60-year-old milling machine: Fit for the future thanks to digitization

Retrofitting 60-year-old milling machine: Fit for the future thanks to digitization

2025-03-26 Source: Smart Factory KL e.V. | Translated by AI 2 min Reading Time

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Green hammer finish and weighing 1.5 tons, a machine like thousands found in German companies. However, the milling machine from "Friedrich Korradi" can no longer be compared to this: a retrofit and particularly a digital twin enable previously unthinkable enhancements, time savings, and precision.

The milling machine is now equipped with feed motors, a digital twin, and CNC control, and its capabilities can be accessed as skills.(Image: A. Sell/Smartfactory-KL) — The milling machine is now equipped with feed motors, a digital twin, and CNC control, and its capabilities can be accessed as skills.
(Image: A. Sell/Smartfactory-KL)

Andreas Wagner from RPTU Kaiserslautern-Landau has been toying with the idea of retrofitting ever since the 60-year-old milling machine was delivered two years ago. His idea: to convert it so that it can work skill-based. He himself is doing a PhD on the topic of skills and sees retrofitting as a cost-effective option for connecting current technologies with old machines. "Many companies do not take advantage of Industry 4.0 technologies because they think they need to buy new machines," he explains. "I want to show that this is not true. Digitalization can make its way everywhere and unfold its efficient effectiveness."

Many companies do not utilize the possibilities of Industry 4.0 technologies because they believe they must purchase new machines.

Andreas Wagner, RPTU Kaiserslautern-Landau

Digital twin automates and optimizes

The machine was equipped with feed motors, a digital twin, and CNC control. The capabilities (skills) of the milling machine can be called up as skills, such as milling rectangular or circular pockets. They can be controlled and parameterized via a standardized OPC-UA interface. The digital twin calculates costs and energy requirements before the start of work, plans the trajectory, and checks it for collisions. Thus, it takes on the role of a CAM system and provides feedback that can be used to create an offer. The digital twin thus helps to automate and optimize the entire planning process.

Gallery

The skills of the modernized milling machine can be controlled and parameterized via a standardized OPC UA interface.(Image: A. Sell/Smartfactory-KL)

The digital twin calculates, among other things, costs and energy requirements before work begins, plans the trajectory, and checks it for collisions.(Image: A. Sell/Smartfactory-KL)

Thus, the digital image takes on the role of a CAM system and provides information that can be used, for example, to create an offer.(Image: A. Sell/Smartfactory-KL)

Geometric features of a component can be manufactured directly from the CAD using modern Industry 4.0 paradigms. This saves time-consuming programming work.(Image: A. Sell/Smartfactory-KL)

Gallery with 5 images

Additional capabilities of the Skill Mill

Geometric features of a component can be manufactured directly from CAD using current Industry 4.0 paradigms. This saves time-consuming programming work. When searching for suitable machines for a specific job, the Skill Mill, as well as all other machines with similar capabilities in the machine park, automatically responds according to the skill-based approach. To ensure that a skill can be executed with its specific parameters, the digital twin performs a feasibility check in advance to verify the feasibility of the work order.

Example for other machines in the brownfield

"Old machines are still around in production halls today," says Wagner. The example shows that even such machines can be transferred into the future through retrofitting. "It is conceivable that they could be integrated into data spaces via the digital twin, as envisioned with Gaia-X or Manufacturing-X," Wagner explains further. "Then the machine could offer its skills there and be rented by other companies. This way it would get new orders and be used more extensively." Through the digital twin, the machine can inform an inquiring customer exactly about the work duration, CO₂ footprint, energy needs, or price. Thus, the digital twin opens the door to the production of the future.

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