Retrofit: A Topic With Strategic Relevance New Life for Old Machines

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Sustainable production has long since become a decisive competitive factor. This includes the refurbishment of existing machines.

"When we talk about retrofitting, for us it means giving a machine tool a second life that lasts just as long as the first," emphasizes Ralf Glatzeder, head of the Reman department at Liebherr-Verzahntechnik in Kempten. At Liebherr, Reman stands for remanufacturing, a complete overhaul of a machine to the level of a brand-new device. Retrofitting aligns with this approach, where an existing machine is upgraded with new technologies and components.

Retrofit Pays Off Multiple Times

Retrofit is much more than just a cost-effective alternative to purchasing new equipment. Rather, it is a strategic investment in the future viability of companies in the machine tool industry, particularly those under pressure in the current challenging economic situation and thus more cautious with investments. Instead of acquiring entirely new machines, key components such as CNC controls, drives, sensors, or Industry 4.0-compatible interfaces can be modernized. This increases precision, process stability, and productivity while enabling access to digital services such as condition monitoring or connected production control.

Retrofit also pays off in terms of energy efficiency and sustainability: replacing old drives and motors significantly reduces consumption, thereby lowering both operating costs and CO₂ emissions. At the same time, valuable resources are conserved, as existing machines are continued to be used rather than being replaced by entirely new systems. Additionally, it includes adaptation to current safety standards and machine guidelines, which not only meet legal requirements but also improve employee protection.

From an economic perspective, retrofit offers companies several advantages. According to Reman department head Glatzeder, the investments involved, depending on the situation, are significantly lower than the cost of a new acquisition, with a cost advantage of about a third or even more. Additionally, downtime can be significantly reduced due to the generally shorter retrofit phase, and the payback period is noticeably shortened. In a time of global supply chain issues and economic uncertainties, retrofit also provides greater planning security.

Retrofit combines technical performance enhancement with economic reason, ecological responsibility, and a clear contribution to sustainability. It is a tool that helps companies secure their competitiveness even in challenging times and set the course for future-proof production.

Liebherr Gear Technology: Used Machines Like New

Customers with older machines have various options at the globally operating company Liebherr-Verzahntechnik, a manufacturer of machine tools and automation solutions for the efficient production of gearings. They can have their aging but still functional machine overhauled or repaired. During a comprehensive overhaul, the Reman specialists clean, measure, and rework all base components. They replace all wear parts, seals, drives, and motors. Only the cast and housing of the machine remain, but these are visually refurbished. Another option is purchasing a newly refurbished used machine. "Although the term 'used' is essentially misleading," adds Glatzeder. "The machines from our Reman program are fundamentally delivered in manufacturer-quality condition with the latest standards and come with a new warranty." Liebherr-Verzahntechnik always aligns itself with the latest technological level and incorporates innovations now available. Thus, the machines, on average 20 to 25 years old, are practically brought to the level of new machines after the refurbishment and renewal.

Kapp Niles: Retrofit As A Dual Opportunity—More Productive And Sustainable

For Kapp Niles from Coburg, a provider of machine tools and solutions for the fine machining of gears and profiles, the modernization of several machine series is also part of the portfolio. Since every grinding machine is subject to operational wear, the goal is to prevent the failure of critical components and, in extreme cases, the complete shutdown of the grinding machine in a timely manner. To achieve this, Kapp Niles offers two solutions. While "KN Recontrol" includes a comprehensive control system upgrade, "KN Retrofit" additionally involves a complete mechanical overhaul.

"A Kapp Niles machine retrofit offers a cost-effective and resource-conserving alternative to a new acquisition," confirms Andreas Paatz, Head of Service/Tools/Digitization at Kapp Niles. At the same time, the renewal of components restores spare parts availability, and the machines are prepared for the collection of process and machine data in line with Industry 4.0. The key advantage of modernization carried out directly by Kapp Niles rather than by a third-party provider lies in the close integration of mechanical engineering and software. This allows advancements from current machine series to be incorporated, features and functions to be expanded, machine documentation to be updated, and downtime during modernization to be minimized.

This way, customers received not only technically advanced but also economically reliable machines in the long term. "And by extending the lifespan of machines as well as reusing components, the circular economy is strengthened," adds Paatz. "This contributes to a sustainable way of doing business that focuses on recycling and resource conservation."

Waldrich Coburg Has Been Relying on Retrofit for Many Years

Waldrich Coburg has also been successfully offering retrofit solutions for decades, accounting for around 10 percent of its revenue. "This area is an essential part of our service and support business," emphasizes Dr. Tobias Abeln, CTO at Waldrich Coburg. In any case, the machines are nearly wear-free due to hydrostatic guides and are designed for a lifespan of several decades. This provides the ideal basis for further extending their service life.

With the retrofit measures, the company achieves increased efficiency in older machines through automation, control modernizations, and higher dynamics. Additionally, functionality and flexibility are expanded by implementing new machining technologies such as turning, gear cutting, or HSC milling. Quality improvements, enhanced operability, and greater safety are also achieved thanks to retrofitting. At the same time, cost efficiency is improved through reduced energy and maintenance requirements as well as shorter processing and downtime. Retaining the installation location and foundation, as well as the core components, also results in significantly lower investment costs and a considerably reduced CO₂ footprint.

"So, machines that have been in operation for over 20 years remain economically competitive," Abeln also emphasizes. "In this respect, we support our customers in sustainably positioning their manufacturing processes for the future."

From A Repair Solution to A Strategic Success Model

When it comes to retrofitting, it is no longer just about repairing existing systems. It is a way to technologically upgrade machines to a level that can compete with new systems—at significantly lower investment costs. Companies can thus secure their competitiveness without having to forgo the performance of the latest technologies. This, along with the associated ecological benefits, are clear advantages of retrofitting.

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