Quality assurance is one of the most important factors to help you make sure you’re getting what you expect to get when you make a major purchase. If you’re buying a replacement commercial compressor, the right level of quality assurance is what you need to invest with confidence.
Remanufactured compressors deliver unparalleled excellence in quality assurance. In fact, you may get an even clearer picture of the quality offered by a remanufactured compressor than a compressor you source from the OEM or its affiliated wholesaler. The difference is all down to the documentation.
OEMs and their affiliates can often get away with a “trust me” when it comes to quality assurance, but that is not the case for a reputable compressor remanufacturing company like Compressors Unlimited. Compressor remanufacturing should be a completely transparent process where the buyer is aware of everything that went into getting a given result.
Documentation Is Key When It Comes to Quality Assurance in Remanufactured Compressors
Are you looking for a comprehensive guide to quality assurance in remanufactured compressors?
While a 100% comprehensive guide to quality assurance in remanufactured compressors might take hundreds of pages, you can learn everything you truly need to know from two sources: First, the various testing documentation that generated for a quality remanufactured compressor and second, the comprehensive guide you’re reading right now.
Many first-time buyers of remanufactured compressors are surprised to learn that they may come with a whole lot of documentation. This documentation provides you with the results of all the testing that the compressor has gone through during the remanufacturing process. This testing is the backbone of the quality assurance.
So, what exactly gets done when testing a remanufactured compressor?
And what are the other elements of the quality assurance regime?
Read on in this comprehensive guide to find out.
Every Feature and Function of a Remanufactured Compressor Must Be Fully Tested
For a compressor to be fully remanufactured, everything needs to be tested – literally.
From a quality assurance perspective, that means all of the following:
Cleaning and Repainting the Compressor
This is the first step involved in remanufacturing a compressor, but it is truly the bare minimum standard of work. It involves making sure the compressor is clear of corrosion and stains. Some of these may impact the performance, but many of them are simply superficial.
Unfortunately, many “rebuilt compressors” have not gotten any other work done besides this clean-out phase. That can make customers vulnerable to buying a piece of hardware that doesn’t really meet their standards or their needs. And that can leave you having to buy a new compressor within months, weeks, or even days.
That said, a legitimate compressor remanufacturing company should also perform cleaning and repainting and note the compressor’s condition when it is received. Compressors that can’t be restored to like-new condition shouldn’t be used for a remanufacturing project.
Replacing Vulnerable Compressor Components
“Vulnerable components” are all the compressor components that should be replaced periodically based on the service life of the compressor. For example, you would replace all the o-rings of the compressor every few years. In remanufacturing, every one of these vulnerable components should be replaced regardless of age.
Your compressor remanufacturing company should document all the replacements made this way. No vulnerable components should remain from the compressor’s earlier service, no matter how long the equipment was in operation. Whether it was one year or ten, all of these parts must go during the remanufacturing process.
When it comes to these replacements, it’s not important that the new parts be manufactured directly by the OEM. O-rings and other components are standardized and can be sourced from any reputable vendor, but it is crucial that every one of them be replaced. Your HVAC commercial compressor is only as strong as its weakest link.
Testing Individual Compressor Components and Functions
The biggest element of quality assurance for a remanufactured commercial compressor comes in when it’s time to check each and every function. Every compressor remanufacturing company has its own approach, so you want to make sure of the following before you commit:
- The company’s approach is truly comprehensive, including every function of the compressors.
- You receive documentation of every successful test, fully signed off on by a compressor expert.
- The final step in the process involves testing the compressor under load to simulate real usage.
Quality assurance in compressor remanufacturing can vary considerably based on how seriously a team takes this step. To give just one example, here at Compressors Unlimited, we always check a compressor for leaks using the only test that can catch them all: complete submergence.
Before you engage a compressor remanufacturer, get all your questions answered and consider touring their facility. That way, you can choose with confidence and benefit from the speed and savings of remanufacturing.
