The workpiece requires a non-standard solution
The geometry, weight, material or product-feeding method falls outside the capabilities of catalogue equipment.
Goal: a machine adapted to the product, not the other way roundWe design, build, program and commission special-purpose machines, workstations and automated lines. We take responsibility for the entire machine – from process analysis, through mechanical engineering, electrical systems and controls, to installation, acceptance and service.
Not every production problem requires a new machine. We assess three options: building a new machine, adding a workstation to an existing line, or modernising a machine that is already in operation.
These three options solve different problems and require different initial conditions. We begin by determining which option addresses the actual process constraint.
| Option | When to choose it | Initial condition | What it will not solve |
|---|---|---|---|
| New special-purpose machine | The process requires a different architecture, new functions or a level of output that the existing equipment cannot achieve through any rebuild. | Known process parameters: cycle time, workpiece geometry and weight, number of variants, installation space and interfacing equipment. | Constraints outside the machine, such as material-flow organisation, input material quality or insufficient floor space. |
| Additional workstation within a line | The bottleneck affects one stage while the rest of the production line operates correctly. | Confirmed ability to integrate mechanically, electrically and at control-system level with adjacent equipment. | It will not increase the output of the entire line if the actual constraint lies elsewhere in the process. |
| Modernisation of an existing machine | The machine structure still suits the process, while the constraint lies in the control system, hydraulics, drives, diagnostics or safety functions. | Serviceable mechanical systems, guides and load-bearing components; available documentation or the ability to recreate it. | It will not replace a process change or compensate for worn mechanical systems - these cases call for a new machine. |
Machine age does not determine the choice. An older, robust structure can provide a good basis for modernisation, while a newer machine with worn mechanical systems may not.
Customers rarely begin by saying, “We need a new machine.” More often, they report a specific process constraint - and our role is to determine which issue is genuinely restricting production.
The geometry, weight, material or product-feeding method falls outside the capabilities of catalogue equipment.
Goal: a machine adapted to the product, not the other way roundManual positioning, clamping or inspection produces variations between shifts and production batches.
Goal: repeatability independent of staffingMoving, turning or loading workpieces that an operator should not handle manually.
Goal: safe and repeatable handlingUnavailable spare parts, lengthy diagnostics, settings distributed across manual regulators and no parameter recording.
Goal: modernisation without replacing the entire machineThe four classes of tasks we perform most often. They differ not by industry, but by what must be established before engineering begins - and this usually determines the scope of the quotation.
We determine how the product will be picked up and transferred, the required positioning accuracy, and the interface with the existing machine - this interface usually defines the engineering constraints.
Key factors include the weight and geometry of the load, the loading method, interaction with internal transport systems, guarding and service access at the intended installation location.
The scope depends on the number of product variants, the changeover method, and whether the process should stop when a fault occurs or reject the item and continue operating.
The discussion begins not with dimensions, but with the relevant standard or test procedure: the sequence, number of cycles, load, pass criterion and required report.
A repair restores a machine to its previous condition. Modernisation changes its capabilities: it adds new operating modes, recipes, measurements, diagnostics or safety functions adapted to the plant's current production organisation. We also modernise machines made by other manufacturers.
The press structure could still withstand the required loads and matched the process geometry, so it remained unchanged. We focused the work on the hydraulics, controls, diagnostics and safety – the areas in which the actual constraints lay.
Process settings distributed across manual regulators, no access to parameters and lengthy fault diagnostics.
Repeatable settings through recipes, faster system diagnostics and safety functions adapted to the modified operating method.
Not every rebuild is merely service work. With more extensive modifications, responsibility for the machine's safety and documentation may change – which is why we establish this during the concept stage, not after the work has been completed.
A change to a machine made after it has been placed on the market or put into service, which was not foreseen by the manufacturer and affects the machine's safety – for example, because it requires the safety system to be rebuilt or additional protective measures to be introduced.
The party carrying out a substantial modification assumes the obligations of the manufacturer of the modified machine: a new conformity assessment, technical documentation of the changes, CE marking and an EU declaration of conformity.
You do not need complete machine documentation to begin. A description of the process, the problem and the expected result is enough – we translate the rest into measurable requirements.
We determine what restricts production: material, geometry, cycle time, product variants, available space and interfacing equipment. For a modernisation project, we also assess the machine structure, actuating systems and documentation.
