TUBE NEWS TN February 2020 | Page 7

materials and purchased parts, and manufactures the components. Only then the machine is delivered and fully disassembled into its individual parts. Schwarze-Robitec sandblasts all welding components and the entire machine frame in order to remove the old paintwork. All welding seams are also checked. So whilst the machine frame and the welding components are re-used, all hydraulic and electrical installations are replaced, including hydraulic piping, cables, control cabinet, control technology and control panel. In addition, the entire machine safety system, including the CE components, for instance, is newly installed during a general overhaul. This is due to the fact that statutory safety regulations have usually changed since the machine was first put into operation. This is ultimately followed by the assembly of the overhauled machine – including the preliminary acceptance test at Schwarze-Robitec’s site in Cologne and the machine being put into operation at the desired location – as is the case with a new machine. A 12-month warranty period is offered. General overhauls are usually ordered by clients. However, in some instances the manufacturer sells a machine that has undergone a general overhaul. This can be a particularly interesting prospect for buyers if the machine configuration is ideally suited to their performance requirements and they are working on a tight budget. Since expensive parts such as the machine frame and welding components are re-used, an overhauled machine is roughly one-third cheaper than a new machine. And yet the buyer receives a product which is as good as new with state-of-the-art technology. Keeping an eye on a machine’s overall condition If a car suddenly starts to stutter and breaks down on the road, this doesn’t mean that it is a complete write-off. Perhaps it only requires a new oil filter, new spark plugs or maybe even a new engine. For tube bending machines, this is equivalent to a component overhaul. If, for example, a new pressure die assembly, a new swing arm or a new bending head is installed, it is possible to get the machine back up and running again. However, FEBRUARY 2020 ● TUBE NEWS » 7