Design and Modification of Special Machines

Design and Modification of Special Machines

Design of Special Machines

Each industrial project presents specific constraints which require adapted technical solutions.

We are involved in the design of machines intended in particular:

automated production lines;
assembly equipment;
pressure equipment;
handling machines;
process equipment;
robotic systems.

The studies cover:

performance validation.
functional analysis;
defining technical requirements;
mechanical architecture;
electrical and automation integration;
the design of security functions;

Modification and Optimization of Existing Equipment

Completely replacing a machine often represents a significant investment as well as a significant industrial risk.

In many cases, targeted modifications allow to:

increase production capacity;
improve equipment availability;
improve the ergonomics of operations;
increase the reliability of equipment;
ensure regulatory compliance.

A pragmatic approach often achieves significant gains with limited investments.

Regulatory Compliance

Industrial equipment must meet applicable regulatory requirements throughout its life cycle.

We support manufacturers in their compliance projects according to:

Machinery Directive 2006/42/EC
Machinery Regulation (EU) 2023/1230
Pressure Equipment Directive 2014/68/EU
ATEX Directive 2014/24/EN
PUWER (Provision and Use of Work Equipment Regulations)
EN ISO 12100 – Safety of machinery — General design principles — Risk assessment and risk reduction
EN ISO 13849 – Safety of machinesSafety – Safety-related parts of control systems
ISO 17776 – Petroleum and natural gas industries – Offshore platform installations – Guidelines for tools and techniques for risk identification and assessment
EN IEC 60204-1 – Electrical equipment of machines
EN IEC 61508 – Functional safety of electrical/electronic/programmable electronic safety-related systems
EN IEC 61511 – Functional safety — Safety instrumented systems for the process industry sector
EN IEC 62061 – Safety of machinery – Functional safety of safety-related control systems
EN ISO 13850 – Safety of machinery – Emergency stop function – Design principles
EN ISO 14119 – Safety of machines – Interlocking devices associated with guards – Principles of design and choice;
EN ISO 14120 – Safety of machinery – Guards – General requirements for the design and construction of fixed and mobile guards.
EN 13480 – Metallic industrial piping
EN 13445 – Pressure vessels not subject to flame
ASME B31.3 – Process piping
ASME VIII – Rules for Construction of Pressure Vessels
Eurocodes

Our services include gap analysis, definition of corrective measures and management of necessary modifications.

A Multidisciplinary Approach

The performance of a machine depends on the interaction between several technical disciplines.

Projects are approached globally by integrating:

mechanical enginering;
electrical engineering;
automation;
robotics;
instrumentation;
manufacturing processes;
maintenance;
operation.

This approach makes it possible to identify the real causes of malfunctions and to implement the most effective solutions.

Typical Achievements

Optimization of automated manufacturing lines.
Modification of robotic systems to improve their availability.
Compliance of industrial equipment according to European and British requirements.
Reduction of downtime during development and ramp-up phases.
Improved productivity by modifying automated sequences and machine architecture.
Coordination of international projects involving manufacturers, integrators and production teams.

Our Commitment

Each project aims to achieve a balance between:

safety
performance
availability
maintainability
regulatory compliance
return on investment.

The objective is not only to design a compliant machine, but to provide efficient, reliable equipment adapted to the real needs of industrial operations.

Our Industrial Successes

⚛️ Extreme Engineering: High Temperature Furnace for the Nuclear Power of the Future

The Challenge: As part of the global strategic project Proryv (Rosatom), aiming to manufacture the first nuclear fuel of the type mixed uranium-plutonium nitride (MUPN), the industry was facing unprecedented technological obstacles. The process required continuous sintering at around 2000°C under highly controlled reactive atmospheres. At this extreme temperature, physicochemical reactions destroyed conventional refractory materials, creating multiple technical gray areas (thermal insulation, high temperature electrical insulation, control of gas flows).

The Impact: Through advanced fluid/thermal simulations (CFD), high temperature corrosion tests in the laboratory and close collaboration with the end customer’s research institutes, I rethought the selection of special refractory materials, optimized the architectures of complex heat insulators.

The Results: An undisputed world first. We designed and delivered the only MUPN continuous sintering furnace in the world, allowing us to reach a historic milestone with the successful production of the first 1,000 new generation fuel rods, paving the way for the closed nuclear cycle of the future.

⚡ Optimization of TABLAMI Equipment (Gigafactory)

Compliance and optimization of a TABLAMI machine for the manufacture of lithium-ion batteries

The Challenge: The strict application of European safety standards caused repeated sudden cuts in electricity and compressed air each time a door was opened for maintenance or adjustment. This rigid approach led to cascading micro-stoppages, heavily penalizing the overall availability of the line (OEE) and degrading the production rate (pieces per minute – ppm).

The Impact: By rigorously applying our 7-step methodology, we orchestrated a surgical retrofit: risk analysis (ISO 12100) and safety recalculation (ISO 13849 PL_r), functional analysis, local modification of the electromechanical architecture and updating of the intelligence of the automation systems.

The Results: Untimely stoppages have been largely eliminated in favor of a smooth and secure production cycle. Capacity increased from 1,000 to 6,000 cells per day in just three weeks after return to service, with stabilized performance at more than 13 ppm during intensive load ramp tests.

🤖 Automatic Heat Treatment Line: Brazing, Oxidation and Quenching (Industry 4.0)

The Challenge: Design for the Continental group (Emitec) the world’s first fully automated heat treatment line for automotive catalysts. The traditional process required multiple manual and dispersed loading/unloading steps between different furnaces (high-temperature vacuum brazing, oxidation, quenching), drastically limiting production rates.

The Impact: As lead designer (Lead Designer), I led the engineering and integration of this disruptive system:

Thermal Process Engineering: Overall design and integration of the vacuum brazing furnace (brazing furnace) and the oxidation furnace. In particular, I overcame digital modeling obstacles by developing complex CFD simulations in porous media, corrected by experimental data in the internal laboratory.
Sizing & Specifications: Choice of cutting-edge refractory materials (graphite composites, Nickel-based superalloys), thermal power calculations and full production of P&ID diagrams (selection and sizing of more than 200 valves and measuring instruments).
Robotization & Automation: Design of automatic operation sequences linking the vacuum system, loading and unloading systems and thermal cycle logic to eliminate human intervention.

The Results: A showcase project validated under German Industry 4.0 standards and deployed in production. This connected facility achieved a marked improvement in thermal stability and significant labor savings thanks to a continuous robotic flow.