Not every new task needs a new system.

Retrofit

The most frequent reason customers call again after years is not a defect. It is a new component.

1 · The challenge

The system is solid — the task has changed

Production has changed, the requirement has grown, the control system is outdated. The system itself, however, is mechanically solid and runs.

The question then is not „repair or replace“, but: can the existing system be brought up to the new task instead of being written off?

2 · When a retrofit pays off

An economic decision, not a technical stopgap

Retrofit is the right way when three things come together.

Continued operation makes economic sense
The return on investment is better than with a new system
An existing system is to be brought up to the current state

Every retrofit starts with an on-site survey

Measuring the system, recording missing drawings, documenting the as-is state. Only then the system design, only then the quotation.

This assessment comes at the start — before any design engineering.

3 · What is modernized

From control system retrofit to complete process extension

Control system
PLC modernization, for instance Siemens S5 to S7 · HMI · electrical design · control cabinets · sensors.
Safety
Safety technology up to the current state.
Process
Nozzles · parts carriers · washing process · drying · additional process steps.
Automation
Material flow and conveying · extended handling · drives.

Retrofit is engineering work on the existing system, not a parts swap

The focus lies on control system and conversion, not on component replacement — control cabinet manufacturing and programming come from our own company. Because previously unknown boundary conditions regularly arise in retrofit projects, they are analyzed during implementation and solved in the design.

We also modernize systems from other manufacturers — the on-site survey is then a prerequisite, not optional.

Assessment of the overall installation

If an existing production line is extended or several systems are linked with one another, an assessment of the overall installation is carried out within the scope of the project.

We assume responsibility for our own scopes of supply and services. Responsibility for machines from other manufacturers remains with the respective manufacturer or is governed by the contractually agreed project scope.

4 · The result

A project example

Presented anonymized — the work can be named, the customer cannot.

Rotor blade cleaning system

Starting point

The existing system cleaned the component from the outside only.

After the conversion

Interior and exterior cleaningNew nozzle arrangementNew parts carriersIntegrated dryingPLC modernizationAdapted documentation

A partial cleaning became a complete process system — on the existing basis, without a new purchase.

That is the recurring core of the feedback after a retrofit: technical target values doubted beforehand were reached after the conversion.

How we design Service at a glance

Questions and answers

Frequently asked questions about retrofit

What is a retrofit?

The technical modernization of an existing system — control system and sensors, drives, safety technology, process and automation. Retrofit is engineering work on the existing system, not a parts swap: previously unknown boundary conditions regularly arise in retrofit projects and are analyzed during implementation and solved in the design.

When does a retrofit pay off?

When economical continued operation makes sense, the return on investment is better than with a new system and the existing system is to be brought up to the current state. This assessment comes at the start — before any design engineering. Whether retrofit or a new system is cheaper cannot be said across the board; that is decided by the condition of the system and the scope of the modernization.

What is the most frequent reason for a retrofit?

A new component. The most frequent reason customers call again after years is not a defect: production has changed, the requirement has grown — the system itself, however, is mechanically solid and runs. The question then is not „repair or replace“, but whether the system can be brought up to the new task.

What is modernized in a retrofit?

Control system: PLC modernization, for instance from Siemens S5 to S7, plus HMI, electrical design and control cabinets. Safety: safety technology up to the current state. Process: nozzles, parts carriers, washing process, drying, additional process steps. Automation: material flow and conveying and extended handling. The focus lies on control system and conversion, not on component replacement.

What comes before every retrofit?

An on-site survey — measuring the system, recording missing drawings, documenting the as-is state. Before the quotation, not after. Because previously unknown boundary conditions regularly arise in retrofit projects: what the documents say is, after years in operation, not necessarily what stands in the hall. Where the documents are incomplete, the survey is not optional, but a prerequisite.

Do you also maintain systems from other manufacturers?

Yes. We also maintain, repair and modernize systems that do not come from us. Every intervention on a third-party system starts with an on-site survey — measuring the system, recording missing drawings, documenting the as-is state. For a system whose documents are incomplete, that is not optional, but a prerequisite.

How does a retrofit proceed — an example?

A rotor blade cleaning system. Starting point: the existing system cleaned the component from the outside only. After the conversion: interior and exterior cleaning, new nozzle arrangement, new parts carriers, integrated drying, PLC modernization, adapted documentation. A partial cleaning became a complete process system — on the existing basis, without a new purchase.

How can I improve my existing system?

Through an on-site survey, not through a component replacement: measuring the system, recording missing drawings, documenting the as-is state. The whole system is looked at — control system, safety technology, washing process with nozzles and parts carriers, drying and automation —, also with systems from other manufacturers. Often the result is a retrofit: the system stays, the task is solved anew.

Direct contact

AddressITR GmbH powered by Zippel
Hauptstraße 31
93186 Pettendorf
Pettendorf bei Regensburg

Phone+49 (0) 9409-777 3598
Fax +49 (0) 9409-777 3607

Emailinfo@itr-anlagenbau.com

Continued operation makes economic sense

The return on investment is better than with a new system

An existing system is to be brought up to the current state