General Manufacturing5 min read

Legacy Machine Replacement

From a 1983 Illig to a modern PF1-X — 40% throughput increase

Machine: PF1-X-1210Material: Various thermoplasticsRegion: Netherlands
Legacy Machine Replacement

The Challenge

A Dutch manufacturer had been running a 1983 Illig thermoforming machine for over 42 years. While the machine had served reliably, maintenance visits became increasingly frequent, downtime crept into the schedule, and manual sheet loading became a bottleneck. The company needed to modernize without disrupting their established production workflows.

The Solution: PF1-X-1210

Machinecraft delivered the PF1-X-1210 as a direct "swap-in" upgrade — designed to fit the existing factory footprint while dramatically improving performance.

Key Technical Specifications

Forming Area1200 x 1000 mm
DriveFully servo-driven
HeatingDual-sided IR quartz
ControlMitsubishi PLC + HMI
ChamberClosed design with pre-blow + vacuum profiling
Sheet LoadingAutomatic

Performance Comparison: Before vs After

MetricOld Machine (1983)PF1-X-1210
Throughput14–16 sheets/hour20–22 sheets/hour
Improvement+40%
Drive SystemMechanicalFull servo
HeatingSingle-sidedDual-sided IR quartz
Energy EfficiencyBaseline20–25% reduction
Sheet LoadingManualAutomatic

The Outcome

The replacement delivered a 40% increase in throughput while cutting energy consumption by 20–25%. The transition was designed to be painless — each project starts with a free Week-Zero Audit measuring current performance, and new systems are delivered CE-ready, often producing parts within 72 hours of installation. The old machine was accepted as a trade-in.

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