Breathe a second life into your machinery

Consequently, many business owners struggle with the question of whether these machines are still sufficient to achieve the required quality and economic returns. Yet you don't have to throw these old machines on the scrap heap right away. Instead of replacing them outright, it can sometimes be more advantageous to bring these machines completely up to date with smart modifications. To show companies how they can achieve this in concrete terms, Flanders Make and several partners wrote a white paper on 'Machine Upgrading'.

Many entrepreneurs are still holding off the boat to a digital transition. They put off investment because their first thought is to replace machines, which involves serious financial effort. Instead of simply replacing these machines, upgrading, in which components of old machines are optimized with new functionalities, is gaining importance. The benefits of a machine upgrade are not limited to the financial picture. It also offers a form of security. Of existing machines, we know what they can do and how they perform. There is uncertainty about a new plant. New machines also raise questions around training. Will a new machine be sufficiently user-friendly? Will all production workers be able to work with it, or must we also invest in training?

Another shortcoming is that few factories have physical space in surplus. Building a new production line in parallel or taking an existing plant out of service for weeks on end for this purpose simply cannot be done. No factory today can afford downtime of even a few days. Finally, the investment in renewal cannot always be justified from a sustainability point of view either. Many installations have lost little of their mechanical performance if properly maintained. Replacing these machines with new ones is not only a waste of money, but also puts unnecessary additional pressure on the environment.

Of course, 'Machine Upgrading' also involves costs, but in the long run your company will reap the financial benefits. An upgrade will make the machines more productive and flexible, they will have more and better functionality after this, and they will be easier to maintain. The machines will last much longer because of the makeover. Nevertheless, there are currently few practical examples to be found. To support companies in the transition to Industry 4.0, the Flemish government has set up several living labs, including the living lab "Machine Upgrading 4.0. This living lab shows companies how to upgrade existing industrial systems to industry 4.0 level without major additional costs. Besides inspiration, companies receive help in making a cost-benefit analysis and guidance in their upgrade path.

Flanders Make is one of the partners in this project, so we published an inspiring white paper with practical advice on the subject. We worked together with machine builder VINTIV from Beringen and with the support of the Agency for Innovation and Entrepreneurship (VLAIO). Specifically, the white paper teaches companies about cost-benefit analysis, determining a suitable approach for upgrading machines based on four types of possible transformations (electrical, mechanical, digital and compliance with legislation), the choice of technology, and finally the implementation of a personalized plan to modernize your machines. With all these tips, you can give your machinery a second life and save many euros.