What is the lifespan of your vacuum impregnation system?

3 Minute Read

Is it more cost-effective to repair your existing vacuum impregnation equipment or to purchase a new system? There are many factors to consider when making this decision.

Vacuum impregnation has been around for over 60 years and was once thought to be “old” technology. But in the past 10 years, there have been significant technological advancements in both vacuum impregnation sealants and vacuum impregnation equipment.

Sealant chemistry has improved resulting in sealants that are environmentally friendly, fully recoverable for reuse and sealants that have the correct viscosity, adhesion and chemical resistance properties for a specific application. In regards to equipment, lean, front loading vacuum impregnation system is a recent addition to equipment technology. These systems are cellular/lean in design, focused on conserving valuable resources including labor, power and
floor space while being more ergonomic than batch systems.

Even though the focus of impregnation equipment is moving towards the newer lean, front loading equipment, there is still a need for batch systems. Batch systems are necessary to impregnate large, heavy components and offer flexibility in range of part sizes and shapes.

Batch systems are also capable of impregnating a high quantity of raw (non-machined) castings where part-on-part contact is not an issue. Read more about the Different Technologies of Impregnation Systems here.

The older batch style impregnation systems suffer wear and tear as most have been in service for a long time. Batch system owners are often faced with the decision to either update their existing batch system or purchase a new vacuum impregnation system. Click here to read more about how to determine whether you need refurbished, used or new vacuum impregnation equipment.

If you decide that purchasing new equipment is not your best option, there are still ways to maximize the efficiency and effectiveness of your vacuum impregnation program and extend the lifespan of your equipment.  

At Godfrey & Wing, we offer:

  • Vacuum impregnation system service inspections
  • Low cost refurbished vacuum impregnation equipment
  • Onsite rehab to existing vacuum impregnation systems

Every week, GW engineers and technicians are asked to perform vacuum impregnation system assessments on all types of impregnation systems and processes. Once the assessment is complete, a report is compiled and discussed with the customer. Then Godfrey & Wing helps the customer choose which path is correct for his system and budget.

Our team recently worked with a customer to conduct an on-site field service audit where our engineers visited the customer’s plant, analyzed their processes and then wrote a detailed report entailing our findings and suggestions. After making the recommended repairs and replacements, this customer is operating their vacuum impregnation system more efficiently and at a greatly reduced cost. In fact the savings in the increased throughput and reduction in sealant consumption paid for the repairs in less than 8 months!

Please contact a GW sales representative to learn more about how we can help you achieve the results you want with your vacuum impregnation program.