ABOUT BANDIT MACHINE -

… ABOUT EXPECTATIONS

In the late 90’s, after working many years on multiple types of adhesive dispense systems, I was routinely required to do field work solving customer problems for an adhesive manufacturer. This field service allowed me to see up close and correct problems found in then marketed dispense units. Up until this time I had, on a part-time basis, produced some dispense equipment and support components. After asking dispense companies to correct their short-comings, and getting no response, I decided to go full time into the dispense machine business. Bandit Machine Inc became a full time in January 2000. Since that time, we have designed and built many units for a variety of applications with great success. We also repaired/redesigned many, many units which needed it. We also developed seal packages and gun components extending service life.

We have in excess of 800 pump, gun and machine rebuilds of many brands logged on the computer with actual failures modes studied and listed. From these repairs and observations we learned a great deal about why equipment fails, and how to make it live longer. We do not “just replace parts”. If there is a chance for improving a process, we do it. We also advise customers of problems on the actual dispense equipment they are using, as many of the failures relate to mishandling or misuse of the dispense equipment itself. Some observations are … poorly set gear lash, poor shaft alignment, contaminated isocyanate side (or moisture sensitive side), poor pump/gun rebuild techniques (done at customer location), abrasive material issues, over-pressuring of pumps, excess inlet pressures, (wrong regulators or setting), etc. We cannot diagnose everything from the pump rebuilds, but we do see many things. We do not like mysteries.

The surprising thing is that we found many of the plant’s that rebuild pumps or guns in-house, damage more than the actual process itself. This is not meant as a derogatory comment pointed at maintenance, rather an observation about a high tolerance, chemically reactive pump rebuild. A professional rebuild of the pump, then training of plant personnel to do normal rebuilds in a proper way saves time and money. We often push to do all the rebuilds (of any brand) because, if done correctly they should run in excess of 1 year, and 2-4 years in some cases. Techs need a steady diet to get good at the rebuilds. In most cases, when pumps are properly done, the steady diet does not exist. We do have customers call and “refresh” themselves before a rebuild in house. Most of our customers send us the rebuilds as the payback is in the reduced down-time.

As for our range of knowledge, we routinely work with urethanes, epoxies, methacrylics, silicones and some other 1k and 2k sealants and adhesives. We currently have many pieces of equipment in the market, which have exceeded 3-4 years in production without pump failures. This success is do to operator training, customers paying attention to their process and knowledge of the relationship of the adhesive to the pumps or meters. We currently offer equipment for most adhesives and sealants. If we do not have the necessary equipment or answers to specific questions, we will find them or direct you to someone who can answer the question or supply the equipment. A poor answer to a question is sometimes worse than no answer at all. We are in this market to help our customers by providing good equipment and service and to make a profit. I can see no better way to ruin a company than providing poor service.

There are two things which are very important to our business. One requires us to make a profit by doing our job correctly. The other is to make sure we do a good enough job that the customer is always happy to see us again. Both are equally important to us.