1. Introduction

Modern industry operates under constant pressure to maximize asset availability, reduce maintenance costs, and demonstrate environmental responsibility. In this context, the durability of electrical equipment, especially power controllers, plays a strategic role in operational continuity.

This blog presents a technical and economic analysis of how the longevity of power controllers, such as Mykron^®, directly contributes to reducing downtime, optimizing costs, and mitigating indirect CO₂ emissions throughout the asset lifecycle.

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2. The Role of Power Controllers in Critical Assets

Power controllers are essential components in industrial processes that depend on heating, thermal control, resistive drive, and energy stability. Failure of this equipment can result in:

• Unplanned shutdowns;

• Burning of high-cost loads (resistors, transformers, furnaces);

• Loss of production;

• Emergency maintenance costs;

• Increased operational risk.

The reliability of these devices is directly proportional to the stability of the process and, therefore, to the operational result.

3. Why Durability Matters: Impact on Uptime and TCO

Uptime as a key indicator

Global studies show that unplanned downtime accounts for between 5% and 20% of annual productivity losses in industrial plants. In high-capacity industries, each hour of downtime can cost up to hundreds of thousands of dollars.

• Greater thermal stability of the process;

• Fewer corrective interventions;

• Reduction in operational criticality;

• Production continuity.

Total cost of ownership (TCO)

Equipment with a long service life reduces expenses throughout the entire operation chain:

• Less frequent replacement;

• Lower logistics and labor costs for replacement;

• Reduction in spare parts inventory;

• Fewer emergency expenses.

The result is a more efficient, financially predictable, and sustainable operating cycle.

Photo by Anne Nygård on Unsplash

4. Sustainability and Indirect CO₂: The Hidden Impact of Durability

What is indirect CO₂?

Indirect CO₂ is generated by activities not directly linked to the use of equipment, but to processes associated with its life cycle, manufacturing, transportation, recycling, replacement, and mining of raw materials.

The more often equipment needs to be replaced, the greater the accumulated indirect CO₂ emissions.

Durability as a sustainability metric

Academic studies indicate that the increase in electronic waste disposal has raised associated emissions by more than 50% between 2014 and 2020. The longevity of equipment mitigates this impact by:

• Reduce the need to produce new devices;

• Reduce industrial waste;

• Extend the useful life of high embodied energy materials;

• Minimize emissions throughout the entire cycle.

The environmental logic of durability

A controller that lasts 30 years avoids:

• Manufacturing replacements over decades;

• Two or three complete hardware replacements;

• Repeated transportation;

• Component disposal.

In short, durability is operational sustainability.

5. Real Case: Mykron^® — 30 years in operation

Mykron® equipment installed in the 1990s continues to operate in furnaces, extruders, and thermal systems, maintaining process stability and protecting loads.

The benefits observed include:

• Zero catastrophic failures in three decades;

• Drastic reduction in unplanned downtime;

• Lower thermal stress on loads;

• Fewer replacements of resistors and components;

• Consistent operation even in harsh industrial environments.

This track record is practical proof of the robustness of Varixx's design.

6. How to Design Today for Reliability Over the Next 30 Years

To achieve similar longevity in current assets, we recommend engineering practices:

• Correct controller specification according to load type;

• Thermal sizing of the panel;

• Application of internal and external protections;

• Predictive monitoring;

• Adequacy of plant requirements.

Varixx offers comprehensive technical consulting to guide specifications and diagnostics.

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7. Conclusion

The durability of power controllers is more than just a technical advantage: it is a strategy for reducing financial risk, ensuring operational continuity, and promoting environmental sustainability.

Mykron^® is a clear example of this philosophy. It is equipment capable of lasting for decades and delivering consistent value.

Varixx reaffirms its commitment to acting as a partner in the optimization, reliability, and sustainability of critical industry assets.

REFERENCES

1. University of California, Irvine (UCI) https://news.uci.edu/2022/10/26/uci-study-finds-53-percent-jump-in-e-waste-greenhouse-gas-emissions-between-2014-2020/

2. Futurity — Research based on the UCI study https://www.futurity.org/electronic-waste-greenhouse-gas-emissions-carbon-dioxide-2821242/

3. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA — EUA) https://www.epa.gov/sites/default/files/2019-06/documents/warm_v15_electronics.pdf

4. SpringerOpen — Bulletin of the National Research Centre https://link.springer.com/article/10.1186/s42269-023-01124-8

5. TWI Institute — The True Cost of Manufacturing Downtime https://www.twi-institute.com/manufacturing-downtime/