Avoiding Obsolescence Risk in Your Industrial Control System
Automation systems don’t last forever and eventually they will start to show the signs of aging. And let’s face it, baby boomers are retiring at a rapid rate, taking with them legacy “tribal” knowledge. The question for many companies with these older systems is how they will address obsolescence risk when hardware or software becomes outdated. We work with our clients to evaluate the best option for their specific needs, whether it is modernizing with retrofitting, upgrading the entire system or cross migrating using newer technology. In the hands of an experienced controls engineer, today’s retrofitting capabilities and control systems are simply awesome, delivering more security and integrating seamlessly into your current process.
Simple, Cost-Effective PLC Retrofit Solutions
When you rely on older PLC controls, most of the components of the controls have already been discontinued or are hard to find. Downtime could become a real problem in a situation like that. This is when retrofitting is the solution. Retrofitting is the practice of upgrading old components with new components, thus creating a more stable system foundation and potentially improving the performance of the machine.
Starting with identifying your organizational goals and technical needs, Live Automation can provide you with everything you need for a seamless retrofit. We’ll help you select equipment that will give you the best outcome, and then we’ll engineer, install and commission the system.
Depending on your needs, different components can be used and we can replace old drives with new, more efficient drives that offer more features. We can also replace existing membrane keypad HMI with touchscreen HMI, which you’ll find are easier to modify and take up less space. And if there is ever a need for buttons, we can add those too.
Benefits of Retrofitting
With the realization that your hardware and software are aging or have become obsolete, your first reaction may be that a complete industrial control system overhaul is needed. However, after reviewing your control system, retrofitting, opposed to utilizing obsolete components or committing to an entirely new system, may be an option that provides you with the following:
- LESS EXPENSIVE REPAIRS:If you need to repair, it is cheaper and easier to find replacements when the parts are still being distributed and technically supported. If you get caught with parts that are too old to replace, you’re at risk for excessive and expensive downtime.
- SMALLER FOOTPRINT: Newer components tend to be smaller, saving valuable panel space.
- ENERGY EFFICIENCY: New components are more energy efficient than older components.
- IMPROVED PERFORMANCE: Improved functionality is often the result of a retrofit. During the retrofit Live Automation can address your “punch list” of process optimization tasks.
Upgrading or Migrating PLC and HMI Systems
When an upgrade to your current system or a migration to a new platform is inevitable to insure long term success, our ability to work on numerous automation platforms sets us apart from other integration partners. No matter what PLC platform you leverage, we are expertly prepared to support your needs by maintaining software licenses and trained experts for nearly all current and legacy PLC platforms, including:
- Allen-Bradley/Rockwell Automation (SLC150, SLC500, PLC-2, PLC-5, CompactLogix, Contrologix)
- Siemens (S5, S7, TIA-Portal)
- Omron (NX, NJ, CS, CJ)
- Schneider/Modicon
- GE Intelligent Platforms
- Automation Direct (Click, DirectLogic, Productivity, Do-More)
- Mitsubishi (Q Series, F Series, L Series)
- And many more
Retrofitting and Upgrading Systems in Your Industry
Our goal is to help companies reach their productivity and performance targets through our retrofitting services. We have successfully executed retrofits and upgrades for a wide variety of industries, including:
- Medical
- Textile
- Waste Water
- Food and Beverage
- Security & Detention
- Pulp and Paper
- And Many More!
How Can We Help?
Whether you’re looking for a complete modernization or phased migration, we can help you. Don’t let the obsolescence of your industrial control systems risk unplanned downtime, high repair costs, limited network options, increase in production errors and even the safety of your staff. There is a fit to your needs. Call us at (866) PLC-GUYS.