Cost Savings of Retrofitting Material Handling Equipment.
The Benefits of Retrofitting Existing Equipment vs. Buying New Motorized Carts
The cost savings of retrofitting existing material handling equipment – for example, upgrading a cart with omnidirectional motorized drive wheels or adding advanced features into existing automation – can deliver significant advantages over purchasing brand-new motorized carts.
By enhancing the equipment you already own, you can achieve modern performance and safety standards without the hefty price tag or the disruption of an entirely new system. Let’s explore why retrofitting is often the smarter choice and the key benefits it brings to various industries and applications.
Why Retrofit Instead of Buy New?
Cost Savings of Retrofitting and ROI: One of the most compelling reasons to retrofit is cost efficiency. Upgrading an existing cart with a motorized, omnidirectional drive system can be dramatically cheaper than buying a completely new motorized cart.
A great example is Philips Healthcare. Phillips retrofitted an old 12,000 lb. MRI magnet transport cart with a HaloDrive™ omnidirectional drive, saving 60% of the cost compared to full equipment replacement.
In another case, a manufacturer needed multiple custom carts to scale up production of moving UV-filtering film. The retrofit solution delivered three upgraded carts for the price another vendor quoted for just one new cart.
Reuse of Existing Infrastructure: Retrofitting allows you to leverage the equipment and infrastructure you already have. Instead of scrapping a working cart or redesigning your entire process to accommodate a new machine, Conceptual Innovations builds the solution around your current setup.
In Philips’ case, every other vendor demanded they change their cart design or process to fit a standard product – an approach that didn’t work for their unique needs. By contrast, the custom retrofit integrated seamlessly with their existing cart dimensions and workflow, avoiding costly product or process changes while minimizing downtime during implementation.
Faster Implementation: Upgrading an existing cart is usually faster than waiting for a new custom machine to be designed, built, and delivered. In the roll-handling example, the tailor-made retrofit carts were so well-designed that they became fully operational in half the expected commissioning time. By retrofitting, businesses can implement improvements and start seeing benefits sooner, keeping production on schedule.
Sustainability: There’s also a sustainability angle. Retrofitting extends the life of your current equipment, reducing scrap. This not only saves money but also aligns with green initiatives by making better use of existing materials.
Additional Benefits of Retrofitting Carts
Retrofitting can transform a basic cart into a high-performance, powered transport system. Below are some additional benefits that companies have realized by retrofitting with omnidirectional drive wheels and other mechanical upgrades:
Reduced Labor Requirements: A retrofitted cart often needs far fewer operators to move heavy loads. Philips’ 12,000 lb MRI cart went from requiring 4–6 people pushing and pulling to move it, to being handled by a single operator with a joystick.
Similarly, a yacht manufacturer added two Conversion Drive Caster® units to an existing die cart, which allowed it to be maneuvered by only two employees instead of several, even through tight 90° turns in narrow hallways. By eliminating brute-force manpower, retrofits free up staff for other tasks and reduce labor costs.
Higher Precision, Efficiency and Maneuverability: Omnidirectional drive upgrades give carts nimbleness and efficiency that humans alone can’t match. Retrofitted carts with the HaloDrive Omnidirectional System can move in any direction, pivot in place, and navigate tight spaces with pinpoint accuracy.
Tailored Solutions: Every operation has its unique quirks – tight floor layouts, specific load shapes, and distinct process flows. Retrofitting can custom-engineer a solution to your exact needs, rather than forcing you to adjust to an existing solution. Retrofitting can also be done incrementally. You can scale up critical components when needed and spread your investment over a longer period of time.
This customization extends to features like adjustable height, specialized load handling mechanisms, or integration with existing rails and guides. The result is an upgrade that feels like it’s “engineered for us, not at us,” as one engineering manager put it. In practical terms, you get exactly the functionality you need without compromise.
Bring in the Old, and Make it New.
Upgrading existing carts with modern drive technology offers a win-win scenario for organizations: the capabilities of a brand-new motorized cart, at a fraction of the cost, and with a solution tailored to your exact needs. Real-world case studies have demonstrated that retrofitting can reduce labor requirements from a team of people to a single operator, virtually eliminate injury risks, and significantly improve the precision of material handling applications.
To learn more about the cost savings of retrofitting in your facility, Call us at 269-248-7932 or fill out this form.