Automation and machine retrofit
A machine that is mechanically sound but twenty years behind on controls is usually worth upgrading rather than replacing.
Retrofit work starts with an assessment of what the machine can still do. Mechanical condition, drive condition and the state of the existing controls decide whether an upgrade is worth the money, and we would rather say that a machine is not worth retrofitting than take the order and find out halfway through.
Safety retrofits — light curtains, interlocks, guarding, two-hand controls — are treated as a design task, not a parts-fitting task. The protective device has to be positioned against the actual reach and stopping time of the machine, otherwise it satisfies an audit without protecting anyone.
Machine monitoring is where an older machine gains the most. Cycle counts, downtime reasons and utilisation data from equipment that currently reports nothing changes what the plant can see, without changing how the machine runs.
[CONTENT REQUIRED] Scope boundary between Auxilink execution and Skyvos Automation & Engineering to be confirmed before this page goes live.
What we fix before mobilising
| Assessment | Mechanical, drive and control condition assessed before an upgrade is recommended. |
|---|---|
| Safety design | Protective devices positioned against actual reach and stopping distance. |
| Scope boundary | What sits with Auxilink and what sits with the plant or the OEM, stated in writing. |
| Downtime | Changeover planned to fit an available window rather than an open-ended stop. |
| Handover | Documentation, settings and training for the people who will run it. |
What we need from you to quote
A firm price needs firm inputs. Send whatever you have; we will tell you what is missing.
- Machine make, model and year
- Existing control system details and panel photographs
- What the machine currently does and what it needs to do
- Any audit observation or safety requirement driving the work
- Available downtime window