Retrofit or New Cell: A Decision Guide
Compare honestly
| Aspect | Retrofit | New cell |
|---|---|---|
| Cost | Lower capital | Higher, but designed together |
| Downtime | Risk of disruption to existing output | Planned shutdown |
| Performance ceiling | Limited by existing equipment | |
| Optimised | ||
| Service life | Shorter | Full |
| Complexity | Interfaces to legacy systems | Clean slate |
When retrofit wins
- The existing machine or line is in good condition and well documented.
- Output can continue during the upgrade window.
- The process is stable and unlikely to change soon.
Survey the existing equipment before committing. Undocumented legacy systems are a common cost trap.