Used Equipment Vs Reconditioned

Used Versus Reconditioned

Used, As Is, Sold As Seen.

Just a few phrases we use in the industry to describe a machine where the true condition or history is unknown.

Not every company can afford New machines, especially if they're just starting out or even if they have a capacity issue needed fulfilling, so often a second-hand machine is the preferred option.

So you’re in a predicament where you need some extra capacity, however you don’t have the budget for new.  Of course, if available, leasing or financing a new machine might be a good idea, however; often leasing companies will not finance machines older than 7 years old and you may not be able to get the finance for a NEW system.  So often Used machines are the only option available to fulfil the extra capacity.  Perhaps if you don’t take the plunge to buy something you run the risk of losing that valuable contract.

So a Used machine is the best choice available but can be very daunting and feel very risky.  Like Honest John, the second hand car salesman and we know a couple of them in this industry and to this day they still get away with it!  Anyway, Honest John will often promise you everything because he doesn’t care.  He will still get his commission and sleep tight at night knowing he will be sat on the beach this summer drinking his Dorada.

Used Machines can often be a good gamble, especially if they come direct from the end user who is selling them on due to upgrading themselves and they can put you in touch with engineers who have serviced the machines for years.

However, there is the other side of things where the machine is bought from a datasheet, yet when it arrives it actually nothing like you expected and now you can do nothing other than blame yourself, but you have to get on with it and make it work.  Pick and place machines can often not be what you expected where cameras can be missing, feeder trollies missing, sometimes important line computers are needed to run them, and the factory will keep them and without them the machines are worthless.

Machine shipped to Elite 7 Installations for Overhaul.

This leads us on to the machine we received recently.

Our customer shipped us a machine they received, which they bought from a Dealer.

Upon arrival, they unpacked the machine, but were unable to level it as one of the four feet was missing.  Next the customer was unable to power it on as the bespoke power lead was missing.  After calling Elite 7, they managed to bypass this and get power into the machine, however the machine was dead as a dodo and would not power on.

Why???

Wow, where do we start.  This machine has been robbed of all the good parts, yet it was sold as “Running Condition”.

After removing several covers, the customer soon realised this machine had many parts missing that it would never power on.

Decision was made to ship the machine back to Elite 7 for inspection and later overhaul.

Upon arrival at Elite 7, the Samsung SM320 Pick and Place Machine was set up and inspected and to their amazement, very many parts were missing.

After 3 weeks of overhaul and all parts replaced, the machine was made fully functional and returned back to the customer.

Missing parts:  3Phase Mains power lead, keyboard holder, monitor stand, PC Motherboard and Hard Drive, VME Motorola CPU card and EPROM, IODPRAM Card, 3x Servo amplifiers, Teach Box Assembly, 3x Head Vacuum filter cartridges and vacuum pipes, signal tower and of course the missing foot.

One very bad case of buying a “Running Machine” from overseas.

Not every Used machine is a bad machine and not every dealer is just out to make a few bucks for his bottles of Dorada, but where possible we would always suggest to, where possible go and view the machine and ideally view it running and ensure it’s running on all heads.

Elite 7 – Pick and Place Machine Reconditioning Program

Each Used machine we sell would have gone through our overhaul program which takes 3-4 weeks depending on the model.  Where a short timescale is needed, we can turn around an SM machine in 2 weeks.

Each machine is stripped down to its individual units and inspected for tolerance.

Any worn parts are replaced.

The outer panels are freshened up with powder coating or depending on the sale price, the panels can be sandblasted, filled and freshly powder coated line new, but the normal powder coating in most cases is enough for most customers.

The machine are re-assembled, new conveyor belts fitted, along with a new Hard Drive with fresh installation of OS and MMI and the machines then calibrated.

After calibration, the machines are bench-tested, then checked again.  At this point any parts out of tolerance are replaced and then the machines soak tested before the freshly Coated covers are put back on and new Vinyls applied.

By this time the machines are then ready to go.

New Keyboards and Mice are added for finishing touch.

All machines supplied in this condition come with a warranty if in the UK or Ireland.

Elite 7 can supply installation, training, repair, upgrades, spare parts and of course an upgrade path later onto either a more modern overhauled mounter or even trade the machine back in against a new machine.

In most cases, Elite 7 will know the previous history of the machines and would probably have serviced it annually from initial installation.

Buying a Used/Overhauled machine from Elite 7 will give you peace in mind that you will be well supported from day 1 and going forward, enabling you to get the most from your investment.

 For more information contact: info@elite7group.com