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www.us-tech.com
TechWaTch By Jeff Boudreau, Senior Application Engineer,
jboudreau@acumentrics.com
damaged UPS units. Some UPS suppliers may provide
ice. But even the most rugged products meant for military and industrial envi- ronments won’t last forever. When a UPS fails, due to abuse, human error, or even normal wear and tear, it must be repaired or replaced. Given the ex- pense of a new UPS, a more practical choice may be to repair or recondition a damaged UPS. To even have that op- tion, the company originally supplying a UPS should have the necessary sup- port system in place, in the form of a Return Material Authorization (RMA) department. But the capabilities of such departments can vary widely, so it is important to know how to evaluate a UPS supplier’s RMA department.
extensive telephone-based support, to help customers evaluate problems with a damaged unit. Unfortunately, it doesn’t provide the level of safety for a customer trying to repair a UPS them- selves, with the aid of telephone sup- port, given the potential danger of high voltage from a UPS. A customer work- ing on their own UPS unit may also jeopardize any existing warranty pro- tection. A better solution for a damaged UPS is an RMS department with long- term employees supporting a well-doc- umented repair and reconditioning process. Such a team will provide posi- tive results with minimal time delays, returning a repaired unit within an ac- ceptable, specified time limit.
ed if a product is inspected and found to be physically damaged outside of the conditions of the warranty. When a product has been re-
ninterruptible power supplies (UPSs) are designed and built to provide years of reliable serv-
ceived by the manufacturer’s RMA de- partment and the damage has been as- sessed, the unit should enter the triage stage. At this point, technicians per- form visual external and internal ex- amination of the product, which should normally take no more than five days. In addition to the thorough visual example, the triage process should include bench top process test- ing, AC or DC voltage testing, and complete documentation in an RMA data system, with test data and failure analysis reports available to a cus- tomer upon request. The most effective RMA depart-
RMA Department A UPS provider with a true RMA
department should offer a team of trained technicians fully devoted to the assessment, repair, and recondi- tioning of UPS units. This approach results in the effective and timely re- pair of damaged UPS units, in contrast to companies that might rely solely on product engineers. This can be an ex- pensive approach which extends the capabilities of these engineers and can result in long repair times for those
Turnaround Time Fast turnaround time should be a
part of any repair service, and a UPS supplier with a well-equipped RMA de- partment should provide that fast turnaround time. A response to a tele- phone or e-mail inquiry concerning a repair should come from a company’s RMA department within a day, per- haps within eight hours or less. At this point, it should be clear whether or not a UPS for repair falls under a time- based warranty; this may be later void-
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ments will perform testing entirely in- house, which helps maintain quality control and shorter repair timelines. In-house testing should be conducted at the triage stage and include check- ing a UPS in all appropriate operating modes. Testing should include pre- burn in, burn-in, and final test, while powering the units under the worst- case load conditions found in the real work environment. The best RMA teams perform full acceptance testing of a UPS, treating RMA units the same as a newly manufactured unit. This en- sures that every system is given identi- cal attention, whether it is new or has been in the field for some time. Upon completion of the triage
process, an RMA department should be able to provide an evaluation of a dam- aged UPS and an accurate quote of the expected cost of repair. The quote should include detailed descriptions of all parts to be replaced or repaired. Once costs are approved and authoriza- tion is given to move forward to repair or refurbish a unit, an efficient RMA department should be able to complete the job in about a week. If extenuating circumstances (e.g. physical damage) prevent prompt service, the RMA de- partment should provide a realistic schedule for repair completion before any repair work begins. An effective RMA department will also offer a fair assessment of the relative benefits of fixing a particular UPS unit versus re- placing it, to help a customer make a decision that best fits their budget and future needs.
Kanban Power An effective RMA department
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may employ an advanced workflow system. Some RMA departments max- imize organization and workflow through the use of a Kanban schedul- ing system. Developed for lean and just-in-time (JIT) production, this scheduling system helps manufactur- ers determine what to produce, when to produce it, and how much to pro- duce in the most cost-effective manner possible. The Kanban scheduling ap- proach, which accounted for significant improvements at Toyota, can be a valu- able tool for an RMA team. A Kanban system can tell technicians quickly what and how many units are in a process, and in which stage of testing
June, 2013
Who Will Support and Refurbish Your UPS? U
or repair. The RMA database system is a convenient and efficient repository for all data, providing weekly and monthly reports, complete with prod- uct photos, information that can be shared with a customer at any time. Having control of such information not only builds customer satisfaction and trust, it also leads to better-quality fi- nal results.
Returned and Repaired A well-managed RMS depart-
ment should return a unit in condition that is as close to new as possible. Re- paired units should also have at least a 90-day warranty, during which time any additional required repairs are provided free of charge. Hopefully, the company boasts an extremely high first-time repair record (99 percent or higher), and this track record can be verified by customer testimonials. A successful RMA department should be able to repair and recondition virtually any UPS, except in cases of the most extreme damage, for a cost that is con- siderably less than a new unit. An effective RMA department
can quickly assess when a returned UPS is not truly a failed unit. Some UPS units are returned, for example, for low battery power. A user may not have the capability to test the battery pack or have access to a backup bat- tery pack. When repairs are needed, an effective RMA department should also be able to quickly obtain the re- quired parts, from battery packs to cir- cuit boards. A well-executed supply chain ensures that RMA teams can support long-term fielded units, even discontinued products. Access to engineering expertise
can be invaluable, especially if the re- quirements of a repair job may call for extraordinary solutions. An effective RMA team should have a solid work- ing relationship with the company’s engineering department, being able to call upon engineering when creative solutions are needed for a successful repair job. When the RMA and engi- neering departments collaborate effec- tively, both groups can benefit. For ex- ample, with access to real-life out- comes of fielded systems, the RMA de- partment can suggest inclusion of more robust components for extended product life, at the same time provid- ing guidance to engineering for future generations of a product. Of course, not every damaged
UPS can be returned to a “like new” condition. When the damage is exten- sive and the repair cost too high, the prudent choice might be to replace the unit. But relying on a UPS supplier with a qualified RMA department can ensure that, if a UPS is damaged and can be repaired, that RMA department can effectively repair and refurbish that unit in a timely manner and with- in a customer’s budget-precisely the kind of return on investment needed in the face of shrinking defense budgets
and reduced military resources. Contact: Acumentrics Corp.,
20 Southwest Park, Westwood, MA 02090 %781-461-8251 Web:
www.acumentrics.com r
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