Is it worth having backup sensor units on-site?

[[Th...]]

We've had XXT sensors fail on the shop floor before, and the lead time for getting the machine back up and running is always long enough to substantially disrupt operations. Knowing this, my predecessor ordered a spare XXT, which I attempted to swap onto a Duramax when its sensor failed last year, only to find that the backup appeared to be non-functional as well. This is also when I learned that the warranty period for these is rather short. So, I put this question to you, [name of person reading this post]: does your place of work keep backups on-hand? Is there a cost-benefit point that favors just waiting for the Zeiss techs to roll up with a new unit? And, if you do buy spare sensors yourself, how do you test them to ensure they're functional?

[[Mi...]]

At my work we keep spares of everything. Even of parts that we need a service tech to change for us, like VAST xt heads.

But we have almost 40 CMMs, mostly Duramax's with XXT. Changing the XXT head is a relatively quick and easy job, we always have spares of them, as well as probes, adapter plates, extensions, etc..

FYI more than once a "bad" head has magically started working properly against for us by simply reseating the connector.