In an era marked by mounting climate challenges, escalating costs, and the urgent need to conserve resources, a powerful message is emerging from consumers worldwide: the right to repair is no longer optional—it is essential. While this movement has made significant inroads in the consumer market, industrial equipment manufacturers now stand at a pivotal crossroads where embracing repairability could reshape the sector’s future.
The consumer landscape has witnessed pioneering steps from leading brands. Philips’ innovative “Fixables” programme exemplifies this shift by enabling users to download free 3D-printable files for replacement parts, such as the simple comb attachment for their OneBlade trimmer. Initially launched in collaboration with Prusa Research in the Czech Republic, this initiative has empowered consumers to undertake repairs themselves, significantly reducing waste and prolonging product life. Philips plans to extend this programme to more parts, signifying a broader commitment to sustainability and consumer empowerment.
Similarly, Logitech’s partnership with repair advocacy platform iFixit provides users with comprehensive repair guides and access to genuine spare parts, ensuring products like mice, keyboards, and headsets can be maintained rather than discarded. This collaboration fosters sustainability by making repairs more accessible and practical. The concept of repair-oriented design has also been integral to the business models of companies like Framework and Fairphone. Framework’s modular laptops with easily swappable components cater specifically to user-driven upgrades and repairs, countering planned obsolescence and reducing electronic waste. Fairphone has long been at the vanguard of this movement, producing smartphones with user-replaceable batteries, screens, and cameras that require only basic tools to service. These companies collectively embody a cultural shift towards a circular economy where product longevity is central.
Despite these strong exemplars within the consumer domain, industrial equipment manufacturers have yet to fully embrace repairability on a comparable scale. According to the Association of Electrical and Mechanical Trades (AEMT), many industrial products are discarded prematurely because they were not designed with ease of repair in mind. The AEMT, representing a network of repair specialists, underscores that repairing industrial machinery—such as electric motors or pumps—is often more cost-effective when considering the high costs associated with replacement, installation, and operational downtime.
Ensuring repairability in industrial equipment demands more than merely supplying spare parts. It requires adopting modular design principles that facilitate quick and straightforward component swaps, enhancing user and third-party repairer access to detailed documentation, and fostering open ecosystems opposed to closed, proprietary systems that can restrict maintenance efforts. While this paradigm is still nascent in the industry, its viability is increasingly underpinned by evolving regulatory frameworks.
The European Union, through its Green Deal and reinforced EcoDesign Directive, has been a significant driver of repairability standards. Initially focused on household appliances and consumer electronics, EU Right to Repair legislation is now expanding its scope to industrial equipment, including electric motors and pumps. This legislative expansion compels manufacturers to reconsider product design strategies, ensuring access to spare parts and repair information, ultimately supporting sustainability goals and contributing to a circular economy.
The potential benefits of embracing repairability in industrial equipment extend beyond environmental stewardship. For manufacturers and end-users alike, fostering repair-friendly designs reduces operational costs, mitigates downtime, and enhances equipment lifespan. It also safeguards business resilience in a marketplace progressively prioritising sustainability and resource efficiency.
Drawing from consumer sector innovations like Philips’ Fixables programme, industrial manufacturers have a clear template for transformation. If a consumer can seamlessly 3D print a replacement part for a compact trimmer, it is reasonable to advocate that maintenance engineers should similarly access digital files or comprehensive guides for complex components like motor couplings or control panel parts.
The industrial manufacturing sector faces both an opportunity and a responsibility to align with this cultural shift towards repairability. By doing so, it can simultaneously serve customer interests, environmental imperatives, and long-term commercial viability. The right to repair has transcended being merely a consumer trend—it is now a fundamental movement demanding the industry’s earnest engagement. The time is ripe for industrial equipment manufacturers to catch up and lead in this essential domain.
Source: Noah Wire Services
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