TOOELE, UT. Remanufacturing is not washing and reassembling failed parts; it's recovering the value in components by returning them to original equipment specifications, according to officials at Detroit Reman, a business unit of Daimler Trucks North America.
Unlike rebuilding, which involves repairing a failed component, remanufacturing uses disassembly and assembly processes based on OE technical knowledge followed by functional testing to return components to a second life with like-new component quality, according to Stefan Kurschner, president of Detroit Reman. “It’s more than a repair, rebuild or overhaul, because it also incorporates the latest engineering upgrades,” he said.
Cost for remanufactured components are significantly below those for new replacements, but still carry warranties similar to new, Kurschner pointed out during a tour of the company’s Tooele facility. That not only reduces the total cost of ownership for vehicle operators, but also provides substantial environmental benefits by conserving raw materials and reducing energy consumption, waste and pollution, he said.
Detroit Reman has remanufacturing facilities in Utah, Kansas, Minnesota, Michigan, Ohio and Toluca, Mexico, producing Detroit-branded products that range from cylinder heads and water pumps to fully dressed Detroit engines, diesel particulate filters, axles and transmissions, which are distributed through the Detroit Genuine Parts aftermarket network. All told, it employs over 1,400 people, according to Kurschner.
In addition to remanufacturing nearly the entire range of recent and current Detroit components, the operation also provides Detroit and DTNA with low-volume flexible manufacturing capabilities to meet specialized requirements. For example, the Tooele facility assembles new V-20 diesels for stationary generator applications as well as machines new turbo compressor wheels. The group’s Kansas facility builds new 2-cycle engines that are still used in military applications. And its Hibbing, MN, plant has taken over manufacturing of electronic control modules (ECMs) for Detroit’s new DD 15/16 engines.
While Detroit Reman is currently supplying only captive component remanufacturing, that flexibility is also allowing it to do contract work for other manufacturers. In addition, it serves as a consolidator for other suppliers, collecting returned cores such as brake shoes and electrical components from the DTNA dealer network and forwarding them to their original manufacturers.
