{{p}}{{span style="font-size: 14pt;"}}{{strong}}1. Introduction{{/strong}}{{/span}}{{/p}}
{{p}}Modern industry operates under constant pressure to maximize asset availability, reduce maintenance costs, and demonstrate environmental responsibility. In this context, the durability of electrical equipment, especially power controllers, plays a strategic role in operational continuity.{{/p}}
{{p}}This blog presents a technical and economic analysis of how the longevity of power controllers, such as {{strong}}Mykron{{sup}}®{{/sup}}{{/strong}}, directly contributes to reducing downtime, optimizing costs, and mitigating indirect CO₂ emissions throughout the asset lifecycle.{{/p}}
{{p style="text-align: center;"}}{{span style="font-size: 18pt;"}}. . .{{/span}}{{/p}}
{{p}}{{span style="font-size: 14pt;"}}{{strong}}2. The Role of Power Controllers in Critical Assets{{/strong}}{{/span}}{{/p}}
{{p}}Power controllers are essential components in industrial processes that depend on heating, thermal control, resistive drive, and energy stability. Failure of this equipment can result in:{{/p}}
{{p}}• Unplanned shutdowns;{{/p}}
{{p}}• Burning of high-cost loads (resistors, transformers, furnaces);{{/p}}
{{p}}• Loss of production;{{/p}}
{{p}}• Emergency maintenance costs;{{/p}}
{{p}}• Increased operational risk.{{/p}}
{{p}}The reliability of these devices is directly proportional to the stability of the process and, therefore, to the operational result.{{/p}}
{{p}}{{span style="font-size: 14pt;"}}{{strong}}3. Why Durability Matters: Impact on Uptime and TCO{{/strong}}{{/span}}{{/p}}
{{p}}{{strong}}Uptime as a key indicator{{/strong}}{{/p}}
{{p}}Global studies show that unplanned downtime accounts for between 5% and 20% of annual productivity losses in industrial plants. In high-capacity industries, each hour of downtime can cost up to hundreds of thousands of dollars.{{/p}}
{{p}}• Greater thermal stability of the process;{{/p}}
{{p}}• Fewer corrective interventions;{{/p}}
{{p}}• Reduction in operational criticality;{{/p}}
{{p}}• Production continuity.{{/p}}
{{p}}{{strong}}Total cost of ownership (TCO){{/strong}}{{/p}}
{{p}}Equipment with a long service life reduces expenses throughout the entire operation chain:{{/p}}
{{p}}• Less frequent replacement;{{/p}}
{{p}}• Lower logistics and labor costs for replacement;{{/p}}
{{p}}• Reduction in spare parts inventory;{{/p}}
{{p}}• Fewer emergency expenses.{{/p}}
{{p}}The result is a more efficient, financially predictable, and sustainable operating cycle.{{/p}}
{{p}}{{img src="https://cp.varixx.com.br/file/2026/2/20260224160046322" alt="" width="813" height="542" /}}{{/p}}
{{p}}{{span style="font-size: 10pt;"}}Photo by {{span style="color: #000000;"}}{{a style="color: #000000;" href="https://unsplash.com/pt-br/@polarmermaid"}}Anne Nygård{{/a}}{{/span}} on {{span style="color: #000000;"}}{{a style="color: #000000;" href="https://unsplash.com/pt-br"}}Unsplash{{/a}}{{/span}}{{/span}}{{/p}}
{{p}}{{span style="font-size: 14pt;"}}{{strong}}4. Sustainability and Indirect CO₂: The Hidden Impact of Durability{{/strong}}{{/span}}{{/p}}
{{p}}{{strong}}What is indirect CO₂?{{/strong}}{{/p}}
{{p}}Indirect CO₂ is generated by activities not directly linked to the use of equipment, but to processes associated with its life cycle, manufacturing, transportation, recycling, replacement, and mining of raw materials.{{/p}}
{{p}}The more often equipment needs to be replaced, the greater the accumulated indirect CO₂ emissions.{{/p}}
{{p}}{{strong}}Durability as a sustainability metric{{/strong}}{{/p}}
{{p}}Academic studies indicate that the increase in electronic waste disposal has raised associated emissions by more than 50% between 2014 and 2020. The longevity of equipment mitigates this impact by:{{/p}}
{{p}}• Reduce the need to produce new devices;{{/p}}
{{p}}• Reduce industrial waste;{{/p}}
{{p}}• Extend the useful life of high embodied energy materials;{{/p}}
