Refurbishing Industrial Electrical Parts: A Sustainable Solution

 

As we tread further into 2023, the emphasis on sustainability and resource conservation is more pressing than ever. This shift in focus has significantly influenced the industrial sector, with the refurbishing of electrical parts emerging as a critical trend. This article summarizes why refurbishing industrial electrical components is both eco-friendly and economically viable.

The Refurbishment Movement

The global push towards sustainability has prompted industries to look inward, finding ways to minimize waste and maximize the life of their equipment. Refurbishing, as opposed to replacing, extends the life of electrical components, reducing the need for new raw materials and decreasing the environmental footprint of manufacturing processes. Restoring parts is also highly cost-effective, yielding significant savings for industries. 

Why Refurbish Heavy Electrical Components?

Cost-Efficiency: As we just mentioned, refurbishing versus replacing electrical components can save businesses a lot of money. Rather than buying new parts or replacing an entire electrical system, reconditioned electrical hardware is cleaned, repaired, rebuilt, and reconfigured to like new. Older equipment that still has a lot of life in it, with perhaps discontinued components, depends on available working parts that synchronize with the overall system. The refurbishing process enables old things that still work to keep running while saving costs for the end user.

Eco-Friendly: Refurbishing electrical components, like many other items, aids in conserving resources and reduces the amount of electronic waste in landfills. This practice not only preserves the planet’s raw materials but also reduces the need for new manufacturing, thus minimizing the carbon footprint. Considering the potentially harmful substances present in many electrical components, refurbishment can also mitigate the environmental risks associated with improper disposal.

Performance and Reliability: If done correctly, refurbished electrical components can perform equally as well as a brand-new item. Experienced technicians who turn drab, broken electrical equipment into mint condition are often mistaken as entirely new. Parts are completely disassembled, individually cleaned and inspected, repaired, painted, and reassembled. Rigorous testing and quality control measures ensure that these parts meet or exceed original specifications before they’re resold.

The Process of Refurbishing Industrial Electrical Components

Refurbishing industrial electrical parts is more than just a cosmetic touch-up. It's a detailed process involving:

·         Inspection: Each component undergoes a thorough examination to identify any signs of wear, malfunction, or damage.

·         Disassembly and Cleaning: Parts are disassembled, cleaned, and contaminants are removed. This step is crucial for parts that have been exposed to industrial environments, which can be corrosive or saturated with particulates.

·         Replacement of Worn Materials: Any subpart showing signs of wear or damage is replaced with a new or reconditioned part.

·         Testing: Once reassembled, the parts/equipment are subjected to rigorous testing to ensure they function as expected.

·         Certification: After passing rigorous testing, the components are certified for use, guaranteeing their performance and reliability.

The Future of Refurbishing in the Industrial Sector

Refurbishing heavy industrial electrical parts is a win-win solution. Advancements in technology are continuously streamlining the refurbishment process, making it even more efficient. As time unfolds, more businesses are choosing to refurbish because it's both good for the environment and saves money.

Are you looking for a specific industrial electrical part? J&P Electrical likely has what you need; if not, we’ll find it for you!

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J&P Electrical is a full-service electrical supply company. At J&P, we source contractors, end-users, and supply houses with new surplus, quality reconditioned, and obsolete electrical equipment. We also purchase a wide range of heavy industrial electrical equipment such as bus plugs, bus duct, transformers, circuit breakers, fuses, and switchboards. Call us at 877-844-5514 for assistance.  

Written by the digital marketing team at Creative Programs & Systems: https://www.cpsmi.com/

What is Conductive Paint?

 

Electrically conductive paint is created by mixing a conductive pigment into a non-conductive resin binder. Adhesion comes from the binder that holds the paint together, and conduction is formed from the filler pigment. Electrical charges move through the conductive fillers and work best when they are highly concentrated, shaped like flakes or tubes. Spheres are not ideal but can provide increased conductivity with flakes. 

