A vibration analysis package today could cost $20K, 30K, 40K, or easily more. If the wrong package is purchased, most companies are still committed to using it at least until it is depreciated, before they would be allowed to explore other alternatives, which could take 3 to 5 years. The purchased package may not include product support, or it might be available for a fee.

Purchasing the correct tool should include considering what the company as a whole is using; this could possibly allow you to take advantage of purchasing agreements with more favorable pricing. Purchasing a package that includes the right analyzer and software with the proper options will actually save money. It allows the user to collect the necessary or special data that may be needed.

If a tool simply won’t do the required job, people will quit wanting to use it and it can quickly become an expensive paperweight. When deciding on a vibration analysis system, you should make sure that you’re buying the right tool and not just what some salesman is trying to sell you. Your sales contact should discuss what your needs are and try to match these needs to the right tool.

The purchase cost of the right system can be recovered in just one correct call that saves you from a breakdown with all the attendant unscheduled downtime, repair expense, and lost production. As Benjamin Franklin once said:

“The bitterness of poor quality lingers long after the sweetness of low price has been forgotten.”