The decision facing a twenty-year-old press is rarely technically impossible; it is usually economically marginal. The six criteria below move the decision off the feeling that "the machine is still solid" and onto measurable ground.
1. What condition are the frame and columns in?
The main frame sets the limit of any modernisation. If there are cracks, permanent deformation or advanced corrosion in the columns, crosshead or cylinder seats, renewing hydraulics and automation only postpones the problem. If the frame is sound, almost everything else can be renewed.
Commission an independent structural inspection before entering the decision; it is the single assumption the entire calculation rests on.
2. Is the bottleneck actually the press?
A common field situation: the plant assumes press capacity is insufficient, and measurement reveals the bottleneck sits in the billet heating furnace, the puller or the stretcher. Buying a new press can mean enlarging the wrong link.
Cycle times should be measured across the whole line before deciding: furnace feed, dead cycle, run-out, stretcher, saw, ageing.
3. Is the target product changing?
Modernisation makes existing capacity efficient; it does not enlarge it. You cannot move a press built for 6063 into the 7000 series by refurbishing it. If your product target changes alloy or profile class, the decision already points to new investment.
4. Energy and cycle-time gains
In older hydraulic systems, fixed-speed pump groups consume energy independently of load. Conversion to servo or variable-displacement pumps delivers a noticeable energy saving, particularly in plants with long idle periods. Renewing the control system can likewise shorten dead cycle time.
Calculated together, these two items produce the payback period for modernisation. Derive the figure from your own plant’s measured consumption, not from a manufacturer’s general brochure.
5. The cost of downtime
Modernisation stops production. The number of days lost, the revenue foregone and the effect on customer deliveries must enter the calculation. With a new line the existing line keeps running — an item that is invisible at first glance and frequently reverses the decision.
6. Spare part availability
If control boards, valves or drives can no longer be sourced, a "working" press is in fact an unmanageable risk. A single board waiting six weeks, repeated a few times a year, justifies the cost of modernisation on its own.
Decision table
| Situation | Direction |
|---|---|
| Frame sound, bottleneck in control/hydraulics, same product | Modernisation |
| Frame sound, capacity insufficient, same product | Line balancing + partial modernisation |
| Alloy or profile class changing | New investment |
| Structural findings in the frame | New investment |
| Spare part supply discontinued | Modernise or replace — do not postpone |
The ADA TRUSTAR approach
The choice between modernisation and new investment should be made by measurement, not by a vendor. Any recommendation given without cycle-time and energy measurement on your existing line is a guess.
Frequently asked
Does modernisation increase press capacity?
Usually no. Modernisation improves efficiency, cycle time and reliability; it does not raise nominal capacity.
What should be measured before deciding?
Cycle time and energy consumption across the whole line, plus an independent structural inspection of the frame.
Why does downtime matter so much?
Modernisation stops production, whereas with a new line the existing line keeps running. This difference is decisive in most calculations.
Last reviewed: 08.2026