Gearbox as spare part in stock is crucial for continuity
A broken gearbox often shuts down an entire machine. Despite fast delivery by Apex Dynamics, stock parts aren’t always immediately available. Keeping a spare part in stock prevents expensive downtime and provides control over maintenance schedules. A small investment prevents major losses.
In the world of industrial automation and mechanical engineering, reliability is crucial. A machine that stops due to a broken component can not only disrupt production processes but also lead to significant financial losses. One of the components that plays a critical role in many machines is the gearbox. While often inconspicuous in the larger scheme of things, the gearbox is literally the power transmitter of a system – and if it fails, everything grinds to a halt.
Mechanically wearing parts
Gearboxes, like other mechanical components, are subject to wear and tear. Especially in applications with high loads, continuous load changes, or demanding environments, wear can occur more quickly. Replacing a gearbox in such cases isn’t a luxury, but a necessity. Yet, in practice, many companies only take action once the defect has already occurred. That’s when the clock starts ticking – resulting in lost production, lead times, and stress.
Costs, Benefits
A simple calculation immediately illustrates the importance of preventative action. Suppose a production line is halted due to a defective gearbox. The downtime costs €1,000 per hour in lost production, wages, and overhead. An urgent delivery of a new gearbox takes – even in the best-case scenario – 24 hours. The cost of that downtime quickly adds up to €24,000. By comparison, the cost of a gearbox as a spare part is often only a fraction of that.
Stock, but what type?
Although Apex Dynamics BV maintains a substantial inventory of gearboxes in the Benelux and can often deliver within 24 hours, it’s impossible to stock every model, reduction ratio, size, and flange combination. Our product range is simply too extensive. We do everything we can to respond quickly, but in the event of an emergency machine downtime, every minute counts.
Preventive maintenance
That’s why we recommend always considering the availability of spare parts when designing or commissioning a machine. Especially with critical drives or when a manufacturing company relies on a single production line, building a stock of strategic spare parts isn’t a luxury, but pure risk management.
Moreover, keeping a gearbox in stock offers another advantage: it allows a company to schedule predictive maintenance or replacement at a convenient time, for example, during a planned maintenance window or production shutdown. This prevents unexpected downtime and guarantees process continuity.
In short, investing in a gearbox as a spare part quickly pays for itself once the first failure occurs – or even becomes completely unnecessary if this investment leads to timely, planned preventive maintenance. So, consider the risk today: what costs more – a spare part or a downtime production machine?
