May 17, 2025 BY
IN CNC Machinery

How to Prevent Downtime with a Used CNC Machine (Maintenance Tips)

CNC machines are the rockstar machines for any manufacturing business, as they help you do the most complex of engineering works without any hardcore labor work from your side. When you buy a used CNC machine you also get a financial advantage as the machine gives you all the benefits at a lower upfront cost. 

But there is a silent killer that can destroy all your financial gain plans that you thought regarding the CNC machine and that’s downtime of the CNC machine. If your machine is sitting idle or is not able to work due to internal technical problems or any kind of wear and tear then that will cost you heavily on a financial basis. You will lose on production against your competitors, miss deadlines, and damage your relationship with clients. So, if you don’t want such things to happen and prevent downtime then read this blog till the end. 

Why does preventive CNC maintenance matter?

Preventive CNC maintenance is important because downtime of a machine is financially destructive for your whole business. Used machines are destined to have some kind of problems like electrical, technical, cooling related or basic wear and tear. Preventive maintenance of your CNC machine will help you with – 

  1. Maximize machine uptime. 
  2. Extend machine life.
  3. Improve safety. 
  4. Minimize unscheduled maintenance. 
  5. Ensure consistency of production. 

Establishing a preventive maintenance schedule – 

The best way to make sure your machine runs in the right way is to get a fixed schedule for maintenance of the machine rather than waiting for it to break down. Here are the different parts in which you need to divide the maintenance schedule – 

Daily Rituals

Here are some top rituals that you need to do daily to prevent CNC downtime – 

  1. Cleaning – A CNC machine mainly works on the engineering of different types of materials from steel to aluminum and other things, which leads to the gathering of a lot of debris around it. So it becomes very important to clear the debris that has accumulated and the other chips and swarf should also be cleaned from the CNC frame. 
  2. Coolant level and condition – Checking the coolant level is very important as CNC machines tend to get heated up during the machining process. Try to find out if there is any sign of contamination of the coolant fluid like discoloration, excessive foam, or foul odor. Also, keep in mind to fill the coolant with the correct concentration and type. 
  3. Visual inspections – After the two main steps are done then make sure to visually inspect the whole machine once. Check if there’s any wear and tear, any kind of leakage, or any worn cables on the machine. 

Weekly works

Then there are some of the steps you need to follow every week to prevent downtime of your used CNC machine –

  1. Clean filters – One of the first things that you should do during your weekly maintenance time is to clean the filters of the CNC machine. Check and clean the filters of the coolant systems and the airlines. Clogged filters hamper the efficiency of the machine and also damage pumps and other components. 
  2. Inspect belts and pulleys—Inspect the condition and tension of any belts used for spindles and axis drives. Check for cracking, wear, or fraying. Also, ensure that the pulleys are clean and properly cleaned. 
  3. Lubrication top-up—Next, you should thoroughly check the lubrication points and top up the reservoirs. Make sure the lubrication lines and fittings are not leaking. Also, ensure that you are using the best kind of lubricant as prescribed by the CNC brand. 

Monthly Milestones

Now, here are the steps that you will have to take every month for preventive maintenance of your used CNC machine –

  1. Electrical connection check-up – You should start your monthly maintenance by checking up on the electrical system of your CNC machine. Check the electrical cabinet properly to see if there are any loose connections or signs of overheating, while the machine is powered off and disconnected.
  2. Coolant system maintenance – You should also commit coolant system maintenance depending on the coolant type and usage. You can also use a refractometer to check the concentration of the coolant, and also add biocides to prevent bacterial growth. 

Yearly Audits

Finally, here are the things that you need to do every year with your CNC machine to make it run in the right way and reduce downtime – 

  1. Professional servicing – It is advised to get a yearly professional servicing for your CNC machine to prevent downtime of the machine and also help you find out if there is any minute technical problem is there in the machine that you can’t find and troubleshoot the issue. 
  2. Thorough cleaning – Once in a year there should be a thorough cleaning of the machine. You should clear each and every smallest area of the machine to ensure that there is no debris collecting there. Cleaning the filters and coolant storage are also important during this thorough cleaning of the CNC machine. You can also do it on a quarterly basis, depending on the hours for which you are running the machine. 
  3. Software updates – A lot of CNC manufacturers update their software once a year so you should ensure that your CNC machine’s control system is also updated. Keeping your software up to date will help you with security, performance, and compatibility. 

Additional Tips

Now, here are some extra tips from our side that you need to take into consideration to prevent downtime of your used CNC machine – 

  1. Train your team – It is very important to have trained operators and machine controllers are a great asset for your company. Make sure they are always trained with the best techniques and knowledge about how to manage the machine that will save your machine from any big damage and prevent the downtime of the machine. 
  2. Virus protection – If your CNC machine is connected to some network then you should think of implementing some basic anti virus software to prevent malware from preventing the operations of the machine from getting hampered. 

Conclusion

CNC machines can help you deliver great value to your business and also give you a better return on the upfront buying price especially if it’s a used CNC machine. If you want to find such used CNC machines that are in good health then you can check out the machines at MachineStation and then make your own choice.