With the massive amount of energy it takes to power and run a controlled environment, facility managers are scrambling to find ways to make environmentally-friendly choices. We’ve looked at some of the viable options that can make an impact, like recycling, modular cleanrooms, and reusable supplies like sticky mats. When you’re trying to be more green, one of the most obvious places to look is your equipment.
Newer equipment operates more energy-efficiently, but it is also a huge investment. Many facilities simply can’t afford to replace all the old equipment they have. For the equipment that is still fully functional, you may not have to. In many cases, you can retrofit or renovate your equipment to achieve the efficiency of brand new units.
The benefits of upgrading existing equipment are numerous and span far beyond environmental concerns, especially when compared to buying new. Here are a few of the biggest reasons to retrofit:
- Equipment doesn’t need to be validated. Existing equipment likely won’t need to be revalidated, so you save time and piece of mind over buying new.
- You won’t be reducing production like you would for new installations. Not only do you avoid slowing production when you retrofit, but also the equipment turnaround times will be faster after the change. Your production will actually increase, giving you a faster ROI.
- No new training. Your staff already knows how to use the existing equipment and won’t need to take time out to train on a new unit or system.
- Costs about 90% less than a new system. For example, a new contained tablet press cost over $1.5 million. Retrofitting that same equipment will be about $100,000 to $200,000.
Overall, if you want to improve your production and run equipment that is more energy efficient, you don’t have to buy new. There are many advantages to retrofitting, and at such a reduced cost, you can afford to upgrade more equipment.
If you’re considering a modular cleanroom, or if you need cleanroom certification or validation, talk to Gerbig Engineering Company. We have the experience to provide everything you need and answer any questions you have. Contact us at 888-628-0056 or info@gerbig.com.