The most cost-effective method is a retrofit compatibility upgrade, where new indexers are paired with adapter plates or sub-plates machined to match your existing setup. This allows you to upgrade only the motion device — not the entire machine base or weldment.
Upgrading an existing production line doesn’t always require a complete overhaul. With manufacturing costs rising, replacing just the motion system—rather than rebuilding the entire cell—can deliver fast ROI. Motion Index Drives specializes in supplying rotary indexers and complementary components engineered to drop into your existing setup with minimal modification through complementary components.
To solve these challenges, customers need plug-in compatible automation upgrades that fit existing dial plates, weldments, and bases without structural changes.
One of our customers had an indexer in service that needed to be replaced. Motion Index Drives offered our RTX900 3 stop fixed cam indexer package, with an adapter plate mounted to the output of our indexer. The adapter plate was machined with the identical hole pattern the original indexer had in its output flange. By supplying our indexer with the adapter plate, machined to match the hole pattern in the existing dial plate / fixture weldment, the End User could use the same structure without any alterations.
Result: Zero base modification, reduced cost, and minimal downtime.
After years of getting a competitors indexer rebuilt multiple times, this customer came to Motion Index Drives for help. Our solution was to supply our RT200 freely programmable indexer package complete with a sub-plate mounted to the feet of our RT200 indexer housing. The sub-plate was designed to match the foot pattern of the existing indexer. The new indexer bolted directly onto the customer’s existing base—no rework, no fabrication costs.
Result: Cleaner install, lower engineering cost, immediate performance boost.
To fully integrate with your line, Motion Index Drives offers engineered integration components that streamline assembly and reduce sourcing complexity:
Complementary Options Purpose
Adapter Plates & Sub-Plates Direct bolt-in compatibility
Machine Bases & Riser Weldments Structural support with correct height/alignment
Slip Rings & Rotary Unions Power Signal transfer without cable wrap issues
Top Dials & Tooling Frames Match tooling patterns for reuse
Motors, Reducers & Controls Ready-to-run packages with programming support
Robot Integration & Safety Lockouts Smooth automation sync with existing PLCs
Buying from a single engineering source reduces time spent in procurement, alignment, and validation—a critical factor when retrofitting live production lines.
Our process ensures seamless integration:
This approach allows manufacturers to upgrade performance without redesigning their entire station, saving thousands in labor, machining, and line downtime.
You don’t need to rebuild your line to upgrade performance. With adapter-engineered indexers, automation can be custom-fit to your existing platform — making integration both affordable and scalable.
Rob Litner
Sales Engineer
Motion Index Drives
