What is the Total Cost of Ownership (TCO) of Battery-Powered Tools?

Rather than looking simply at the initial purchase price, the Total Cost of Ownership, or TCO, considers eventual costs linked to operations, maintenance, training, storage and more. When choosing new battery-powered tools, it's crucial you consider these costs to make a sensible and informed decision that doesn't come back to bite you.

One way to do this is by carrying out a TCO analysis. A TCO analysis is a thorough financial assessment that examines the existing and potential cost of owning an asset - in this case, a battery-powered tool.

When carrying out a TCO analysis on a battery tool, you should consider:

- The initial purchase cost

- Maintenance and repair costs - assess the quality of the tool before you purchase

- Operational costs - ongoing expenses such as electricity

- Training costs - factor in whether training will be needed for your staff to use the tool efficiently

- Disposal or replacement costs

- Downtime costs - determine whether the tool is prone to downtime, or whether its complexities could cause production delays

For a comparative analysis, the team at Stanley Engineered Fastening, one of Zygology's long-term suppliers, tested their NB08PT-18 Blind Rivet Nut Tool against equivalent tools designed by lower-cost competitors. They conducted rigorous testing on these tools using a dedicated accelerated life test rig, designed to expose weaknesses and failures in the performance of such tools.

The competitors' tools offered lower initial costs, but featured thinner case materials, less robust driving mechanisms, poor electronic protection safeguards, and a lack of detail in documentation.

These findings raised concerns with Stanley's team regarding their reliability and the likelihood of them incurring a higher TCO.

The engineers then conducted in-depth durability testing. They discovered further shortfalls in the competitors' tools: they were unable to achieve their stated specification; and they exhibited less robust performance with the use of modular components which could not be easily serviced, which could increase the cost of repairs in the future.

The Stanley NB08PT-18 demonstrated the ability to consistently pull to the required force for a greater number of cycles, showcasing its robust design and superior performance.

Through this testing, the competitors' tools showed the higher likelihood of incurring a higher TCO.

This may be what you would expect, given that more expensive equipment is often superior in terms of design, performance and durability. However, it is essential that these tests are considered and that rigorous TCO analysis is on the agenda. Obviously not all users require the most durable equipment and are happy to make savings at the point of purchase - and that works for many users. However, others may need a tool which has the highest durability as potential line stops in the future would be too expensive to take a chance on.

The Zygology team are experts in battery-powered tools., and will determine your budgets, applications and other requirements to find the ideal tool for you.

If you'd like to try before you buy, Zygology has an in-house demonstration room, or the company's team can visit your HQ to demonstrate our range of battery-powered tools with your team or stakeholders.

Zygology offers a minimum 12-month warranty on all non-consumable parts, so you can rest assured you're in safe hands if there are any unexpected issues.