Chance Favours the Prepared Mind – (Louis Pasteur 1822-1895)

As Rom-Control has extensive experience in the repair and refurbishment of industrial electronic control systems, a common question we often hear is “Is it worth repairing”. If you find yourself asking this question, and the answer is not obvious, then maybe a “Feasibility Study” will provide you the clarity you need.

For example, our client with a massive investment in 20-year-old production machinery noticed that reliability was declining significantly especially over the past three years. Mechanically the machines were maintained very well but now the automated electronic controls such as PLC’s and variable speed drives were causing significant downtime issues.

As the client needed these machines to run for at least the next ten years, they asked us to carry out a Feasibility Study to determine the most cost-effective options. The options to be considered included refurbishment of the old control systems, replace with “new or re-engineering” circuit boards, or remove the control systems and update with the latest PLC’s and controls.

Our investigation required onsite inspection, maintenance records review, circuit board health checks, component availability, etc. as well as the system reviewed for its overall function in the machine. During our investigation, we realized there was a machine issue that was difficult to navigate around. We were searching for answer when by chance, one of our engineers noticed a advert that not only solved the issue, but provided real benefits beyond what was being asked.

Our final report revealed two other cost-effective options that the client had never considered, and a recommendation that aligned with the business and their customer expectations. The client was delighted with the result and commented that “we have saved him not only significant money, but now he would sleep better”.

This proves that Louis Pasteur was right, sometimes you have to study a subject intensely so that when, by chance, you notice a widget, you recognize the benefits immediately.