Page 36 - Packaging News Sep-Oct 2020

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LINE INTEGRATION & AUTOMATION | www.packagingnews.com.au | September-October 2020
Migrating legacy control systems
Could manufacturers learn a lesson from holding on to older technology? Here, John Young, APAC director at industrial equipment supplier EU Automation, discusses the benefits of bringing legacy control systems into the fourth industrial revolution.
years later. When the PLC was invented in the late 1960s, it was built to give manufacturers better insight into plant processes. This need has changed little in subsequent years. Real-time machine control is still nec- essary, but new technologies mean older PLCs may lag.
Are these legacy systems destined for the scrap heap? Not necessarily, they just need to be able to monitor more processes. It is clear that each industry has its own set of monitor- ing requirements. A water utility may be required to monitor the health of its phonelines to ensure they’re working in case of an emer- gency. A packaging facility that uses injection moulding may need data on the speed of its machines.
While control systems such as the PLC won’t be made redundant any time soon, their capabilities need to extend to manage these increased data requirements.
SMARTEN UP
Manufacturers may need support to take their control systems into the future. Modern PLCs often come with an Ethernet interface, which older or less expensive systems do not have. Instead, many legacy sys- tems adopt a range of serial commu- nications and proprietary protocols that may lack interoperability.
This can make any modifications that integrate add-on IoT connectivity complex, but this does not mean it’s impossible. A converter that can interact with and extract sensor data from PLCs, and then communicate this data to external systems, could be employed. The converter acts as an IoT edge node that can communicate data to the cloud through an IoT gateway.
CONNECTING THE UNCONNECTED
Control systems are not the only leg- acy equipment that needs an upgrade. If we think of a common piece of equipment, such as a motor, its technology has not changed sig- nificantly for a century. Motors are simple, so it’s tempting to think that they operate without problems.
However, motors are energy- intensive and maintaining their
TODAY, it is unlikely that you would see somebody going about their morning commute on a penny-far- thing. But, advances in technol- ogy and the need for portable transport mean the 19th century bicycle is making a comeback.
The cyclopic is an electric, fold- able, compact bike. The invention takes inspiration from the penny- farthing. Its handles are fixed upon the larger front wheel, and the back wheel folds inwards so the bike can fit into a portable bag that rolls along. The cyclopic offers a space-saving, lightweight solution to city travel.
While manufacturers don’t use equipment that has been around as long as the original penny-farthing, most facilities still rely on older equipment. As the first generation of factory automation comes to an end, the future of many control systems may seem bleak. A 2019 survey car- ried out by Dell Technologies found that 91 per cent of midsize and larger
organisations face major hurdles to digital transformation. The notion that these organisations should scrap their legacy systems in favour of new infrastructure is impractical. Instead, manufacturers should consider how their existing equipment can connect to the Internet of Things (IoT).
OUT WITH THE OLD?
“The programmable controller’s time was right. It invented itself because there was a need for it, and other peo- ple had that same need.” Those are the words of Dick Morley, the father of the programmable logic controller (PLC) as he reflected on his invention, 40
Manufacturers should consider how their existing equipment can connect to the Internet of Things.”