{{p}}• Minimize emissions throughout the entire cycle.{{/p}}
{{p}}{{strong}}The environmental logic of durability{{/strong}}{{/p}}
{{p}}A controller that lasts 30 years avoids:{{/p}}
{{p}}• Manufacturing replacements over decades;{{/p}}
{{p}}• Two or three complete hardware replacements;{{/p}}
{{p}}• Repeated transportation;{{/p}}
{{p}}• Component disposal.{{/p}}
{{p}}In short, {{strong}}durability is operational sustainability{{/strong}}.{{/p}}
{{p}}{{span style="font-size: 14pt;"}}{{strong}}5. Real Case: Mykron{{sup}}®{{/sup}} — 30 years in operation{{/strong}}{{/span}}{{/p}}
{{p}}Mykron® equipment installed in the 1990s continues to operate in furnaces, extruders, and thermal systems, maintaining process stability and protecting loads.{{/p}}
{{p}}The benefits observed include:{{/p}}
{{p}}• Zero catastrophic failures in three decades;{{/p}}
{{p}}• Drastic reduction in unplanned downtime;{{/p}}
{{p}}• Lower thermal stress on loads;{{/p}}
{{p}}• Fewer replacements of resistors and components;{{/p}}
{{p}}• Consistent operation even in harsh industrial environments.{{/p}}
{{p}}This track record is practical proof of the robustness of Varixx's design.{{/p}}
{{p}}{{span style="font-size: 14pt;"}}{{strong}}6. How to Design Today for Reliability Over the Next 30 Years{{/strong}}{{/span}}{{/p}}
{{p}}To achieve similar longevity in current assets, we recommend engineering practices:{{/p}}
{{p}}• Correct controller specification according to load type;{{/p}}
{{p}}• Thermal sizing of the panel;{{/p}}
{{p}}• Application of internal and external protections;{{/p}}
{{p}}• Predictive monitoring;{{/p}}
{{p}}• Adequacy of plant requirements.{{/p}}
{{p}}Varixx offers comprehensive technical consulting to guide specifications and diagnostics.{{/p}}
{{p style="text-align: center;"}}{{span style="font-size: 18pt;"}}. . .{{/span}}{{/p}}
{{p style="text-align: left;"}}{{span style="font-size: 14pt;"}}{{strong}}7. Conclusion{{/strong}}{{/span}}{{/p}}
{{p style="text-align: left;"}}The durability of power controllers is more than just a technical advantage: it is a strategy for reducing financial risk, ensuring operational continuity, and promoting environmental sustainability.{{/p}}
{{p style="text-align: left;"}}Mykron{{sup}}®{{/sup}} is a clear example of this philosophy. It is equipment capable of lasting for decades and delivering consistent value.{{/p}}
{{p style="text-align: left;"}}Varixx reaffirms its commitment to acting as a partner in the optimization, reliability, and sustainability of critical industry assets.{{/p}}
{{p style="text-align: left;"}}REFERENCES{{/p}}
{{p style="text-align: left;"}}{{strong}}1. University of California, Irvine (UCI){{/strong}} {{a href="https://news.uci.edu/2022/10/26/uci-study-finds-53-percent-jump-in-e-waste-greenhouse-gas-emissions-between-2014-2020/"}}https://news.uci.edu/2022/10/26/uci-study-finds-53-percent-jump-in-e-waste-greenhouse-gas-emissions-between-2014-2020/{{/a}}{{/p}}
{{p}}{{strong}}2. Futurity — Research based on the UCI study{{/strong}} {{a href="https://www.futurity.org/electronic-waste-greenhouse-gas-emissions-carbon-dioxide-2821242/"}}https://www.futurity.org/electronic-waste-greenhouse-gas-emissions-carbon-dioxide-2821242/{{/a}}{{/p}}
{{p}}{{strong}}3. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA — EUA){{/strong}} {{a href="https://www.epa.gov/sites/default/files/2019-06/documents/warm_v15_electronics.pdf"}}https://www.epa.gov/sites/default/files/2019-06/documents/warm_v15_electronics.pdf{{/a}}{{/p}}
{{p}}{{strong}}4. SpringerOpen — Bulletin of the National Research Centre{{/strong}} {{a href="https://link.springer.com/article/10.1186/s42269-023-01124-8"}}https://link.springer.com/article/10.1186/s42269-023-01124-8{{/a}}{{/p}}
{{p}}{{strong}}5. TWI Institute — The True Cost of Manufacturing Downtime{{/strong}} {{a href="https://www.twi-institute.com/manufacturing-downtime/"}}https://www.twi-institute.com/manufacturing-downtime/{{/a}}{{/p}}
{{p}} {{/p}}