Is It Worth Repairing Your Industrial Drive? 5 Signs to Look For

When a drive fails, your first instinct might be to replace it. But in many cases, repair is not only possible—it’s the smarter decision. At Delta Automation, we’ve helped countless facilities avoid weeks of downtime and save thousands by repairing industrial drives instead of sourcing new ones.

Here’s how to know when repair is the right move—and when it might be time to replace.

1. The Part Is Obsolete or Hard to Replace

If your drive is no longer in production—or if lead times are weeks or months long—repairing it could get your system back up and running far faster than finding a new one. Delta stocks replacement components for many legacy drives and performs board-level repairs on models the OEM no longer supports.

Good candidates for repair:

• Allen-Bradley 1336, PowerFlex 700, and 755 series
• Siemens Micromaster and Masterdrives
• ABB ACS550, ACS800, and older models

2. The Failure Is Localized (Not Catastrophic)

Many drive issues are caused by failed capacitors, damaged input/output terminals, or burned components—not total system failure. These are often isolated problems that can be repaired and tested thoroughly.

Example symptoms worth repairing:

• Drive powers up, but gives a fault code
• One axis won’t run, but others do
• Input voltage is fine, but the display stays blank

Delta’s diagnostics process identifies root-cause failures and verifies full function before your drive leaves our lab.

3. Downtime Is Costly—and You Can’t Wait

If your plant runs on a tight schedule, waiting 6–12 weeks for a new drive may cost more in lost production than the drive itself. Rush repairs from Delta can often be turned around in 24–72 hours, minimizing disruption and avoiding lost revenue.

Cost of downtime example:
A $4,000 drive may cost $20,000 in production losses per day—repairing it in 2 days could save 90% of that cost.

4. The Drive Was Previously Repaired and Still Under Warranty

If your drive was serviced by Delta within the past 12 months, you're already covered. Our 1-year repair warranty means we’ll re-evaluate and rework the unit at no charge if the issue is related. Many customers don’t realize they’re eligible for a warranty inspection—even if the symptoms have changed slightly.

Not sure if your drive qualifies? Contact our team with the serial or service number, and we’ll check your coverage.

5. You Need a Fast Fix While Planning a Long-Term Upgrade

Sometimes repair isn’t your final solution—but it can buy you the time you need. If you're planning a full controls upgrade or drive modernization in the next quarter, repairing the existing unit keeps your line running without scrambling to implement changes prematurely.

Repair lets you avoid:

• Delays in engineering
• Emergency retrofit costs
• Stressful downtime while sourcing rare parts

Final Thoughts: Repair vs. Replace

Not every drive is worth fixing—but many are. Before you spend on a new unit or delay production, ask yourself:

• Can I afford the downtime to wait for a replacement?
• Is the failure isolated, not catastrophic?
• Is the model hard to find or obsolete?
• Do I have a trusted repair partner that fully tests and warrants their work?

If the answer is yes, repair might be the smartest decision you’ll make this shift.

Delta Automation: Expert Drive Repair Backed by a 1-Year Warranty

We repair and test a wide range of AC drives, servo drives, and VFDs from top brands like Allen-Bradley, Siemens, ABB, and more. Our in-house technicians provide:

• Full board-level diagnostics
• Same-day rush repair options
• A 1-year warranty on all repairs
• Real answers from real engineers

📞 Contact us today to evaluate your failed drive—or request a quote to compare repair vs. replacement costs.