How might we improve the reliability, quality, and capacity of existing “brownfield” manufacturing equipment without requiring costly wholesale line replacement?
The U.S. relies on a massive installed base of legacy machinery and equipment, where operating aging infrastructure without modern electronics, sensing, and automation capabilities generates severe operational friction and acquiring new machinery carries significant capital costs.
Equipment wear, tooling degradation, process drift, and a reliance on manual, paper-based workflows drive persistent unplanned downtime, high scrap rates, and supply-chain risk across the network.
This creates an opportunity to modernize existing “brownfield” manufacturing equipment with modern electronics, advanced sensors and digital controls that extend service life, maximize throughput, and strengthen the overall operational efficiency of Michigan’s manufacturing capacity.
- 01
Solutions should credibly deliver at least 10% improvement in OEE, 30% reduction in unplanned downtime, 25% reduction in equipment/process-related scrap, or 25% reduction in reactive maintenance.
- 02
Solutions should work across mixed-vintage equipment, integrate securely with relevant PLC/MES/CMMS systems, minimize production interruption, and demonstrate measurable results within approximately three to six months.
- 03
Solutions should extend the lifetime of legacy equipment that still has working pieces and parts by upgrading these machines with new electronics, sensors, and components.
- Non-invasive retrofit sensors
- Predictive analytics
- Tooling, fixture, and consumable monitoring
- Automated poka-yoke
- Legacy-machine connectivity
- Digital maintenance workflows
- Real-time equipment and process dashboards
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Register your interest now and we will notify you when the intake opens. The intake will ask for high-level, non-confidential information only. Michigan LIFT is a non-exclusive platform. Any procurement, financing, incentives or other support is subject to each participant’s standard qualification, sourcing and approval processes.
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