CNC Retrofit: Prepare Your Cutting Machines for the Future

What is Retrofit?

Retrofit means upgrading existing systems, machines, or devices to improve their performance or add new features. Instead of purchasing expensive new machinery, retrofit allows you to enhance your current equipment, saving costs.

Why is Retrofit Important for You?

1. Cost Efficiency: Retrofit extends the lifespan of your machines, reducing the need for new purchases. This saves not only money but also time and resources.
2. Competitiveness: With upgraded machines, you stay competitive and can utilise the latest technologies and features to meet market demands.
3. Knowledge Retention: Updating existing systems preserves the knowledge of the machines, making operations and training easier for you and your team.
4. Minimised Downtime: With careful planning and implementation, downtime during the upgrade can be significantly reduced, allowing you to quickly resume productivity.

Practical Example

ProCom CNC300-PX Retrofit CNC Control

A great example of a successful CNC retrofit solution is our project involving a high-precision laser cutting system. The old ProCom CNC control system had been in operation for over 20 years and performed reliably. To ensure the machine’s availability in daily production for at least five more years, we developed a modern retrofit solution.

Challenges and Solutions

The new solution needed to be based on a current Windows operating system, handle the large number of existing machining programs, and maintain the accustomed high machining precision. It also had to allow for flexible adjustments to the machining process.

We developed a special CNC control system compatible with the old ProCom CNC. The new control uses Windows 10 IoT LTSC and is optimised for touch operation. With a high-precision control cycle time of 80μs, we ensure that the precision, speed, and acceleration of the laser cutting system remain at the highest level.

Project Implementation:

• Research on the Old CNC System: We gathered comprehensive information on the old CNC system and documented the operators' usual workflows. We also acquired a CNC test system to meet the specific requirements of the new retrofit hardware.
• Selection of New Control Elements: We researched a high-quality, commercially available control panel with input buttons, speed potentiometer function, and touch functionality to replace the old panel. We also made the necessary software adjustments to operate the new panel with the ProCom Laser CNC retrofit software and hardware.
• Presentation of the New Interface: In a video meeting, we presented the new touch-based interface to the client’s team, discussing any desired adjustments.
• Requirements Workshop: We conducted a workshop at the customer’s site, where two ProCom experts gathered the precise functional requirements and preferences for the modern ProCom retrofit CNC system.
• Custom Software Adjustments: Based on the gathered requirements, we performed the necessary software customisations to meet the client’s specific needs.
• Gradual Commissioning: We organised multiple on-site visits with one or two ProCom experts to test and commission the new retrofit solution step by step. To minimise downtime, the machine was reconnected to the old control system after each commissioning step, allowing operations to continue immediately. Insights from the tests were implemented by our experts before the final commissioning step.
• Training for Employees: During commissioning, we conducted targeted training sessions for the client’s staff on the new machine software.
• Support and Documentation: After production started, we provided support via phone and TeamViewer and delivered the associated documentation.

Conclusion

The retrofit with our ProCom CNC300-PX control system demonstrates the importance of modernising existing systems to ensure efficiency, precision, and competitiveness. With tailored solutions, we help you unlock the full potential of your machines and secure your production capacity in the long term.

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