DRIVE REPAIR SOLUTION SAVES MANUFACTURER THOUSANDS
“They were doing what most manufacturers who have Heidenhain drives do in that situation,” explained Lee Robinson, MD of Neu Servo. “Until now, the only option was to go straight to the OEM for a service exchange. There’s been no repair support available because these units are so complex to test, and the OEM route has felt like the safest choice. However, it’s also an expensive one – and no longer necessary. With our testing rig, we can support manufacturers by repairing these drives quickly and reliably, giving them confidence that every unit we return has been fully tested and proven to work.”
The customer’s production line relied on multiple Heidenhain drives. Precision CNC drive modules were essential to their automated manufacturing process. When one drive failed, the replacement cost through the OEM quickly added up. With several failures occurring within months, the maintenance spend was spiralling.
“They were facing a classic maintenance dilemma,” said Lee. “Pay a premium for an OEM replacement, or risk using a repairer who can’t fully test or guarantee the drive. Neither felt ideal.”
That’s when the Neu Servo team proposed a third option, one that would maintain OEM-level confidence without the OEM-level price tag.
Using Neu Servo’s Heidenhain drive test rig, the engineering team carried out comprehensive fault diagnosis and repair. Each drive was then rigorously tested under live operating conditions to confirm performance and reliability.
“The test rig is a game-changer,” added Lee. “It lets us simulate the exact conditions the drive runs under in the customer’s machine. We can validate every output, every feedback signal, exactly as Heidenhain would. That means we’re offering the same warranty, but at less than half the cost.”
By choosing to repair rather than service exchange, the manufacturer has saved more than £60,000 in just a few months, all while maintaining uptime and confidence in performance.
“They didn’t compromise on quality or reliability,” Lee continued. “They just stopped overpaying for it.”
The customer now sends all their failed drives to Neu Servo for repair, and their maintenance team has built the process into their planned service cycle.
For Neu Servo, this project is part of a wider mission to help manufacturers extend the life of their assets and reduce total cost of ownership without sacrificing precision or reliability.
“Manufacturers are all under pressure to do more with less,” concluded Lee. “What this case proves is that with the right technology, expertise and support partner, you don’t have to choose between cost savings and quality. You can have both.”
------------------
This article appeared in Renew magazine. To read more or request your personal digital or print edition of Renew, click here.
