Duties and responsibilities of the industrial maintenance mechanic

Industrial maintenance mechanics ensure that factories and manufacturing facilities operate safely and efficiently, maintaining routine and emergency maintenance of complex machinery. This role requires diagnostic skills to successfully identify problems and troubleshoot machinery, as well as the mechanical skills needed to perform repairs and perform regular maintenance tasks.

In this role, many industrial maintenance mechanics work closely with technical teams and other mechanics to ensure that all repair and maintenance tasks are properly assigned and completed. They play a central role in preventing accidents or work stoppages by solving mechanical and electrical problems, keeping detailed records of their actions.

Duties and responsibilities of the industrial maintenance mechanic

Although industrial maintenance mechanics can work in a variety of manufacturing contexts, most share several basic responsibilities:

Perform regular maintenance

The main task of an industrial maintenance mechanic is to perform routine and scheduled maintenance on complex machinery. This can involve periodic service inspections and services where the mechanic ensures that the machine is operating as intended, is properly lubricated and calibrated, and is operating within safe limits for temperature and speed. In this aspect of the role, the industrial maintenance mechanic can follow the manufacturer's suggested maintenance schedule to keep the equipment running efficiently.

Provide emergency repair services.

Industrial maintenance mechanics also perform emergency repairs with limited downtime to avoid damage to machinery or injury to personnel. This may involve replacing defective parts or, in some cases, replacing the entire machine. As industrial machinery has become more and more complex, this could involve working with electronic components and using a variety of hand and power tools to perform repairs.

Identify mechanical problems

In this role, industrial maintenance mechanics also troubleshoot and identify mechanical problems or areas of potential failure. This typically involves the use of various diagnostic tools, along with visual inspections and tests to eliminate potential causes of mechanical or electrical problems. Industrial maintenance mechanics can also determine that certain issues are covered by the manufacturer's warranty and prepare documentation to submit the warranty claim.

Prepare work orders

Many industrial maintenance mechanics work with teams of technicians and mechanics. To ensure that the work is completed on time and according to the most pressing needs, they prepare and manage the work orders. These work orders typically describe the required maintenance issues or activities, as well as the team members responsible for resolving these issues. Industrial maintenance mechanics then send these work orders to supervisors or team members, who assign projects to the appropriate teams.

Comprehensive maintenance reports

Finally, industrial maintainers support maintenance activities by preparing reports on their actions. These reports can range from diagnostic reports describing tests and observations to repair reports and their results. Industrial maintenance mechanics can keep these reports in their files or send them to facility managers and other decision makers, who have them available in case of insurance claims or other machine accident investigations.

Read More: network certifications