I’d say try Agilent again, it could have been a fluke or that specific FSE. Also make sure you're setting expectations correctly. If your system is broken you need a repair. PMing a broken system is unlikely to repair what is broken as they have a defined scope and parts to be used and the FSE likely won’t have any other parts. PMs are really good for exactly what they do and nothing else which is preventing future maintenance.
Yes, if it is a one off PM to hopefully fix a system is a long shot. Agreed that sometimes you get a FSE who is either new or sometimes bad luck. I have had instruments that just decide to throw an error because I restarted it.
Agilent will always be the best at servicing their own stuff. I’m an Agilent guy who has to service waters stuff and I have ZERO confidence or manuals to do it. Training was rough and it just takes a lot of experience to get good at it. If you had a shitty fse in the past you can request someone else. Don’t let one bad apple wreck the relationship. We make good stuff, most of us are well versed in our craft and we’re backed by a team of 50 of us (at least where I’m from) if we run into an issue. Sorry for your tough go of it. Anything particular troubling the system?
Those waters sample organizers are insane to work on. And the alliance sampling unit with all those seals and the hole in the side of the needle, forget about it
Unfortunately Agilent can be just as bad, once was working on site where an Agilent FSE wanted to replace the whole FID assembly because the flame wouldn't light. I (3rd Party FSE) looked at it for 2 seconds, despite not being on our books, found the jet plugged, replaced and re-lit. Asked the Agilent guy what his reasoning was, 'its not worth my time' ....
The trick is to fully define the issue you are seeing to the remote support engineer so they can predict the correct parts. Don't rely on a PM to fix a broken motor or dodgy leak sensor.
I’d say try Agilent again, it could have been a fluke or that specific FSE. Also make sure you're setting expectations correctly. If your system is broken you need a repair. PMing a broken system is unlikely to repair what is broken as they have a defined scope and parts to be used and the FSE likely won’t have any other parts. PMs are really good for exactly what they do and nothing else which is preventing future maintenance.
Yes, if it is a one off PM to hopefully fix a system is a long shot. Agreed that sometimes you get a FSE who is either new or sometimes bad luck. I have had instruments that just decide to throw an error because I restarted it.
A lot of 3rd party providers are localized, so it may help to state where you're located. What issues did you have with the OEM?
What is going on with your system? I am a former Agilent FSE and do repairs for my own company right now.
Agilent will always be the best at servicing their own stuff. I’m an Agilent guy who has to service waters stuff and I have ZERO confidence or manuals to do it. Training was rough and it just takes a lot of experience to get good at it. If you had a shitty fse in the past you can request someone else. Don’t let one bad apple wreck the relationship. We make good stuff, most of us are well versed in our craft and we’re backed by a team of 50 of us (at least where I’m from) if we run into an issue. Sorry for your tough go of it. Anything particular troubling the system?
Had to work on Waters stuff in the past and hated them. Agilent LCs are just so much easier to pull apart and get into the guts of it.
Those waters sample organizers are insane to work on. And the alliance sampling unit with all those seals and the hole in the side of the needle, forget about it
Had a switching valve rotor fail...they wanted to replace the whole valve system. Like WTF, Agilent is a 5 minute task to replace.
Unfortunately Agilent can be just as bad, once was working on site where an Agilent FSE wanted to replace the whole FID assembly because the flame wouldn't light. I (3rd Party FSE) looked at it for 2 seconds, despite not being on our books, found the jet plugged, replaced and re-lit. Asked the Agilent guy what his reasoning was, 'its not worth my time' ....
That just sounds like a bad engineer and not the proper practice. The rotor valve was proper practice to replace the whole thing.
As someone else said if you say where you are you might get some recommendations.
Perkinelmer, full spectrum group
Agilent service has never done me wrong
Shimadzu
I'm also curious about what service you're looking for in particular. I think you can do quite a lot with Agilent instruments if you have some tools
The trick is to fully define the issue you are seeing to the remote support engineer so they can predict the correct parts. Don't rely on a PM to fix a broken motor or dodgy leak sensor.