We all know that little things can add up to big savings, and many of those little things are bakery basics in the plant. When was the last time you checked your compressed air system operating pressure or the flame on your oven burners? If you can’t remember, then it’s time to get back to the basics and keep tabs on things we might be taking for granted. A little preventative maintenance can go a long way.
Several basic plant systems tend to slip through the cracks: Compressed air is often the biggest offender. First, check the operating pressure and, if you think it can be reduced, drop it by 5 psig and wait a few days. If the facility continues to run without any issues, lower it by another 5 psig and wait a few more days. Continue this process until you find the lowest possible setting on which the facility can run efficiently, and then communicate this setting to the rest of your team. Second, it might be wise to write a program to cover air leaks in the facility. It can be as simple as writing work orders each quarter or scheduling preventative maintenance every month to find and repair the leaks.