Written by Paul Montgomery, Marketing Leader at PRAB. Reviewed by Mike Proos, Director of PRAB Engineering, PRAB, Inc. Published 7/1/2026. Last updated July 2, 2026.
|
Quick Answer How does PRAB handle integration, commissioning, and long-term support for complex systems? PRAB provides system integration and support as well as engineering support from specification through startup, including system layout review, integration coordination with existing facility equipment, on-site commissioning assistance, and operator training. For multi-component systems that cover metal chip handling, coolant recycling, and wastewater treatment, PRAB technicians and project engineers remain involved throughout the startup phase to ensure each component is calibrated to actual production conditions. If issues arise during commissioning, for all Performantee and Managed maintenance-covered products, PRAB technicians return to the site to resolve them. Ongoing support, including industrial chip conveyor installation support, includes a 24/7 direct service line, replacement parts, and the Performantee® Guarantee throughout the equipment lifecycle. |
Plants evaluating chip and coolant equipment for the first time sometimes assume that a system with multiple connected components will be proportionally more difficult to commission and operate. That assumption is understandable, but it conflates two different things: system complexity and integration risk.
A chip conveyor with a drip pan collects coolant and feeds it to a coolant recycler. which in turn feeds a wastewater treatment system, is, in principle, a straightforward series of processes. The risk is not in the number of components. It is whether those components were specified to work together, installed to the right dimensions and flow rates, and started up with the right parameters for the actual production environment.
PRAB’s approach addresses integration risk directly, not by simplifying the system, but by controlling the variables that cause problems at startup and by standing behind the result when they do.
Co-Design from SpecificationWhen PRAB specifies a multi-component system, the metal scrap conveyor, chip processor, coolant recycler, and industrial wastewater treatment unit are all sized relative to one another. Throughput at the conveyor discharge is matched to the chip wringer inlet capacity. Coolant recovery volume from the wringer is matched to the recycler’s daily processing rate. Bleed-off from the recycler is matched to the wastewater system’s influent design point.
This co-design process eliminates the most common source of integration problems: components specified independently that arrive at the facility without a shared design basis.
PRAB offers Installation Assistance, including equipment placement, plumbing, and wiring. Start Up, which includes verifying the wiring and running the program, and Commissioning, which includes running the equipment with the customer’s material to ensure the equipment is operating properly and training the operators.
When startup challenges do arise, PRAB resolves them. Youngers and Sons Manufacturing—a precision machining operation in Wichita serving oil and gas, agriculture, and heavy equipment markets—installed a PRAB Vertical Axis Crusher, Diagonal Shaft Chip Wringer, steel belt conveyor, and Guardian® Coolant Recycling System as part of a facility expansion. Commissioning did not go as planned initially, and PRAB technicians returned to the site to dial in the equipment until it performed as intended. Chad Hoheisel, the company’s Vice President of Manufacturing and COO, described the outcome:
|
“The equipment is highly engineered, very complete. There was no stone left unturned on the final product. It is a very robust processing system.” — Chad Hoheisel, VP of Manufacturing & COO, Youngers and Sons Manufacturing |
Hoheisel also noted what the system change meant for day-to-day plant operations: “Look at how clean this system is from start to finish for a job that could easily be very dirty and nasty. Any of our team that was managing chips and coolant in the old method—they can’t believe the difference.”
For customers operating large custom scrap-handling facilities, the commissioning relationship extends beyond startup. George Trask, Project Manager at Walker Manufacturing, described what accountability looks like after the install:
|
“I respect a supplier that takes responsibility for its product’s performance and system design and making certain that it is functioning as intended. This custom-designed scrap handling facility is a valuable resource for us, and it’s working as projected. Furthermore, we have confidence that PRAB will be there to ensure its continued performance.” — George Trask, Project Manager, Walker Manufacturing |
The most technically sound system in the plant is only as reliable as the operators who run it. PRAB’s commissioning scope includes structured operator training covering normal operating parameters, routine maintenance tasks and intervals, early warning signs of performance change, and a full documentation package including manuals, drawings, and spare parts recommendations.
The payoff shows up in how operators describe day-to-day system management. Gary Sroufe, Multi-Spindle coordinator at C&A Tool, put it plainly after installing a PRAB Guardian system:
|
“I order less oil now for eight machines than I was ordering for three before we purchased the PRAB system. In addition to cost savings from oil reclamation, the system requires very limited manpower to operate.” — Gary Sroufe, Multi-Spindle “Go-to Guy”, C&A Tool |
For facilities with high operator turnover or multiple shifts, PRAB can provide training documentation formats that support internal retraining without requiring a field service visit.
PRAB’s Performantee® guarantee is not standard warranty language. It is a commitment that the equipment will perform to the specified design parameters under the production conditions defined at the time of specification. If an installation does not achieve specified performance, PRAB works with the customer to resolve the issue.
The practical implication is that PRAB has a financial stake in getting the specification right from the start. The Youngers and Sons experience illustrates this directly: when commissioning required follow-up, PRAB technicians returned promptly and remained until the system performed as intended. That is not a policy statement. It is a documented outcome.
Chip and coolant systems maintained to manufacturer specifications consistently outperform systems operated without a structured maintenance program. PRAB supports the full lifecycle of installed equipment through:
John Klempnow, CNC Process Engineer at HYDRO, described a field service call on an installed Guardian Fluid Recycler:
|
“Your tech came in and did a great job troubleshooting and was able to get the system up and running flawlessly. I am looking forward to dealing with PRAB in the near future with our centrifuge as soon as we are ready to do our installation to further reduce our waste and improve our recycling capabilities.” — John Klempnow, CNC Process Engineer, HYDRO |
That last detail matters: Klempnow’s plant was already planning the next PRAB installation before the service call was complete. That is what lifecycle confidence looks like from the customer’s side.
Through our Demo Before You Buy™, FREE Materials Testing, and FREE Fluid Testing programs, we validate your application and define measurable performance specifications before you purchase.
| FREE Fluid Testing | On-site Demo Equipment | Performantee™ | |
|---|---|---|---|
| ■ Eliminate uncertainty by providing real, tested performance data.
■ Select correctly sized components and configurations ■ Quantify expected ROI and payback timelines ■ Support accurate conveyor, hopper, and system design |
■ Prove that your fluids can be recycled, reused, or treated to meet environmental compliance
■ Solids removal performance ■ Filtration clarity and turbidity reduction ■ Expected throughput and operating parameters – and more |
■ Engineered Confidence, Documented Results.
■ Your materials ■ Your infrastructure ■ Your team ■ De-Risking with on-site and our Kalamazoo, MI Facility |
PRAB’s Performantee is a true performance guarantee. We ensure that our equipment will achieve the specific results for which it was designed and manufactured. If it does not, we will revise, repair, or make any necessary changes to deliver the results you specified. So when you have questions or concerns about the performance of your PRAB equipment. 24/7 Live support. |
PRAB still provides parts and support for conveyor systems sold more than 65 years ago. In the industry, most conveyor equipment is designed for 10 to 15-year service cycles. PRAB conveyors routinely exceed 30 years, with documented installations passing 48 years of continuous operation. That service life is not incidental. It is a direct result of the engineering philosophy that governs every system PRAB builds.
Before committing to a chip or coolant system supplier, these questions will help you assess real integration and support capability:
PRAB’s answers to all four questions start with the same principle: the system should work as specified, and PRAB is accountable for making that happen. Contact PRAB to discuss commissioning and support for an upcoming project.
(800) 968-7722
(800) 493-3462