protective vapor phase corrosion inhibitors and can be placed in an electrical enclosure as another protective measure.
A little preventative maintenance goes a long way
While these products only need to be applied once every year or two to be effective, a quick inspection during regular monthly maintenance checks is the best practice. Regular checks allow operators to catch any areas that may require reapplication.
In the end, a good forklift maintenance procedure, with the right tools, goes a long way toward helping equipment last longer and keeps costs down to a small monthly or annual investment, rather than a large replacement or repair fee.
Contact Savcor Products to discuss preventative maintenance for forklifts today.
These products are available through Savcor Products Australia Pty Ltd in Australia and New Zealand. For more information please contact your local Savcor Products Australia representative on 1800 SAVCOR or visit www.savcorproducts.com.au
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This article is featured in the November edition of The Australian Pipeliner.