Truck Parts and Service | Heavy Duty Trucking, Aftermarket, Service Info
Issue link: https://read.dmtmag.com/i/85632
By Denise L. Rondini, Executive Editor drondini@randallreilly.com Remanufacturing Update vice president, business unit manager - Electronics and Mechanical at Flight Systems Electronics Group (FSEG); and Joe Kripli, global business enterprise leader at WABCO Reman Solutions, talk about remanufac- tured electronic components. TPS: What is involved in remanufac- turing electronic components? Kripli: Remanufacturing consists of disassembly, cleaning, inspection, replacing damaged/broken components as well as updating components, reassembling and testing. Repair simply replaces the failed com- ponent and tests that it works, usually with a limited warranty and no updates to other known early failure components. Rulli: It is imperative that a robust quality management system be in place. Th e industry requirements to qualify as a reman supplier are generally an ISO14001 certifi cation and some manufacturers require TS16949 certifi cation. Beyond that, having a launch team with core competencies in areas such as lean manufacturing, product and process design, reverse engineering, test methods and equipment development, tool making, training, trouble shooting skills and quality control are necessary for any successful remanufacturing venture. Th en you need the right people on the shop fl oor to process and test the parts. Kipper: We have to fi gure out how these things worked and then determine a repair process, procedure and testing. It is not just something any mechanic can do because it involved fi guring out how the electronic circuit works. WWW.TRUCKPARTSANDSERVICE.COM A Look At Electronic Components J on Kipper, vice president of busi- ness development at Electronics Remanufacturing Co.; Ralph Rulli, TPS: Are there any new developments in electronic component remanufacturing? Rulli: Because many of the products we reman require upfront reverse engineer- ing there are development tools available to expedite that process. We have invested in automated equipment that has the capabil- ity to "learn" a printed circuit board and then create an electrical schematic and a bill of material. On the testing side we now are taking advantage of systems that can capture thermal images of electronic modules which help pinpoint component failure on boards. Kripli: Most truck ECUs are fi lled with what's called "potting" or a gel/poly- urethane that protects the electronics from vibration and weather-related failures. Also, most ECU circuit boards are getting smaller as new micro components are developed. ABS units for example are only 25 percent the size they were eight years ago. TPS: What are the benefi ts of remanu- facturing electronic components? Kipper: We keep parts from going into landfi lls. We try to salvage everything possible. [Reman] also is keeping foreign copies down. Owner-operators have been off ered off shore copies of the original equipment and that is dangerous. You don't want to assume that a copy of the original electronics is going to do the job properly. Rulli: Less cost to the consumer as compared to purchasing a new part, and reman parts generally come with the same warranty as new parts. Remanufacturing is a job creator. A newly produced ECU or ECM is 65 per- cent material and 5 percent labor, and the remanufactured version is 15 percent and 25 percent respectively. Kripli: First is price, typically you pay 30 percent less cost for a remanufactured ECU. Second, the unit is very reliable, because the unit is typically "upgraded" with new components due to data provided through warranty information. Th ird, and number one in some peoples' minds, is that it is "green" to use remanufactured product because you are keeping scrap components out of the landfi lls. TPS: Are remanufactured electronic components suitable for all applications? Kipper: Absolutely for trucks as well as trailers. We don't alter the original programming of the units. Th ere is nothing we do that would aff ect the function of the original unit; we just make the repairs to the electronic components or the connectors or September 2012 | TRUCK PARTS & SERVICE 25