REMAN: QUALITY BASED ON PROCESSES AND EXPERTISE

“The first important job is to select good-quality cores,” explains Freek. “This happens in two steps: the first check happens when a part arrives at TVH. We do an initial inspection, confirm that all components are there and if it’s in a normal wear-and-tear condition.”

Once the part has passed the first intake, it is placed on the shelves until the technician is ready to start working on it.

When the core arrives on the technician’s workbench, they do a second, more thorough assessment. “For hydraulic parts, we test for leakages, for example, or we perform some electrical tests on electric motors; basic functionalities really. Based on the test results, we decide whether it’s feasible to remanufacture a part. Parts that don’t meet the minimum requirements end up being recycled.”

When ready, the technician disassembles the part using the technical drawing and other documentation. “Over the years, we have built an extensive and well-organised library of technical documentation. This database is vital to our operations: service manuals, exploded views, even letters, notes and emails with tips and tricks are well documented. This vast resource of information is the result of close collaborations with original parts manufacturers (OPMs) and other industry experts.”

Once disassembled, each part is thoroughly cleaned and inspected. “Parts like gear wheels are especially tricky; we polish them and make sure every cog is in perfect condition before we use it again. If there’s any doubt, we simply fit a new one.”

The technicians don’t just repair the worn parts; parts that are subject to wear and tear, like seals, bearings or components that are likely to break, get replaced by default. 

“That’s where we really make a difference,” Freek continues. “We don’t simply repair parts; we remanufacture them to a condition that is like new, straight off the shelf from the OPM.”

Once the technician has all the necessary parts, they start reassembling the core according to its original specifications. Every detail is important: the order of assembly, the right tools, the alignment, the correct torque settings, etc. Some assemblies even require custom-made tools.

“Whenever we have questions about an assembly, we can rely on our in-house expertise,” Freek continues. “Our colleagues of TVH University are always close by, and we also have dedicated product specialists who know their parts inside out. All the knowledge we gain gets documented again, so that the people who remanufacture a similar part in the future can use that information.”

During and after assembly, the remanufactured part also gets tested. Having started his Bepco career as a technician in the REMAN workshop, Freek knows all about the importance of testing: “Every product has a standardised test protocol. This protocol specifies the tests that need to happen and at what point during the assembly.” 

Over the past few years, TVH has heavily invested in state-of-the-art test setups. “The test benches are the pride and joy of our REMAN operations. We can subject the parts to conditions that replicate real-life use, but we also test the parts in more demanding conditions.” 

No part leaves the workshop without the complete assurance that it works like new. That’s why we’re confident we can offer the same one-year warranty, just like any other new part.