Modern drives are normally reliable, and once in place require little attention. Overtime however your drive will progress through the product life cycle from introduction, to legacy, to obsolete. Drives and Automation are able to offer a vulnerability audit on old drives in most UK locations to help you understand where your drives are in their life cycle and the risk that presents to your business.
Legacy status
During the legacy cycle of a drive, new stock will no longer be available for purchase from the manufacturer. Spares and servicing should however be readily available, with either new or refurbished parts. During the legacy stage plant managers should begin to draw up plans for future proofing production lines and equipment, and consider retrofit or outright replacement of machinery. The exact length of the legacy status varies from manufacturer to manufacturer.
Obsolescence
When a drive reaches obsolescence it will no longer be available for purchase from the manufacturer, who will also no longer provide spares or service. If you experience a breakdown of an obsolete drive you may be able to purchase a refurbished replacement or have the broken unit repaired by an independent specialist such as Drives and Automation. If none of these options are available then your only option is to replace with a new drive, a task that may involve major refit work on your line and loss of productivity due to extended downtime whilst a replacement drive is fitted.
The risk
Of course an obsolete piece of equipment is not a problem until it breaks down, it does however represent a clear risk to your day to day activities. Breakdowns rarely happen at convenient times, lead times for replacement drives may be in weeks rather than days, and common sense suggests you should have a plan in place should the worst happen.
Drives and Automation vulnerability audits
An audit from DnA can be used to formulate your business continuity plans. We can assess the drives you are using and advise on their lifecycle status. If required we can propose alternative replacements, from simple drive replacements to full retrofits. Once armed with this information you can decide to retrofit your line during planned maintenance schedules and minimise the impact of the work, or just have an idea of replacement timescales and costs should a breakdown happen.
What next?
Contact us to discuss the drives you have on site and get the process started.
