Questions to Ask Industrial Equipment Manufacturers

Looking for Trustworthy Industrial Equipment Manufacturer? Ask These Questions

Just as not all industrial manufacturing equipment is created equal, so too is it the case that not all industrial equipment manufacturers are created equal. Attention must always be paid to just how trustworthy a factory equipment supplier truly is and whether or not their offered equipment stands to benefit your specific operation.

Unfortunately, it’s at this crucial step where we see many small and medium-sized manufacturers compromise to save money. Below, we’ve compiled a few key questions to ask when vetting new industrial manufacturing equipment to ensure that sustained value can be drawn.

Is the Industrial Manufacturing Equipment Built to Last?

Industrial manufacturing equipment needs to be adequately fortified against the harsh conditions found in the average manufacturing workspace. As such, you may see industrial equipment marketed with terms like “rugged” and “waterproof” designed to entice customers. It’s your job to determine whether these claims are legitimate.

Is that rugged windows tablet really “rugged”? What kind of drop testing has it undergone? Does the device have an IP rating, or is “waterproof” just being used as a subjective term? Trustworthy industrial equipment manufacturers will be transparent about all of this.

Confirming whether or not computers and tablets are fanless can also be a quick indicator of quality. Fans will often draw in debris and damage the internal components of a device, causing frequent breakdowns and downtime. As such, something like a fanless industrial PC will last you much longer than a consumer-grade product. The right supplier of equipment will understand this and create a fanless solution because of it.

How Will This Industrial Manufacturing Equipment Integrate Into Your Business?

The average factory floor is deploying equipment into an infrastructure that’s already housing countless machines, sensors, and software. Each new piece added to that puzzle needs to be compatible with everything already in place. If you know you have legacy hardware, you need to ensure you’re working with industrial equipment manufacturers who can meet those needs. Consider working with suppliers who can deliver more customizable solutions, such as custom mini PCs created with legacy ports that meet your particular plant’s needs.

Any new piece of hardware will also need to be compatible with the software you use to draw in data from IoT sensors. That means it also needs to house peripheral devices you use to draw in and store that data, such as RFID scanners in the case of asset management.

What Kind of Maintenance Can You Expect?

Machines break down. That’s just the nature of things. It is important to work with industrial equipment manufacturers that:

A.) Offer low failure rates for their equipment

B.) Provide fast turnaround on maintenance and repair services

Consider asking your manufacturers about their product failure rates. Those with confidence in their products will likely have that data on hand and proudly share it with you.

What kind of turnaround can you expect should the worst occur and you need to send a product back? Are their products manufactured in-house, or do you need to wait for them to send the product back to an off-sourced factory before getting your machine back? All of this can directly impact how much downtime you experience in the case of a breakdown.

What Are Fortifications Against Cyberattack Risks in Place?

Keeping up to date with cybersecurity best practices is in your best interests. Industrial equipment manufacturers that can’t promise insurances against these costly cyberattacks are opening you up for these breaches. All it takes is one compromised device across a network of adequately fortified ones to function as a gateway for cybercriminals.

Always check to see what your considered factory equipment suppliers are offering to protect you from attack. If you use RFID hardware or CAC readers to authenticate employee identities, do their machines provide compatibility with those peripheral devices? Better yet, can their devices be customized to include these peripherals inside the machine itself? All questions worth asking.

Industrial Equipment Manufacturers Need to Earn a Place on Your Floor

Successful manufacturers understand that their facilities and operations are unique - they require specific equipment tailored to meet their needs. Keeping this philosophy in mind, the best decision-makers understand that factory equipment suppliers need to prove their case as to why their hardware/software belongs on their floor. Remember this mindset when asking questions the next time you plan on investing in industrial manufacturing equipment. For more information on the hardware you need on your floor, speak to an expert from Cybernet today.