Much of a maintenance program’s effectiveness stems from keeping accurate maintenance records for a dryer — and using the records for planning. This entails recording the dryer’s performance and normal operating conditions, and scheduling dryer inspections and regular preventive maintenance. The records can be used when deciding whether to repair, rebuild or replace an older dryer.

So says a white paper from Pittsburgh-based Heyl & Patterson, which notes that as long as your maintenance record is organized, complete and up to date, its physical form is not critical. Hard copies of information can be organized into a filing system or bound into record or log books, or the information can be consolidated and transferred to a computer database.

Regardless of how archival information is stored, current records should be arranged and filed for efficient retrieval and handling. Deciding how to file records does not need to be complicated. Is the current system logical, consistent, and reasonably convenient? Could a newcomer interpret and understand it? If so, there is probably no need to change the system.

What is more important is that the maintenance record include details such as:

• Legal documentation.
• Operations and maintenance manuals.
• Drawings.
• Parts lists.
• Daily maintenance procedures.
• Special and emergency maintenance procedures.
• Safety procedures.
• Baseline operation record.
• Operations log.
• Maintenance log.
• Lubrication record.
• Annual turnaround procedure.
• Establishing and maintaining a complete record that includes elements such as these can make a dryer maintenance program more effective.

For further information on how to properly maintain records equipment such as fluid bed, rotary and conduction dryers, download Heyl & Patterson's white paper, "Recordkeeping for Effective Dryer Maintenance."