Why is Retrofitting and Upgradation of Control System Necessary
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Control System Retrofits and Upgradation
Retrofitting refers to the addition of new technology or features to older systems. At CoreSystems, we understand that your control system may not be in great working order. CoreSystems has the ability to upgrade and retrofit modern technology and equipment to your existing system.
Why is Retrofitting and Upgradation of Control System Necessary?
Retrofitting provides you with the ease of use and reliability of fresh new equipment at little of the expense. Many times, it is very cost effective for the customer to retrofit a machine with new controls rather than buy a new machine. Spare parts are readily available and less expensive than outdated components.
Modern HMI (Human Machine Interface) technology can store machine parameters, saving thousands of dollars in setup and changeover time and can display alarm conditions, making troubleshooting and service easier. Every industrial control panels are completely wired and checked before delivery, thus decreasing start-up time. All retrofit solutions include updated electrical schematics.
By upgrading to a better system, it gives CoreSystem the ability to monitor your building remotely and allows us to prevent, diagnose and assist in solutions to problems without having to be onsite. Therefore, saving down time and money for our clients.
Many times, it is very cost effective for the customer to retrofit a machine with new controls rather than buy a new machine. Raise your uptime by fixing consistent, current industrial electronic systems. With better control and accuracy, you will have less waste, reduced labor costs, and better data acquisition from every unit in your line.
What is Done During Retrofitting and Upgradation of Control System?
Make an objective review of the situation and decide on your target schedule. Hopefully, you haven’t waited until the last minute and you have at least a 6 to 9-month window for an average size system conversion. The bigger the system, the additional time you will require to plan, develop, prepare, program, install, integrate and test the replacement system.
You then need to assess your current information:
- Do you have the PLC program or is it an OEM system that is proprietary with no back-up copy?
- Whether you own AutoCAD drawings, current wiring diagrams, training manuals, operator manuals, or any document that recognizes the system architecture?
- In what condition are the computers and panels?
- Are the wire labels well marked and legible? What is the operating system?
- Is there a demarcation point, such as a separate termination block, where the field wiring is landed?
- What is the business case for the upgrade? Is there cost justification?
- The more information and documentation you have will directly reduce the time “recreating” the system program and application.
To perform engineering commissioning and work included in an upgrade in a short time, all gears are not upgraded in block; in its place, a phased upgrading is performed. In regards to the phased upgrading, the upgrades of all the equipment are split up and performed in several set inspection periods; consequently, the required capital investment per inspection is reduced. Even though performing the upgrade can reduce the total amount of investment, optimization is attained depending on the inventiveness of the upgrading sequence.
The following three points are evaluated in three separate steps:
- Level of importance of equipment
The upgrade is arranged to begin from equipment that is moreover really hard or impractical to function the plant in the case that parts in that equipment gets old and operate wrong.
- Rebuilt dimensions of gears other than that upgraded
To upgrade existing equipment, temporarily upgrading equipment that is to be upgraded in the next. There are numerous ways that can be selected for by the end user while determining an upgrade. Most of the DCS OEMs have already designed their upgrade paths accordingly. One of the easiest way is to substitute every current DCSs at the same time—along with all human-machine interfaces (HMIs), input/output (I/O) modules, control hardware etc. This way may appear simpler to arrange, but it possess few factors like reduced efficiency of operational staff as they have to switch to newer systems in one go, longer downtime and so on inspection period or later is wasteful; therefore, an upgrade sequence that gives rise to a little temporary work as possible is set up.
- Finishing upgrading work and enough testing in the arranged inspection test interval
An upgrading sequence that permits finishing of upgrading work and satisfactory testing in the predetermined inspection test period was exhibited. Because unlike simple upgradation, the phased plan requires proof testing of elements that are newly accepted in widening of the automation scope. There are episodes in which old and new networks survive together. Hence, prevailing pieces of gear and the gateways for conveying their communications should be established as a short-term equipment until the whole upgrading is finished.
