Bibby Transmissions, a designer and manufacturer of high performance couplings for industrial, power generation and process applications, is making a case for manufacturer repair by providing possible safeguards and security for Bibby customers across the globe. "Our couplings are the most reliable of their type, but there are still occasions when they need repairing, and as the original manufacturer we think that the interests of our customers are best served by our undertaking any repairs," said Steve Broomhead, business unit manager for Bibby's Turboflex Division. "A key factor is the operating environments where they are employed. Many couplings, especially our disc types, are used in critical applications like power generation, marine, oil and gas, petro-chemical and military-where adherence to specific industry standards is mandatory. When we repair one of these couplings the customer receives a warranted unit, and the security of knowing that it conforms entirely to the original OEM standard, including final dynamic balancing and testing. However, if we don't undertake the repair, then our warranty is void - and that can have serious implications for customers in the wake of any subsequent failure."

"The second major benefit for customers of our repair service is genuine Bibby parts and materials. In some sectors of engineering industry the policy of using non-standard parts and materials in repairs is common practice, due to cost savings. However, this policy is short-sighted, because third-party repairers do not have access to the original designs and material specifications. Consequently, they have to resort to reverse engineering, which is never ideal - and certainly not acceptable where the coupling is used in the sort of critical applications mentioned above."

"Let's not forget," continued Broomhead, "that some disc couplings are very high value items, and you really have to know what you are doing to repair one: the process of stripping down the coupling to look for signs of damage, removing the flexible elements, replacing them and then dynamically balancing the couplings, are all very skilled tasks which need to be undertaken by experts in the workshop-not the field. The fact that we consistently get these tasks right is one of the reasons we are ISO9001 approved and trusted by some of best known global companies for coupling supply-and repair."