Slide Maintenance Tips and Repair Solutions to Keep Your Shop Running Smoothly

A properly working slide is an essential part of operations for many companies internationally. Gilman Precision in Grafton, WI, offers repair services during those times in need.

Accuracy is important in the manufacturing industry, and properly functioning machinery is an essential building block to meeting many industry standards.

Slides are often found in machinery that is running eight or more hours a day, sometimes seven days a week. This ongoing use as well as environmental factors — such as dirt, machining chips and condensation — can contribute to failure of the slide, and therefore an inability to create quality components.

“Basically, there’s going to be two reasons why you would need a slide repaired: one is, something breaks  — or the other thing is just the accuracy,” Gilman Engineering Supervisor Dale Blank said. “A slide will wear, the moving members will wear — and when you lose the accuracy, whether it’s tracking, the height or whatever … then you’re not making good parts with it.”

Proper lubrication is an essential factor in maintaining a slide, Blank said. Using way oil and not grease for lubrication is an important distinction, because grease will often bring in contaminants that will wear down the component’s surfaces — so it’s important to keep those contaminants out.

If you have a slide in need of repair, give Gilman and call and have as much information available about the slide as you can, including: the slide’s length, width, type of slide and what sort of problems you’re having with a slide.

“Once a slide comes in, and based on the urgency that you provide us, we will immediately begin evaluating your slide to determine what exactly is wrong with it and what we need to do to fix it based on the condition of the slide,” said Doug Biggs, VP of Marketing and Sales. “We will then repair the slide, upon receipt of a purchase order from you, and do it as quickly as possible — ensuring the highest level of quality for your product.”

Gilman Precision has been dedicated to the advancement of high precision solutions that improve efficiency and achieve longevity since 1952. The company develops customized slides and spindles for value-added engineers with exacting needs and standards, providing expert service for virtually any manufacturer’s equipment.

If you’ve got a question on ordering a spindle or slide, contact us at 800-445-6267 or sales@gilmanprecision.com.