COSTING
SHOULD YOU REBUILD IT OR BUY NEW? Eriez provides a quick guide to help you determine the best option for your magnetic separation or vibratory equipment. By José Marin
A suspended electromagnet, before and after a rebuild. CREDIT: ERIEZ
20 | CANADIAN MINING JOURNAL
W
ith the pressures of a pandemic, an uncertain economy and the price of new equipment, many companies are deciding to rebuild their equipment rather than replacing it. Here are some guidelines to consider as you determine which way to go, especially as it pertains to magnetic separators, vibratory feeders, metal detectors, suspended electromagnets and magnetic drum separators. However, many of these guidelines can also be applied to any equipment used in a mining operation.
Performance and service life
ou can find out from the manufacturer what the predicted effective life may be for certain types of equipment. Based upon this forecast, you can schedule the appropriate inspection to help you decide whether repair or replacement is optimal. eak operating efficiency and product longevity depend greatly on the individual piece of equipment and its working environment. Routine tests can determine when it’s time to upgrade, replace components or purchase a brand new model. Regular preventative maintenance certainly extends the life of most equipment. Annual preventative maintenance checks or audits can be performed by qualified plant personnel or an outside party, like the service technicians at Eriez. (The Eriez Service Center is located in a recently expanded, state-of-the-art facility in Erie, Penn., but technicians are available to visit onsite and inspect equipment.) The goal of an inspection is to assess the possibility of costly downtime and make sure equipment is operating at peak performance. Once an inspection is complete, the service centre will be better able to determine the next course of action, whether this means replacing one component or remanufacturing the equipment to original specifications. n some cases, you will need to buy new, but that is only after consideration is given to several scenarios designed to get the equipment back online.
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