One of the challenges with replacing gaskets is that you don’t always know what kind of replacement is needed until you get the joint apart. If you’re lucky it takes a standard gasket that you can collect or have shipped out. If you’re unlucky though you’ll need a fabricator who provides custom gasket cutting — FAST.
The Cost of Downtime
When a gasket starts failing prompt replacement is essential: product is being lost, yields are falling, and profits suffering. Worse still, you might be risking both ground contamination and fugitive emissions from pipeline leaks, which could lead to legal action and fines.
Unfortunately, gaskets can’t be replaced without taking joints apart. That means shutting down production so that pipes are cool and empty. Once the new gasket is in place, start-up may take several hours. Lost production means lost sales, and that money may never be recovered.
Gaskets and Inventory Costs
Few maintenance departments have the luxury of keeping in stock every gasket that might ever be needed. Even if there was enough space and Accounting would tolerate the costs, the material ages and eventually becomes unusable.
Just-in-Time Delivery
Many maintenance operations have adopted a different approach. Instead of carrying a large gasket inventory, they’ve aligned themselves with custom gasket suppliers capable of rapid delivery.
Configuring a business to cut and deliver custom gaskets in just hours takes a significant commitment of time and money. A large inventory of gasket material is essential, as are flexible cutting processes that don’t demand long lead-time tooling.
With an extensive range of material on-hand, plus computer-controlled cutting machines, Hennig is positioned to provide the fastest possible turnaround. To save time, new gaskets are often reverse-engineered from the one that’s been removed, and it’s not uncommon to work from photocopies of gaskets and even hand-drawn sketches.
Gaskets Aren’t Expensive, Downtime Is
When you need a gasket in a hurry, think of Hennig. A massive inventory of gasket material, combined with flexible cutting/manufacturing processes means we can produce a custom gasket in just hours. That means less downtime, which goes straight to your bottom line. Contact us today for fast and accurate custom cut parts.
