Refurbishment
In any industrial operation one of the key factors which determine whether it remains economically viable is the cost of installing and maintaining the correct plant. When a piece of machinery breaks down it isn’t just the financial losses which result from a temporary decrease or cessation of production activity; replacing or repairing a piece of broken plant can be extremely expensive. For many businesses, a popular and cost-effective alternative to commissioning a costly repair or paying for an entirely new piece of machinery is to opt for a refurbished part or even an entire system.
Refurbished items usually come with an extensive warranty and will have been repaired and conditioned to an extremely high standard. Not only are they significantly cheaper than new alternatives, but for more dated systems a refurbished part may be the only alternative, as frequently production companies stop making parts for old or obsolete machinery. As many production lines and other pieces of plant will have been installed decades ago, a refurbished part may well be the only viable option for successful repair of a worn or broken piece of equipment.
In many industries, the basic equipment required to carry out a particular task has seen few changes over the years. This means that it is often more economical to spend money on repairs and maintenance rather than bear the cost of purchasing an entirely new set of equipment. A further consideration is that older models of machinery tend to be simpler in design, with fewer electronic components. Often they are easier to maintain and can be more readily repaired than newer pieces of equipment, which are frequently more complicated than their predecessors and therefore increasingly likely to give trouble in the future. Refurbished parts allow you to continue using pieces of machinery which were designed to last.
Another key consideration which production managers face when trying to decide on the best part to use when a repair is required concerns the amount of down time that completing the repair will take. Whilst both new and refurbished parts can normally be sourced with equal rapidity, a new part may not be fully compatible with your existing set-up, leading to costly delays as solutions are tried. With a refurbished part, you can be confident that it’s a functional replica of the part it’s replacing, resulting in the repair being completed quickly and production swiftly recommenced.
For many companies, using refurbished parts to repair their production equipment is an economical and reliable method of keeping their operation running. If a business is branching out into new areas of business, using refurbished plant can be an excellent way of keeping costs down whilst the viability of the fresh venture is assessed. When obtained from a reputable source, refurbished parts will often last as long as their new counterparts, providing years of reliable service. If you are keen to achieve maximum productivity for minimal outlay then refurbishment as an alternative to replacement is definitely worth considering.