You can find various Indramat products for sale on eBay: motors, drives, controls, etc. Some of these units are sold as “Parts Only”. Maybe that’s exactly what you’re looking for; you know that you can’t buy authentic Indramat products directly from the manufacturer, so you’re looking to salvage components.
Little did you know, that buying Indramat products on eBay for scrap parts is like the beginning of a bad horror movie. The mad scientist amalgamates a monstrous device out of broken Indramat servos in his lab, only to find that his creation brings nothing but destruction. In the end, it must be stopped.
Creating a monster
The story always starts out the same way. You’re just an ordinary factory owner with a legacy Indramat motion control system. Sure, you find things upsetting, just like everybody else, but you’re certainly not mad. Plus, you’re more of an engineer than a scientist.
Then one day, your Indramat servos just stop working.
You have a collection of old units lying around on your shelves. They’ve been there collecting dust for years. A mysterious cloaked figure tells you that you can purchase defective Indramat units for parts online. That’s when you get an ingenious idea…
Indramat no longer makes motion control products. Rexroth (the company that now owns Indramat) does not sell parts, and getting a factory repair or a REMAN can be expensive. So what if you just… built your own?! (This is where the thunder clap happens.)
You reach for your solder and duct tape, gather parts from several broken Indramat MAC motors, a toaster, an old vacuum cleaner, and a discarded computer, and set out to build a hodgepodge servomotor like Dr. Frankenstein.
It’s an abomination.
It brings nothing but harm and havoc. The villagers eventually chase it out of town with torches and pitchforks, and it runs away to seek refuge in the arctic.
Here’s the problem with buying Indramat on eBay for parts
If you don’t have a bunch of old Indramat motors in storage, you might think to buy some old units online to use for parts. It doesn’t matter whether you salvage parts from your own supply or if you buy them online — rigging or repairing an Indramat servo using random parts is a bad idea.
Industrial motion control systems hinge upon accuracy and precision. Even something as seemingly insignificant as too much dirt in a servo can result in serious damage to your machine and cause extended hours of downtime.
Your servos were built to specific manufacturer standards; trying your hand at building your own servo won’t end well. An Indramat remanufacture or factory repair costs more up front, but repairing your machinery the right way costs less in the long run. DIY Indramat repairs almost always result in additional downtime and damage to your machinery.
Tinkering and creating is fine; just don’t tinker on your industrial motion control system. Call 479-422-0390 for professional Indramat support, or contact us online. We offer Indramat repair, REMAN, and we can help with any of your Indramat motion control needs.