During the Open House Retrofit at the Eislingen plant, EMAG presented the future of industrial machine modernization. Visitors had the opportunity to experience the latest technologies and retrofit solutions at first hand.
With the Health Check, EMAG offers its customers an IoT tool for the health assessment of feed axes and spindles in order to better plan their maintenance periods. In addition, EMAG is constantly developing this solution further, as Patrick Kaiser, data scientist at EMAG, emphasizes in the interview: “The experience and our service flow into this in a targeted manner.”
What does retrofit do? The short answer – many things are possible. Depending on the customer’s wishes, the retrofitted machine not only has new components, but it is also equipped with new automation or additional tool technology. A turning machine, for example, becomes a turning-grinding center. Here we present just two examples among many possible scenarios.
According to a new study by PwC, an automotive consultant firm – there are five dimensions that influence change in the automotive industry. The car of the future is electric and connected, increasingly autonomous, more integrated in sharing concepts and models are updated on a yearly basis (!)—making eight year model cycles a thing of the past. How can such a fast and radical change be implemented on the shop floor? What happens to the old machinery and to the existing production lines? A discussion with Markus Heidel, Head of the EMAG plant in Eislingen, responsible for retrofitting and retooling, reveals that the answer relies not only on investment in new machines – but also retrofitting. The specialists at EMAG will ensure that existing machines and production systems are prepared for changing manufacturing processes with the help of some conversion work – offering an attractive alternative to purchasing new equipment.