Fillers used in electrical conductivity vary by corrosion resistance, morphology, and price. Some conductive paints are pigmented with the following:

Branched carbon powder: The most cost-effective filler, carbon is tiny enough for grounding and RFI shielding. 

Silver-coated-copper flake: Silver offers the highest conductivity and greatest shielding capabilities, particularly in high-frequency EMI applications. 

Nickel (coated copper) flake: Offers a broad range of EMI/RFI shielding. 

Silver (silver-coated copper) flake: Especially effective in higher frequencies but does not resist corrosion as well as the other pigments. 

The choice of filler can significantly impact the shielding effectiveness and coating conductivity. While binding systems can vary immensely, they determine adhesion, durability, and chemical resistance of the coating, along with application method, working time, and the number of components. 

Conductive paints are typically formulated with solvent-based acrylic, water-based epoxy, and urethane binding systems. 

Conductive Paint Applications: 

·         EMI/RFI Shielding

·         Prototyping and repairing circuits 

·         ESD protection

·         Grounding surfaces 

·         Galvanic corrosion resistance 

·         Electroplating plastics 

Types of conductive paint include acrylic, epoxy, water-based shielding, package and board-level shielding, ESD safe, spray paints, pens, and paint thinners. 

J&P Electrical uses only top-quality paints and sealers during our refurbishing process.

J&P Electrical is a full-service electrical supply company. At J&P, we source contractors, end-users, and supply houses with new surplus, quality reconditioned, and obsolete electrical equipment. We also purchase a wide range of heavy industrial electrical equipment such as bus plugs, bus duct, transformers, circuit breakers, fuses, and switchboards. Call us at 877-844-5514 for assistance.  

Written by the digital marketing team at Creative Programs & Systems: https://www.cpsmi.com/ 

U.S. Factory Production Soars

 

Throughout the United States, construction spending by manufacturers more than doubled through 2022, according to the Census Bureau. Billions of dollars in subsidies handed out by the government have spiked the EV (electric vehicle), semiconductor, and solar panel industries. 

Not only did production numbers increase, but factories themselves swelled. Compared to $90 billion in June 2022, the annual rate soared to almost $190 billion by April 2023. Roughly 13 percent of non-governmental construction consisted of manufacturing. 

According to the World Bank, China accounts for approximately 30 percent of global manufacturing value, almost double the United States. Approximately 800,000 jobs have been added to the United States manufacturing industry to compete with overseas countries such as China. Amid rising costs and political tensions, a few Chinese companies have pushed their manufacturing to India, Thailand, and Vietnam in response to the 2018 trade war with China. 

Since 2021, the United States has employed about 13 million workers and added around 800,000 manufacturing jobs. The manufacturing skills gap highlights the market’s struggle to find qualified workers and could result in 2.1 million unfilled jobs by 2030.

In the past year, 96 percent of American companies are evaluating reshoring operations or outright shifting production to the United States. This percentage was a spike from 2021, when a mere 78 percent of businesses were looking to reshore or bring operations home. 

The Inflation Reduction Act was instated in August 2022 with the hopes of creating new jobs in manufacturing, construction, and renewable energy fields. It is estimated that up to 1.5 million jobs will be created by 2030. 

Another factor of the manufacturing boom is the CHIPS and Science Act, which provided $280 billion in funding to increase semiconductor manufacturing starting in July 2022. 

While factory manufacturing increased, office, healthcare, and educational construction plummeted. Residential construction has also waned after a housing market cooldown. 

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J&P Electrical is a full-service electrical supply company. At J&P, we source contractors, end-users, and supply houses with new surplus, quality reconditioned, and obsolete electrical equipment. We also purchase a wide range of heavy industrial electrical equipment such as bus plugs, bus duct, transformers, circuit breakers, fuses, and switchboards. Call us at 877-844-5514 for assistance.  

Written by the digital marketing team at Creative Programs & Systems: https://www.cpsmi.com/