The Important Role of CNC Machine Covers

Believe it not, a CNC machine’s outer covers play a big role in maintenance, operation, reliability and employee safety. Covers that have been removed for maintenance or repair should always be replaced when the repair is finished. These covers not only provide a shield of protection for operators and shop employees, they also keep debris from contaminating critical machine parts such as motors, linear guides or ways, solenoids and other electrical/mechanical/hydraulic devices. CNC machine covers also keep chips and coolant from getting outside the work envelope where they can land on the floor and create slipping hazards, instead of staying in the work envelope and going into a chip conveyor to be disposed of properly.

Another critical point is that Okuma places warning and caution plates along with lubrication and air guidelines on these covers. Other plates include safety instructions, electrical data, serial numbers, instructions on loading tools, setting chuck speeds and describing oil types for critical part lubrication. There are also warning plates that notify operators of possible serious injury. This information needs to visible to anyone working on or operating the machine, which in turn means the covers should also be kept clean.

Finally, covers that are removed from a machine have a tendency to get lost if left lying on the shop floor or up against a wall. They take up floor space and may become tripping hazards. It’s always a best practice to make sure CNC machine covers are reinstalled after removal to ensure the safety of everyone in the shop.

Thanks to Brian O’Dell (Support Center Technician, Okuma America) for providing this Service Tip.