From the customer: process description, workstation photos and video, product dataWe select the process method, drives and actuating systems, and define the control architecture, product-variant handling, changeovers, diagnostics and integration with the surrounding equipment.
From the customer: concept approval, drawings or production-hall dimensionsWe manufacture the machine components, actuating systems and control cabinet, and develop the software. Complex machines undergo functional testing and the agreed preliminary acceptance procedure.
From the customer: material samples representing all product variantsWe install the equipment at the plant and verify its interaction with utilities, adjacent machines and the actual production flow. The scope may include documentation, training and service.
From the customer: access to the workstation, utilities and a production downtime windowDividing a project between several suppliers can lead to disputes over which part is not working. With us, mechanical engineering, pneumatics, electrical systems and controls are delivered in one place.
The cost-effectiveness of production automation depends on the technical condition of the equipment, the extent to which the existing structure can be retained, the number of new functions and the level of integration. No single universal saving figure can be given for every machine.
If a new machine is intended to deliver a shorter cycle time or handle different product variants, it cannot be compared with merely replacing the control system in an older machine. The same required outcome must be used as the reference point.
On the modernisation side, we include the technical assessment, refurbishment or replacement of worn assemblies, new components, documentation, integration of the old and new sections, and risks identified after dismantling the machine.
Each machine was developed for one specific process. Technical parameters, scope of delivery and production-hall photos are available in the complete portfolio.
Turning a stack of panels without manual handling or interrupting the material flow at the workstation.
Project parameters
Measuring, cutting, folding, packaging and placing finished products in a carton as one integrated material flow.
Project parameters
Removing large panels directly after sanding and stacking them on a scissor lift.
Project parametersYour enquiry does not need to include a finished specification. It should describe the process in enough detail for us to identify missing information and possible solution paths.
For a modernisation project, the following information is also useful: failure history, spare-parts availability, previous structural modifications and the components the plant wishes to retain.
A one-page document to print and complete with your maintenance team. We will send it to the address provided.
Automation replaces manual activities with machine operation – whether the task is performed by a mechanical or pneumatic system, or by a robot. Robotisation is one method of automation. The choice depends on the workpiece geometry, required movement, cycle time and available space.
Yes, provided the operation is repetitive and forms a bottleneck. In smaller plants, an individual workstation or semi-automatic solution is often more appropriate than a complete line. The starting point is a calculation covering current operating costs, downtime and rejects, not production volume alone.
Yes. We also modernise machines made by other manufacturers. We first assess their technical condition, the available documentation and whether new components can be safely integrated with the retained structure.
Yes, provided the assessment confirms that mechanical, electrical and control-system integration is possible. We need information on the interfacing equipment, signals and available space, as well as the system's required response to a stop or change in operating mode.
The cost depends on the number of operations, required cycle time, product geometry and weight, number of variants, type of drives, scope of controls and diagnostics, and level of integration with other equipment. A quotation therefore requires process data, not simply the name of the machine.
No. It can reduce capital expenditure when the structure and workstation infrastructure are worth retaining, but it will not always be technically or economically justified. Extensive wear of the mechanical systems, a complete process change or a very broad rebuild scope all point towards a new machine.
It depends on the scope of work. If the change was not foreseen by the manufacturer and affects safety, it constitutes a substantial modification – in this case, the party carrying it out assumes the manufacturer's obligations, including conformity assessment, CE marking and an EU declaration of conformity. We determine the classification during the concept stage, before work begins.
No. At the outset, a description of the problem, photos or video, product data, required cycle time and information about the available space are sufficient. During the initial assessment, we will identify the drawings, measurements and documents required for the next step.
The scope is defined in the contract. It may include documentation, operator training, warranty and post-warranty service, and subsequent equipment expansion when the product or process organisation changes.
You do not need a finished specification. A description of the process, material and expected cycle time, together with photos or a video of the workstation, is enough. On this basis, we will determine what further information is required and which option calls for a detailed technical assessment.
The form is sent directly to the CPP PREMA Automation Department. You can attach photos and drawings immediately – if the video is too large, include a file link in the description.
Technical parameters, scope of delivery and production-hall photos.
GuideEngineering, technologies and terminology used during the initial discussion.
GuideHow to match the investment scope to the actual process constraint.