PLC & CONTROL SYSTEM UPGRADES
Got an under-performing servo motor?
When the machine is sound but the control system is not
Plenty of machines on South African factory floors are mechanically fine and still earning their keep, but are run by a PLC that nobody supports any more. Spares come off the second-hand market, the original programmer has long since moved on, and often there is no current drawing of what is actually in the panel. Motion Tronic migrates those machines onto current PLC and HMI platforms, with the documentation to go with them, so the next fault is something your own team can diagnose.
Control platforms we work with
We programme and commission Siemens, Mitsubishi, Allen-Bradley and Fanuc control systems, among others, and have migrated machines from obsolete platforms onto current ranges including the Siemens S7 family and the Mitsubishi iQ-R series. Where drives form part of the control system we work with Inovance, Baumüller, ABB, Lenze, Yaskawa, SEW-Eurodrive and Allen-Bradley.
What a control system upgrade involves
We start by establishing what the machine actually does, which on an undocumented system means tracing the panel rather than trusting the drawings. From there we specify the replacement PLC, HMI and I/O, produce new electrical drawings in EPLAN P8 with full wire numbering and referencing, build and install the panel, write and test the logic, and commission the machine. Where a line has grown piecemeal over the years, this is also the point at which separate sections can be properly synchronised instead of relying on the operator to co-ordinate them. This is the control layer specifically — for drive and mechanical modernisation see our retrofits service.
Why partner with us?
Control system migrations go wrong in predictable ways. Here is how we avoid them:
We document what we build
Every upgrade leaves you with current electrical drawings produced in EPLAN P8, properly wire-numbered and referenced, so the panel can be maintained by someone who was not there when it was built.
Planned around your shutdown
Most of this work happens on machines that cannot simply stop. We pre-build and pre-test as much as possible off-site so the time your machine is actually down is as short as the job allows.
Mechanical and electrical under one roof
We design and build machines as well as control systems, so where an upgrade needs guarding, mounting or mechanical modification it does not become a second contractor and a second schedule.
What makes us unique?
Five things worth knowing about the way we approach control system upgrades:
We take the whole project from a single source, from tracing the existing panel through to commissioning.
We hand over current, accurate electrical documentation rather than leaving the panel undocumented.
We migrate obsolete PLCs onto current platforms without replacing a mechanically sound machine.
We build the mechanical side in-house when the upgrade calls for it.
We hold stock locally and offer a priority service when a machine is down.
Frequently asked questions
A few questions we are asked regularly about PLC and control system upgrades:
Our PLC still works. Why would we migrate it?
Usually because of what happens when it stops working. If the platform is obsolete, a failure means hunting second-hand parts while the machine stands, and the logic may exist only in one person’s memory. Migrating while the machine is running is a planned job; doing it after a failure is not.
Do you have the original program if ours is lost?
Not for someone else’s machine, but a lost program is a common starting point rather than a blocker. We establish the machine’s sequence from the plant, the panel and the process, and write and test new logic against it. The result is a system that is documented from the outset.
Can you upgrade the PLC without replacing the drives and motors?
Yes, and often that is the sensible scope. The control layer can be migrated while keeping serviceable drives and motors in place, provided the interfaces are compatible. We will tell you where the existing hardware is worth keeping and where it is holding the machine back.
Can you add HMI or SCADA visibility to an older machine?
Yes. Adding an HMI during a migration is straightforward, and we have linked plant back to a control room over wireless where cabling was impractical. We also design and build our own remote monitoring hardware for tank levels, pump control and general factory IIoT.
How long does a control system upgrade take?
It depends entirely on the scope, and on how much of the existing system is documented. What we can plan around is your shutdown window, by pre-building and pre-testing off-site. We have completed full drive and control upgrades, including commissioning, inside three days where the machine was critical.
Where are you located?
The Motion Tronic headquarters is located within Unit E2, 14 Henred Road, New Germany, KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa. Our postal address is P.O. BOX 2329, Pinetown, 3600. We support plants nationally and travel to site.