Working with great machinery movers takes a lot of pressure and challenge whenever you have to relocate large pieces of machinery. But at the same time, it’s a very good idea to be prepared and make sure that you get the best possible experience and value. And here’s what you need to know and what checklist would help, especially if you want to focus on large machinery moving.
Perform an equipment inventory
The reason you want to do that is because you want to know exactly what you will be moving. Knowing everything and all the details helps quite a bit, and it will only lead to a better experience. With that in mind, you want to list the equipment, accessories, fixtures, tooling, etc. Here you want to note the condition of the machinery as well as its operational status as well. You should also consider capturing video documentation and photos for restoration/insurance purposes.
Create a team to handle machine moving
Having a team that handles the entire machine moving process is extremely important. Ideally, you want to have a project manager, engineering and maintenance team, a health and safety officer, along with external contractors like machine movers. Everyone should have predefined responsibilities, and direct access to updates related to the moving process. That way, it’s easier to manage everything and ensure that the process is very comprehensive.
Assess any risks
The reason why you want to do risk assessment is because you need to have a contingency plan. The role of such a plan is to ensure that if any issues arise, like equipment failure, you have a way to move forward. Also, it’s ideal to ensure that insurance coverage is good here, and it all works smoothly. It also makes sense if you identify any of the redundant production options, so try to use that to your advantage.
Schedule downtime
It’s a good idea to schedule the downtime because it allows you to avoid wasting time and it certainly helps quite a bit. You should also try to align move dates with holidays and maintenance shutdowns, so the downtime won’t affect your overall production. Also, it makes sense to notify suppliers and customers of any service impacts, which can arise from time to time.
Get compliance documents and permits
You need to do this because whenever you focus on machine moving and you handle large machinery, you may need permits for oversized/large machinery. Environmental compliance might be necessary too, if you handle any hazardous materials, so try to keep that in mind. You also want to have export/import documentation for any international moves. And, of course, you should have certificates of equipment sanitization or decommissioning, all of these are super important.
Start preparing the new site
As you prepare the moving process, you also need to ensure that the new place where you’re moving the machinery is ready to go. That means you should do a few things, like:
- A floor load assessment determines if the machinery can support a heavy load, so try to keep that in mind.
- Check if all the utilities are ready to use, if not, ensure that they are ready by the time the machine movers finalize your moving process.
- The same thing is valid with dust control, drainage and ventilation, all of these things need to be working smoothly and without a problem.
- Perform any laser alignment, as needed. And in the meantime, also focus on preparing the IT and network connections to ensure they are also working the way they should.
Disable the machine safely
That’s the thing, you always want to ensure that the disabling process is safe and it follows the OEM manuals. Label all the components, hoses and cables, and use color-coded tags if you can, as those will help quite a bit. You can also try to store small parts in kits or labeled containers, if possible. Also, inspect and clean components before you’re packing them, just to be certain that everything is fine.
Working with the right machine movers
Make sure that you always hire the best machine movers that you can. Check their prices, their experience, previous track record and all the info you can. That way, it becomes much easier to figure out who you are working with, what value you are getting, and what will be the ROI. The more you know, the easier it will be to pick the right team.
Try to use custom crating and protective packaging
A lot of the time, machines you need to move tend to be very sensitive. You want to be certain that they will not get damaged in any way. Thankfully, you can use desiccants or even moisture control packs to prevent corrosion, and shock-absorbing mounts can be suitable if you have equipment sensitive to vibrations. Custom crates are ideal if you want to ensure all items will have the best possible fit, and everything will work smoothly. Barrier bags and shrink wrap can be good for electronics, too.
Always perform a pre-transport handover and inspection
It always helps if you do a pre-transport inspection and handover. You want to be certain that everything is working the way it should, and taking photos from different angles comes in handy. The more you know about everything and the more precautions you take, the better it will be. Also, ensure that the paperwork and documentation travels with the equipment, too. Lastly, the carrier and shipper should sign off on the condition report. That way, if anything happens during shipping, they or their insurer will be the ones responsible.
Monitor the moving process in real time
These days, you have GPS and many other technologies that make it very easy to track everything you need. Tracking the location of the parcels and also having regular updates from the machine movers can give you a peace of mind. It shows that the shipment is handled professionally, and you don’t have to worry about anything else.
Reinstall everything and test your staff
The most important thing to keep in mind is that your staff should receive adequate training on how to use the equipment, in case you made any changes. Reinstalling everything properly is crucial too, and you want to do that according to the OEM notes, if you can.
Normally, you want to calibrate the pressure, temperature, torque and alignment, but also reconnect systems, software and sensors. Performing some functionality tests, test runs and safety checks is a crucial part of the process as well. You can also schedule an inspection and certification, if possible.
Conclusion
All these steps are important to go through if you want to focus on machine moving properly. At the end of the day, the most important thing is to avoid any rush and ensure that you prepare the moving process adequately and without errors. With that in mind, it makes a lot of sense to work with machine moving experts that know how to tackle any error that might arise. Great machine movers can ensure you don’t have any issues, and you can rest assured the machines will arrive safely to their destination, not to mention on time as well!
