"Out with the old, in with the new” is a catchy idiom. But, it can also be costly advice, especially for a manufacturer. Replacing its numerous older machines can cost anywhere from hundreds of thousands to millions of dollars.
Updating each machine is often a better option, particularly for legacy equipment that has been well-maintained and regularly operates at a high performance level. This approach not only saves money in the short, and long, run. It also allows a manufacturer to customize each machine for one or more assembly processes.