Busch LLC has launched a new program where, at key sites around the world, they have the ability to re-manufacture any major brand of vacuum pump, including high vacuum turbos and cryos.
“In the last year, we’ve made a lot of investments in re-manufacturing,” said Derek Shields, Director Strategic Alliances, Busch. The company is calling it re-manufacturing rather than servicing because of the application of manufacturing principles, including lean practices, to the service operation. Re-manufacturing services extend to major brands of gas abatement systems, although those are typically done on-site.
Shields said that rather than performing service at what he calls “supercenters,” as other suppliers are doing, Busch is striving to offer local support. “We’re actually investing in areas where there are semiconductor clusters so that we’ve got support locally,” Shields said.
“We’re keeping those pumps alive, because there’s really nothing wrong with the pumps. We can actually improve upon the older technology vacuum pumps,” Shields said. Typical turnaround time for a pump re-manufacture is about 4 weeks, but that can be expedited upon request.
The main advantage of the re-manufacturing capability is risk mitigation. “The risk of the pump failing in its service window is negated,” he said.
The latest addition to the Busch lineup is a new facility in Austin, TX. This 44,000ft2 facility will offer singe piece flow re-manufacturing with four flow line capabilities, processing 16 modules per day from disassembly to testing. It also has the potential to serve as a distribution hub for pumps and parts.
Some upgraded features of the building include additional space, a training center, a fully exhausted disassembly area and visual production planning by way of large screens in each area tracking actual movements in flow lines. A visitor walkway will allow visitors to view the production area without entering it, and customers will be able to track their repairs via the web in real time. “Our customers can go into the tracker and see where their pumps is in the service process. It will also give them push notifications of where their pump is and when it’s ready,” Shields said.