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One of the difficult choices that everyone has to make, whether they’re talking about their home HVAC system, or an important piece of a production line at an industrial plant—repair or replace? Anyone who has had to deal with that question knows that there definitely can be a wrong answer, and although there will probably be many people there willing to tell about it if you choose wrong, not too many people want to help you make the initial decision.
Important Considerations When Deciding to Repair or Replace Industrial Electronics
- Cost: The cost of repairing is almost always less than the cost of buying new. However, if a piece of equipment has been repaired a few times already, you have to decide when you’ll have diminished returns for a repair. The overall cost of new equipment, and whether there is cash on hand also affect the decision.
- Time: As a rule, for a piece of equipment on a production line, time is money. If a repair will get the lineup and running a lot faster than replacement, that has to be taken into account. If a used piece of equipment breaks down often, that also must be considered.
- Safety: If your equipment keeps breaking down and if the older it gets the less safe it is, that has to be considered too. Sometimes you just have to spend money so that your employees and you are as safe as you deserve to be. Replacing a broken down machine for a more expensive, but safer machine is sometimes the smart choice.
- The master plan: You have to have a master plan and decide how your decision will play into that plan. Will you be changing how your production line works in the upcoming 12 months? Did you plan on making other major changes that would require a major retrofit or a new machine within the near future? Perhaps a broken piece of equipment is a chance to move your timeline up.
There are a lot of factors that determine whether you should repair or replace broken machinery. Each situation is different, so take your time in making a decision, and do what is best for you. If you're looking for industrial equipment for sale, contact the team at Northline Industrial today.
