The Difference Between Purchasing an Industrial Pump and a Business Solution

Pumps work behind the scenes to keep our industries functioning.

Municipal pumps not only manage and provide our drinking water, but wastewater pumps handle raw sewage, storm water, and treated wastewater. Irrigation pumps are critical for agriculture, while gasoline pumps are used every day by families, motorists, and businesses. Flood control pumps protect our cities, while other pumps are used to make medicine, manufacture chocolate, and work in our swimming pools.

Industrial pumps are critical tools in industrial and manufacturing applications. However, the complexity and specialized needs of manufacturing require additional care and planning when selecting, preparing, installing, and implementing a pump for production.

What Are Industrial Pumps?

A pump moves liquid substances through mechanical action. Industrial pumps typically move a specific type of liquid at a desired speed and volume over a distance to support an industrial or manufacturing application.

While there are a wide variety of pumps that can handle industrial needs, there are three main types of pumps:

• Direct lift, which uses a piston operating within the liquid and an internal pipe working as the pump rod and the piston.
• Gravity pump, which uses the natural motion of the liquid (flowing down) to drive motion. For example, the liquid enters a tank, compressing air which drives the pumping action.
• Displacement pumps can also use compressed air and enclosed spaces to mechanically move liquid through the system, closing and opening tanks and guiding motion through pistons, screws, and gears to cyclically direct liquid motion.

Manufacturing or industrial verticals that rely on industrial pumps include food and beverages, oil and gas, power, and chemical. While they are critical to those industries, industrial pumps in some form can be found in every industrial vertical — from aerospace and defense to ceramic manufacturing.

How to Optimize and Enhance an Industrial Pump Project

Due to the complexity of the modern manufacturing process, the purchasing, installation, and implementation of an industrial pump should be focused on safety, production, and efficiency. This can add complexity to the process.

There are numerous risk factors and requirements that need to be assessed and addressed. Problems with the pressure, too high or too low, or an issue with the power or energy used in the pump, or even the existing piping and water supply system, can occur. These are issues that can turn a new industrial pump, a solution to a manufacturing need, into a manufacturing and production challenge.

Industrial pump projects require technical expertise and services to ensure optimized success. Before purchasing a new pump, or even retrofitting or repairing an existing pump, review the services offered by the supplier.

• Does the supplier offer a feasibility analysis? A feasibility analysis will assess the practicality of the proposed plan for your industrial pump. In addition to simply looking at whether the pump will work as the manufacturer expects, the analysis will determine if the pump will support your production processes. Your goal shouldn’t be purchasing a pump, but finding and implementing a solution. A feasibility analysis will help you meet that goal.
• Are cost-effective analysis services available? This analysis considers the economic factors to calculate the expected return on investment (ROI) for the project. It determines if the planned pump delivers the functionality you need at a price point you can afford. It considers whether a smaller pump or less expensive solution would work, or if a greater investment could potentially deliver a better return.
• Who will handle installation or startup? There are several factors that have an impact on a successful installation and startup. Even if you are using a general contractor or outside engineering firm to handle these services, a supplier that can provide them can fill in the gaps, supporting a smoother and more seamless project at your facility.
• Can the supplier provide training, emergency service, and repair? While the contractor might install the pump, and the engineering firm handles the design, you and your business will be relying on that pump for (hopefully) many years. No matter the maintenance program, there may come a time when you need a repair or emergency service. Make sure to include an emergency plan and to consider your training needs.

An Industrial Pump as a Solution

An industrial pump or a pump motor project is never an independent solution. It is a critical component of your industrial and manufacturing processes, working in conjunction with your overall business plan. Optimization, making the most of every opportunity to improve, is the key to business success.

That’s why it is so critical to see a pump purchase not as a product alone, but as a business solution. It means considering the services necessary to optimize. Have you evaluated the options and selected the right product for your needs? Do you have a plan for training? Are the teams, engineer, and contractor (if you have one) that are working on the project focused on your success? Are there gaps in the services that may create a challenge? Have you considered needs after startup? Are you looking a year into the future? What about five to 10 years?

At OTC Industrial Technologies, we see that pump or pump system as more than just a product. We recognize that a pump should be a business solution.

When you work with OTC, you have a range of services available to support and optimize your purchase. We’re with you every step of the way, including after the purchase and installation. Contact OTC today to discuss your needs, and let’s see how we can build efficiency for your business.