Selling Used Equipment
Buying used PCB assembly equipment brings to mind the same stomach-churning anxiety that most people associate with buying a used car. The difference is, with PCB equipment, the stakes are much higher. With so much on the line for buyers and sellers, it surprises us that more hasn't been written on how to go about selling and disposing of surplus equipment in a manner that is simple and efficient and obtains the best value and benefit for both the seller and the buyer alike. After all, no matter if you are selling Pontiacs or PCB equipment, the key to a mutually happy transaction lies in the communication of thorough and accurate information.
Identifying the Equipment
The key first steps in the selling process are to identify the equipment for sale and gather the necessary information about it in order to assess its true market value and accurately represent the machine to potential buyers. That being said, we'd like to focus on what information is important and how to go about getting it.
The following applies to nearly every machine regardless of what type it is and what function it performs:
1. Manufacturer.
2. Model Number/Type.
3. Year of Manufacture.
4. Serial Number (S/N).
5. Overall condition (no. of
hours/cycles operated, no. of shifts operated, fully functional, any
missing/non-operational parts, cosmetic appearance).
6. Operational status
(online/offline), and can equipment be inspected or, better yet,
demonstrated?
7. Purchased New or Used;
Price when Purchased.
Next, we must determine the configuration of the particular machine and identify the standard features, optional features, and accessories with which it is equipped. It is rather difficult to create a global template of items that adequately addresses all of the different equipment categories, however, with some imagination, we can use the following:
1. Machine
Controller/Programmer (external/internal, PC, other microprocessor,
digital/analog, etc.), software, firmware, communications ports,
input/output devices such as keyboards, trackballs, monitor, etc.
2. Pass-Through vs.
Stand-Alone.
3. Maximum PCB Area/Width,
Conveyor Type, Process Flow.
4. Vision Systems.
5. Print, Dispense,
Placement, or Insertion Heads; Wave Soldering Modules; Reflow Zones;
Cleaning Stages, etc.
6. Inputs/Stations.
7. Options, Accessories,
Customization.
8. Electrical, Air, and
Floor-Space Requirements.
9. Process Speed.
10. Manuals, Prints,
Documentation Available.
Now the big question: how do you get all this information? A good place to start is by examining both the machine itself and the paperwork produced around the time it was purchased (original invoice, purchase order, quotations, manuals, and any product bulletins/technical specifications). The machine will most likely have a plate on it indicating, at the very least, manufacturer, model number, and serial number. Some are even more descriptive and provide, among other things, month and year of manufacture, electrical and air requirements. The paperwork, if available (we realize that paperwork for an older machine may well have been archived and sent in a pod to some remote planet, or so it would sometimes seem), can also provide a wealth of information since most manufacturers will provide invoices with a detailed line-item list of all standard features, options, and accessories actually included with the machine.
Digital Pix & Video Can Help
Also, in this era of digital communication, the buyer often expects photos or videos of the actual machine via e-mail. Don't have access to a digital camera, video camera, or regular camera and a scanner? Single-use, disposable cameras are a great and inexpensive alternative.
Finally, if you try to imagine all the information you would need if you were buying the machine you're trying to sell, you'll usually come up with the meat of what's important. Armed with this information, whether you're selling directly to an end-user or through a reseller, you will obtain the best price and minimize any possible disputes as to how the machine was represented.
At Fastex, we provide a marketplace for the full gamut of PCB equipment, whether it's fully automated or manual, whether it's for a full scale production line, or for making up prototypes and short run boards. We've got it all.
By the way, can anyone give me the blue book value for a Chevy I'm thinking about selling? Oh, I forgot to add, it's Yellow.
For more information, contact:
Fastex, Inc.,
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Here For More Information
St.
Petersburg 
Florida
USA
Tel: 727-289-9677
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