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NEWS COMMENT TURNING DISCARDED ELECTRONICS INTO HIGH-QUALITY EQUIPMENT


byWolter de Jong, chief operational officer, JC-Electronics


When manufacturers discontinue support for older product lines, it forces factories to invest in costly overhauls. Now, however, companies like JC-Electronics are flipping the script. In the fast-moving world of industrial


automation, change is inevitable – but it’s not always welcome. Equipment manufacturers develop product lines and sell millions of units globally but, after a few years, these products are often deemed obsolete. Support stops, spare parts become scarce, and customers are urged to upgrade to newer, supposedly better, systems. The consequences of this can be significant.


Factories are forced into expensive transitions, scrapping entire lines, retraining staff, and suspending operations during reinstallation. Meanwhile, the promised performance gains don’t always justify the investment. That’s where companies like ours step


in, with a business model that doesn’t just preserve machines, but budgets, jobs, and the environment, too. One of our specialisations is turning discarded electronics in machinery into fully functional, high-quality equipment – or at least rescuing valuable equipment from discarded


machinery before it is labelled as waste. A major element of the refurbishment model


lies in inventory acquirement. Teams actively visit factories, often just in time to rescue equipment from the scrap heap. One day, engineers might be exploring a dusty attic in an old factory and uncovering a scarce and highly valuable component. Another day, equipment that initially appears valuable turns out to have little practical use. The challenge lies in recognising what still holds value and what can realistically be brought back into service.


JEWELS OF THE SUGAR FACTORIES In the early days, for example, we visited a sugar factory in the north of The Netherlands that was being dismantled. Used drives that were worth a fortune had been stored outside and exposed to the elements. After negotiating with the demolition team, we purchased the entire stock for a reasonable amount. Following refurbishment and technical restoration, the equipment was brought back into operation and sold worldwide. Experiences like this highlight just how


much potential is hidden in the equipment many companies simply discard. In industrial automation, products may be considered obsolete by the original manufacturer, while still offering years of reliable service for the right customer. However, this reliability is only possible if


the subsequent refurbishment process is truly comprehensive. The truth is that refurbished industrial electronics now encompasses a meticulous process of restoration that goes far beyond simple repairs. It is characterised by a systematic approach that involves thorough cleaning, comprehensive fault diagnosis, replacement of wear-prone components, and extensive testing. The goal of this is not fixing, but


transformation. Quality refurbishment takes electronic components that have reached the end of their initial service life and revitalises them to a condition that will deliver the reliability and performance demanded by the application. For manufacturers, this can provide an


alternative to full system replacement. Instead of investing in entirely new automation infrastructure, businesses can keep existing production lines operational with refurbished and


guaranteed parts, avoiding unnecessary disruption and expense.


A WIN FOR THE BUYER, SELLER AND ENVIRONMENT Many factories simply do not realise that the equipment they are discarding still has considerable value. One of the biggest challenges is helping companies understand that old does not necessarily mean worthless. While some suppliers rely on photos or


spreadsheets to make offers, we prefer to visit sites in person, with a deliberately hands-on approach. This builds trust, but it also creates opportunities to identify valuable equipment that may otherwise have been overlooked. In many companies, the mentality is still


straightforward: if something breaks or needs replacing, throw it away. But once businesses see the financial and environmental value that refurbishment can deliver, perspectives often change quickly. We have also developed a calculator showing


the CO2 and resource savings generated by refurbishing equipment instead of buying new.


According to our calculations, one refurbished


product uses 85% less CO2 and 95% fewer raw materials compared to manufacturing a new one. Water consumption is also dramatically reduced. For many operations, the alternative to


refurbishment is a multi-million-euro overhaul. If refurbished and guaranteed electronic devices can keep a production line running efficiently, the result is a win for the buyer, the seller and the environment alike.


www.jc-electronics.co.uk/


ANRITSU AND YOTASYS COLLABORATE ON AI-DRIVEN SPECTRUM MONITORING SOLUTIONS


Anritsu EMEA and YOTASYS have announced a collaboration to deliver advanced AI-enabled spectrum monitoring solutions. Anritsu will provide the spectrum analyzer hardware technology, while YOTASYS acts as system integrator, combining Anritsu’s RF hardware with its own AI, software and GPU-based processing capabilities. The offering combines three YOTASYS technologies: the Y9827A Inceptron Spectrum Analyzer,


the Y9220A Agentic Spectrum Analyzer Server, and the Cognitelligent RF and Microwave framework, featured as Inceptron Technology. Together with Anritsu’s spectrum analyzer hardware, they support advanced RF monitoring and signal analysis. By integrating Anritsu’s real-time spectrum analyzer technology with YOTASYS’ AI-based analytics


and processing environment, the solution supports automated detection, analysis and classification of RF signals as well as automated processes for anomaly detection and geopositioning.


www.yotasys.com 1 DESIGN SOLUTIONS MAY 2026 2 www.anritsu.com www.designsolutionsmag.co.uk


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