As an industrial finisher, you frequently face the dilemma of repairing or replacing commercial paint sprayer equipment. This can be true of machines, spray guns, parts, and accessories. It could be equipment large or small, old or fairly new. And as we know, the answer to whether to repair or replace almost always begins with, “It depends.”
In this blog post, we’ll dive into the factors you should consider when evaluating the repair vs. replace decision. There are two key drivers in your “repair vs. replace” strategy:
Use data to drive decisions whenever possible. Documenting equipment repair events provides information on frequency of breakdown events and costs for the repairs.
Proactive maintenance and timely replacement of smaller, less expensive parts can significantly extend the life of major, costly equipment. Keeping your equipment clean and maintained for maximum performance can significantly impact your results and bottom line. Think of your accessories as the “tools” you need in your truck or trailer to save you time and money.
4 Key Considerations: Cost, Downtime, Efficiency, Age of Equipment
While repairs may seem initially less expensive than purchasing new equipment, it’s essential to factor in the total cost of ownership, including ongoing maintenance, future repair expenses, and potential energy savings with newer, more efficient models. You should also consider whether investing in newer technology can enhance competitiveness, streamline operations, and future-proof businesses against obsolescence.
There are other key considerations when looking at a repair or replace decision, such as safety, compliance, and sustainability. But you can start with these areas.
Costs
For a new piece of equipment, consider the cost of purchasing the equipment, its service life, potential salvage value, operating costs, and any revenue increase it may bring. For an old piece of equipment, consider its remaining service life, operating costs, its market value, and future salvage rate. From these figures, you can determine an annual average cost for each option.
Downtime
What’s the impact of downtime while the asset is being repaired? If it takes several days to repair, and if this happens frequently, you’re looking at too many hours of lost productivity. Keep in mind, however, that repairing often takes less time than replacing a machine, which may involve waiting for the new equipment to arrive, installation, new training, and more. If you’re on an extremely tight schedule and if the equipment is crucial to your process, you may lose too much in production if you take the time to replace.
Efficiency
Will a simple repair keep efficiency at the level you want, or would a new piece of equipment that uses less fuel, offers newer features, and breaks down less frequently be better for your efficiency and your bottom line?
Age of Equipment
As they age, machines tend to give you less for your investment in repair. You may want to consider replacing an old, malfunctioning piece of equipment with a newer, technologically advanced model that will give you better efficiency and longevity. It may even bring new revenue opportunities.
Let’s look more closely at strategies to extend the lifespan of your equipment.
The Core of Repair vs. Replace Strategy Should Be Proactive Maintenance
Disciplined proactive maintenance is not only good for your equipment, it’s also good for your bottom line. A contractor using a worn tip may use 25 percent more material, make about 20 percent more passes, and still end up with an uneven finish.
Commercial Paint Sprayers: Disciplined Cleanup Will Extend Life of Equipment
Commercial paint sprayers, especially airless sprayers, are the perfect illustration of how best practices can extend the life of your equipment. These machines rely on high pressure to atomize and apply thick, viscous materials, which puts immense strain on a number of key components.
Dried paint is the enemy of a sprayer, which means cleaning is crucial. After every use, the equipment should be flushed with the appropriate cleaning solvent or water (depending on the coating type) until the fluid runs clear. Neglecting this leads to clogs in the pump, filters, and hoses, which can cause the pump to overwork and fail.
Timely replacement is also key for gun filters, manifold filters, and spray tips. Replacing these relatively inexpensive components on a regular schedule extends the life of your pumps and guns.
Protective Coatings Application Equipment: Visually Inspect for Leaks and Wear
Industrial epoxies and polyureas are often more abrasive or chemically aggressive than standard paints. This makes proactive maintenance even more critical for nozzles, tips, and pumps, but also hoses and fittings. Regularly inspect hoses and fittings for leaks, cracks, and wear, as a small leak can be a safety hazard and also cause pressure drops that make the equipment work harder and less efficiently.
In high-pressure plural component sprayers, the pump's packings, cylinders, and rods are constantly exposed to abrasive materials. Regularly inspecting and replacing these wear parts is far more cost-effective than waiting for a catastrophic pump failure.
Adhere to the manufacturer's schedule for high-end equipment. This can involve sending equipment in for professional servicing at set intervals to replace parts that are not easily accessible to a contractor in the field.
Consider Technology to Track Your Assets, Maintenance, and Inventory
As we mentioned earlier, tracking your assets has many benefits. There is a growing number of computerized maintenance management systems (CMMS) to help with scheduling and tracking work orders, labor, parts, tools, and essential details. In addition to asset management and preventive maintenance, this approach also enables parts and inventory management.
We Can Help You Develop Best Practices to Evaluate Repair vs. Replace
The decision to repair or replace a significant piece of equipment like a paint sprayer should be based on a holistic, data-driven analysis, not just the immediate cost of the repair. The most critical factors are the total cost of ownership, the frequency of breakdowns, and the impact of downtime on your business's profitability.
Spray Equipment & Service Center has been providing industrial finishing solutions to thousands of North American businesses for more than 50 years. Our experts can help you develop best practices for proactive maintenance and a process to guide your repair vs. replace decisions.
We also provide qualified technical support and added value through:
Solutions expertise: We listen and craft solutions to fit your unique business needs and goals.
Relationship-focused approach: We build trust by being responsive, meeting deadlines, and working hard to meet your highest expectations.
Industry leadership: We have talented, experienced professionals at your service, here to keep your business as simple and profitable as possible.
We have the right equipment and parts in stock when you need them, and we are just a phone call away (800-666-6072).