Can I apply for an invention patent if I change the equipment that originally needed manual operation into automatic operation?

To apply for a patent for invention, three conditions must be met: novelty, creativity and practicality.

At first glance, your patent is a transformation of the existing technology, which fails to fully meet the requirements of applying for a patent for invention. Unless you can further innovate on the existing basis, it will be difficult to pass the substantive examination.

Now you can reduce your financial pressure by slowing down the procedures, or you can find subsidies from relevant institutions after applying.