Refurbishing Mechanical Pumps: A Cost-Effective Alternative to Replacement

Mechanical pumps, like any other equipment, are prone to damage and depreciation. This often leads to performance-related issues, drop in efficiency and even failure. These problems can compel an owner to take a decision as to whether to replace or refurbish the pump. 

VEMC is the leading Kirloskar pump distributor based in Mumbai and in this blog, we tell you why refurbishing your mechanical pump is a great alternative to replacement.

What is pump refurbishment

Refurbishment of a pump involves diagnosing a problem, designing a fix and delivering the right solution to eliminate the issue. This enables you to use the same pump for an extended period of time after proper repairs.

Why refurbish rather than replace

Refurbishment of pumps offers many benefits that replacement doesn’t:

  1. Cost savings: Often, minor issues with any of the components can cause a breakdown. Components like these can be easily repaired to restore the pump. This makes refurbishing the pump much more cost-effective as compared to replacement.
  1. Extended lifespan: Pumps are expensive pieces of equipment and owners always want to get maximum service from them. By refurbishing the pump, you can prolong its lifespan significantly ensuring more returns on investment.
  2. Improved efficiency: Refurbishing pumps addresses leaks, reduced flow and unexpected noise and helps restore their performance to peak levels. This helps improve efficiency and productivity, reduces energy costs and avoids downtime.

Process of refurbishing pumps

  • Refurbishment is done with complete overhaul of the pump, and after analyzing all the parts (bearings, gears, seals etc.), and the ones worn out are replaced with fresh ones. 
  • In case they’re not available commercially, these components are redesigned and re-manufactured. 
  • The pump is then re-assembled and final test done to check performance and efficiency. Clearly, refurbishing the pump requires a thorough know-how on the part of technicians and VEMC –– a top-notch Kirloskar pump distributor offers you just that!

Factors to consider for refurbishing/replacement

  1. Cost: For starters, the cost consideration should guide you as to whether the pump could be repaired or must be replaced. Investing in a new pump is always going to be costly, but at times, refurbishing a pump that is beyond restoration can also be heavy on your pockets, besides not giving satisfactory performance in the long run.
  1. Age of your pump: older pumps may be more susceptible to breakdown or have outdated technology. As such, finding spare parts for these pumps can be quite challenging. In such situations, it would be more practical to replace the pump with a new one.
  2. Expertise: Refurbishing a pump requires experience, expertise and know-how. Only when your maintenance team or a consultant technician have these, should you consider refurbishing the pump.

Besides having a business impact, refurbishing your pumps instead of replacing them also has  significant environmental implications, by avoiding unnecessary wastage of material, overproduction and emissions. If you need more advice on refurbishing your pumps, feel free to get in touch with VEMC by calling us on 022 43436655 or emailing us at marketing@vemc.co.in. We are the leading Kirloskar water pump dealer in Mumbai.

Retrofitting as a cost-effective alternative to replacement

Pumps are usually designed to meet specific needs and expectations such as de-watering, supplying oil and petrochemicals or irrigation. However, over a period of time, the requirements may change and pumps may be needed for new operations altogether. Besides, the old pumps may undergo wear and tear especially in the chemical industry where there is a high likelihood of corrosion. All this can leave the pumps ill-equipped for taking on new tasks. This is where retrofitting comes in as an easy and cost-effective alternative to meet performance and reliability expectations. 

VEMC is a leading Kirloskar pump distributor in Mumbai and in this blog we talk about retrofitting of pumps.

What is pump retrofitting?

When pumps reach their wear and tear limit, retrofitting can give it a second life. It involves restoring an old pump by salvaging its component parts and if required fitting new ones to make it functional again. Retrofitting is highly economical and also has positive implications for the environment as it avoids unnecessary wastage of material. Retrofitting in other words offers a quick, efficient, cost effective and nature-positive overhaul for old pumps.

Cost effectiveness of pump retrofitting

Pump retrofitting can be immensely beneficial for companies looking to save not just on their Capex but also on Opex in the long run. Retrofitting also has implications for the environment and reduces your carbon footprint significantly. Here are some of the top benefits owners can expect from retrofitting their pumps.

  1. Avoiding Capex: The most outstanding benefit of retrofitting your pumps is that you get to avoid shelling out a huge sum at once. Buying a new pump can actually be quite expensive and make a dent in your finances. With retrofitting however, you get an opportunity to salvage your old pumps and prolonging their working life. 
  2. Improved reliability and performance: Equipment and component parts in critical business areas need to be up and running at all times. Once you retrofit your old pumps, its reliability and performance improves significantly. This avoids unplanned downtime and the business costs associated with it.
  3. Lower operating costs: To reduce your operating costs, it is important that your equipment is operating at peak efficiency levels. Operating cost throughout a pump’s service life is many times more than the initial Capex. With improvements in hydraulic design, your retrofitted pump can offer better performance, higher efficiency and lower power consumption.

Retrofitting maximizes revenue generation

A retrofit is a cost-effective way to deal with high demand and throughput without the cost and time needed to install a new pump. A retrofit also has the additional benefit of maintaining existing piping and foundations, further minimizing costs and downtime, and boosting revenue significantly.

Retrofitting is a great way to breathe new life into your old pumps. For more information on retrofitting, feel free to get in touch with VEMC by calling us on 022 43436655 or emailing us at marketing@vemc.co.in. We are the leading Kirloskar water pump dealer based in Mumbai.