The most common question before bringing in equipment
Before deciding whether to repair or replace a device, it is important to understand what the repair will cost relative to the replacement value. At FixBA we carry out a prior diagnosis to give you that information before any costs are committed.
When repair is the right choice
Repair is the smarter option when one or more of these criteria apply:
- ✓The repair cost does not exceed 40–50 % of the equivalent new device's value.
- ✓The device has hard-to-source components or is a discontinued model.
- ✓The device has strategic value: it is integrated into a production line or has a custom configuration.
- ✓Replacement would mean staff retraining time or complex installation.
- ✓The device has low actual hours of use and the fault is an isolated component.
When replacement makes more sense
There are situations where repair is technically not the best option:
- ✓The fault has compromised multiple components and the cost exceeds the device's value.
- ✓The device is old enough that spare parts are no longer available or are very expensive.
- ✓The technology is obsolete and replacement would offer better efficiency and lower power consumption.
- ✓There have already been repeated repairs for the same problem.
- ✓The device has a low unit cost (< $50 USD) and the repair requires significant technical hours.
Prior diagnosis as the starting point
At FixBA, every repair begins with a technical diagnosis. This includes reviewing the general condition of the board, identifying damaged components, and estimating the repair cost. With that information you can decide based on real data, not guesswork. If the diagnosis shows that repair is not economically viable, we tell you clearly.
Practical rule for industrial and commercial cases
For industrial equipment, controllers, variable-frequency drives and power supplies, the calculation is different. The cost of production downtime usually far exceeds the cost of repair. In those cases, repairing is almost always the economically correct decision, even if the repair cost seems high in absolute terms.