From a machine builder OEM’s point of view, failure of a critical control system component can not only damage their reputation, but also necessitate very expensive repairs if the failure is a recurring problem instead of an isolated incident. Many OEMs ship machines over expansive geographic areas — across the U.S.A., or Asia, and all over the world. Replacing faulty components is always costly, but if an OEM ships machines all over the world, replacing a faulty control system component on each machine could be an extremely expensive undertaking.

Although reliability is important, there are other factors to consider when a machine builder OEM selects a supplier of control systems and components.