When to Upgrade a Label Unwinder

Some companies have a tendency to hold on to equipment until it is so obsolete that they can find replacement parts for it when it breaks down. Although that may save your money in the short-term scheme of things, it will cost you valuable production time if your label unwinder breaks down and you are unable to get replacement parts for it because of its age.

In terms of age, how old is "too old?" That depends on how quickly new models are coming onto the market and how quickly old products are going on the back burner. The easiest way to find out is to keep an eye peeled on the new models and when your model stops being shown by the online retailers. When you can no longer see your model on websites or in catalogs, it's time to consider a newer model.

You may not need to replace your label unwinder immediately, but you want to be able to be prepared for the time when it stops being as productive as it once was. The key is knowing when to replace it so that it doesn't cause a slowdown in your productivity schedule. In other words, you don't want to wait for it stop functioning efficiently only to find that you can no longer find replacement parts to repair it. Sometimes that is difficult for a person to know, but if you follow the trends within the industry, you can develop a better idea when to replace your label unwinder.

If you have a heavy production schedule, you may want to keep on top of things and replace your label rewinder as new models become available or at least every two to three years. For companies who only have one label unwinder, it may be a good idea to replace it annually if you use it frequently in order to prevent the possibility of a breakdown in the middle of printing a run of labels. Even if you don't use it right away, you can have a new one available in case it is needed.