What is a servo press?

A servo press uses servo motors for precise force and position control during forming operations.

How do I calculate servo press tonnage?

Use our free tonnage calculator at servopress.club/tonnage-calculator.html

New vs Used Servo Press: Total Cost of Ownership Analysis

admin

## The Purchase Price Gap

A new 200T servo press costs $400,000-600,000. A comparable used servo press (5-8 years old) costs $80,000-150,000. The 3-4x price difference is tempting, but TCO tells a different story.

## What You Get With New

- Full warranty (typically 1-2 years parts and labor)
- Current control system with software support
- Known maintenance history (zero)
- Latest energy efficiency
- Manufacturer training and commissioning support

## Hidden Costs of Used

**Drive system:** Servo drives from 2015-2018 may be discontinued. Replacement cost: $15,000-40,000 per axis. Check parts availability before buying.

**Encoder batteries:** If not replaced, position data is lost on power cycle. $50-200 per axis, but finding the right battery for old encoders can take weeks.

**Gib wear:** Measure gib clearance before purchase. If over 0.05mm, budget $5,000-15,000 for gib replacement.

**Control software:** Older HMI software may not run on modern hardware. Upgrade cost: $10,000-30,000.

## 5-Year TCO Example

| Item | New 200T | Used 200T (2018) |
|------|----------|------------------|
| Purchase | $500,000 | $120,000 |
| Drives (risk) | $0 | $25,000 |
| Gib/mechanical | $5,000 | $20,000 |
| Downtime (est.) | $10,000 | $40,000 |
| **5-yr TCO** | **$515,000** | **$205,000** |

Used still wins on TCO, but the gap is smaller than purchase price suggests.

## Red Flags When Buying Used

- Drive model discontinued with no replacement available
- Encoder type no longer manufactured
- No maintenance records
- Gib clearance over 0.08mm
- Any evidence of crash damage on the slide or die area

pete_retrofit

The hidden cost of used presses: technology gap. A 5-8 year old servo press might not have the latest safety features (STO, SS1), network connectivity (PROFINET), or energy recovery capabilities. If your customer requires Industry 4.0 data or your insurance requires current safety standards, the used press might need $30-50K in upgrades.

carlos_stamping

We have bought both new and used servo presses. Our rule: buy new for primary production lines, buy used for secondary and backup lines. The new press gets the warranty and latest features. The used press is there for overflow capacity and does not need the newest technology. This strategy has worked well for us over 10 years and keeps capital spending manageable.