What to Watch for in a Used Encrusting Machine

Encrusting machines are built to last, and on the used market you often see machines 10 to 20 years old still changing hands. Many generations of models released by Japan's RHEON since its founding in 1963 are listed by used equipment dealers in Taiwan and abroad. A used machine can save a good deal of budget, but if you buy the wrong one, repair costs may exceed the price difference.

What to Check on a Used Machine

1. Model, year, and history

• The model, serial number, and year of manufacture on the nameplate.
• What it was used to make, how many hours a day it ran, and why it's being sold.
• Whether there are repair and maintenance records.

2. Food-contact parts
The core of an encrusting machine is feeding and cutting: the screw or vanes, hopper, nozzle, cutting shutter pieces, and conveyor belt. Check these for:

• Obvious wear, scratches, dents, or cracks. GHP Annex 2 requires food-contact surfaces to be smooth and free of dents or cracks; worn parts affect not only weight but also hygiene.
• Whether the shutter pieces open and close smoothly and can close completely.
• Whether seals and gaskets have hardened or cracked.

3. Drive and frame

• Whether there's abnormal noise, vibration, or oil leakage during operation.
• Wear on belts, chains, and gears.
• Whether the frame is corroded, especially the bottom, which often sits in water.

4. Electrical and controls

• Whether voltage, phase, and frequency match Taiwan's power supply (Taiwan is 60Hz); see 50Hz vs. 60Hz.
• Whether the control panel, touchscreen, and inverter work properly, and whether older control components can still be bought.
• Whether safety devices such as the emergency stop and guard interlocks work.

5. Trial run
The most important step: bring your own ingredients and actually run the machine on site for a while, measuring weight variance and checking sealing and tearing. Watching the machine run empty tells you nothing.

Can Parts Still Be Found?

This is the biggest risk with used machines. Before buying, confirm:

• Whether the original manufacturer still supplies parts for the model. For models discontinued long ago, parts may have to be custom made.
• Whether there's a repair shop in your country familiar with the model.
• Where and how quickly you can get common wear parts (shutter pieces, seals, conveyor belts).

Since its founding in 1989, Dong-Yih Machinery has had a machinery repair shop. To ask whether parts for a used machine you're considering are easy to find, call us with the model number (06-257-4644).

Should a Used Machine Be Reconditioned Before Use?

We recommend it. Even if the seller says "it'll work as soon as you get it home," at minimum you should:

1. Fully disassemble and wash it: Thoroughly clean and inspect food-contact areas; no residue from the previous owner should remain.
2. Replace wear parts and seals: Low cost, but directly affects weight and hygiene.
3. Lubricate: Use food-grade lubricants on parts that contact or may contact food.
4. Electrical inspection: wiring, insulation, grounding, and safety devices.
5. Trial production and adjustment: Dial in weight and ratio with your own recipe.

For what reconditioning involves and how it differs from new and refurbished machines, see Refurbished vs. New Machines.

Is a Used RHEON Worth Buying?

RHEON was the first company in the world to build an automatic encrusting machine; its machine designs are mature, and its used market is active. Whether it's worth it depends on three things:

• Is the price difference big enough? Used price plus reconditioning, parts, shipping, and power modifications: is it still a better deal than new?
• Can parts be obtained long-term? The machine will be used for many years, and running out of parts is a problem.
• Is your product right for this machine? Different models have different strengths, and what suits someone else's product doesn't necessarily suit yours.

Safety Reminder

Before inspecting or disassembling and washing a used machine, always cut the power, lock the switch and tag it, and make sure the machine can't be started accidentally.

FAQ

Q: What's the most important thing to check on a used encrusting machine?
A: Wear on the food-contact feeding and cutting parts, and the weight and forming results of a trial run with your own ingredients.

Q: Can a used machine brought back from Japan be used right away?
A: First confirm voltage and frequency. Japan is typically 100V/200V, eastern Japan is 50Hz, and Taiwan is 60Hz.

Q: Can parts for a used RHEON be found?
A: It depends on the model and year; call 06-257-4644 with the model number to ask.

Q: Must a used machine be reconditioned?
A: We recommend at least a full disassembly and wash, replacing wear parts and seals, and checking electrical and safety devices, followed by trial production and adjustment.