Machines are an expensive, yet necessary part of many industries. Without the usage of machines and specific tools, certain job tasks would be more difficult. You can often justify the cost of your machine tools by the profits that you will make in return for using them. What happens, though, when your required machine tools break down? You are faced with the decision to have them professionally repaired or to replace them with new machine tools.
Consider the costs of repair versus new
Perhaps one of the best ways to evaluate whether or not you should replace will depend on the costs. For example, if your genie lift repair requires thousands of dollars to completely repair and you can purchase a new one for a little more, it is generally a better idea to replace it. Usually, the decision is not so simple. Machine shops and semi trailer repair shops tend to vary in price. You also may not be able to obtain a quote for the cost of rebuilding tools without first paying for diagnostic testing. Discussing the possibility of high end versus low end cost of rebuilding tools is usually helpful in the decision process.
Consider time lost
The cost of rebuilding tools is much more than the amount of money you spend. You will also have to factor in the time spent. When your machining services are being repaired, you no longer have access to those specific tools. When you are unable to offer these machine shop services to your customers, you can lose out on expected income. Consider how long it will take to repair and how much you will lose in profits during that time. When you add this to the initial cost of rebuilding tools, it could make your decision easier.
Take proper care of rebuilt tools
One of the problems with rebuilt tools is that they are never the same quality as when you first purchased them. Although proper care is necessary for all machine tools, new or rebuilt, rebuilt ones require even greater attention to care. Greater care includes things like keeping them dry, letting them cool fully between uses, and properly cleaning them often. Properly cleaning your machine tools on a regular basis can prevent build up that could result in damage, or cause the machine to function poorly, especially in rebuilt tools.
Consider only replacing some of the parts
A full rebuild can get expensive. If you are looking for cost efficient repair methods, consider only replacing some of the parts. If you can properly identify the cause of the break, you can have that single part replaced. However, it is important to understand, depending on how long it has been since maintained, that other parts may also be damaged. The best way to find out if your machine tool can be simply replaced is to work with your local machine repair shop. When using a machine tool, if unusual noises are heard, this may be a sign that you need to have it inspected or repaired. Avoiding these problems for too long can cause a more expensive repair or rebuild job.
Machine tools have been improving many industries for years. In fact, the first machine tools ever made were handcrafted and date back to 1200 B.C. Since then, they have improved both in efficiency and usage. This sometimes means that they require more extensive of repairs, and more frequently. When you are dealing with broken machine tools, you have to make the important decision of replacing or rebuilding. Evaluating the cost of the rebuild versus the new tool can be helpful. However, you will also want to take other factors into account, including how broken the machine tool is, the profits and time that you will lose during rebuild, and the increased amount of preventative care that it may require.