January 28, 2025

A migration process you can trust: Our 4 steps to migrating your PLC-5

Once you’ve decided to upgrade your PLC-5, it’s time to select an integration partner to complete your technology shift. At InnoTech Engineering, we have experience completing successful migrations using our process that our client’s understand and trust. We deliver their solution on time and within budget, all the while putting our client’s needs first and keeping them informed.

Migrations come in all shapes and sizes; a smaller one can take just a few months, whereas a larger one can take around two years. This all depends on factors like whether it’s an online migration (while the plant is running) or an outage (during a shutdown), how many IO there are, the complexity of configuration, whether an HMI migration is part of the scope, and of course the magnitude of budget constraints.

1. FEED, planning, and study

Client involvement: Medium

We begin by planning an assessment study of your site. We visit your site and take inventory of existing PLC-5 hardware, what they’re connected to and communicating with, and software that will require migration. We consult with the client to determine where field wiring will be terminated.

Then, we outline priorities based on safety needs, financial capability, and priorities discussed with the client. This determines the order of migration. The client’s site documentation (shutdown keys, control narrative, logic narrative, etc.) is collected for use during configuration and construction, to ensure these are completed according to their standards.

Inaccurate or non-existent documentation makes the migration process much more challenging.  Creating or as-building documentation up front reduces the risk of errors and may be something we recommend adding to the scope.

With all this information collected, we can make a recommendation for replacement systems and provide a high-level cost estimate for the migration.

2. Detail design and configuration

Client involvement: Medium

After reviewing the client’s electrical standards for construction, we can begin evaluating hardware options for cabinet design. The point-of-demolition determined by the client in the stage prior also helps to determine whether the swing arm method or conducting newbuilds, is more beneficial.

An important step at this stage is determining the network requirements.  By understanding the existing network communication paths, we can determine which networks can remain and which need to be updated. This ensures that the new system will communicate with all the same systems as before.

Control system logic conversion involves translating the current code to the new controller language, whether automated or done manually. With a manual conversion, the client’s PLC programming standard is used (if they have one), to ensure that the system functions the same, and uses the same programming language as other systems, across their sites. If the client does not have, want, or need a standard, and if they are migrating between Allen-Bradley systems, then this conversion can be automated with the conversion tool.

Then, we complete the configuration.

3. Testing and commissioning

Client involvement: Medium/Low

This stage involves developing a testing plan, conducting the FAT and SAT, validation, and then commissioning and starting up the system.

Developing the testing plan involves:

  • Determining the method for how testing will be conducted.
  • Letting the client know what our process will look like and what documentation will be used (shutdown key, control narrative, etc.).
  • Debugging the configuration and validating the logic and sequencing against the documentation to ensure that it works as defined.

If all the interlocks are functioning as defined, the configuration is confirmed.

The construction and installation of the electrical scope; panels, cabinets, wiring, and tie-ins of field wiring occur in parallel with the testing and validation phase.

Then it is time to start the system up. This can be a cumbersome process, since initiating start-up often requires by-passing logic and creating impairments to allow equipment to warm up.

4. As-builds and close out

Client involvement: Low

As-builds are an important final step, because the initial design is based on theory, but the actual state may not be reflected. Any redlines and revisions need to be finalized, then the completed as-build is submitted as a project deliverable.  The last step to close out the project is to meet with the client and go over lessons learned for what worked well and what can be improved for the next time.

Conclusion

With a project as complex as a PLC-5 migration, it is important to consider all the options to ensure that everything required for getting your system reconfigured and back in business, is completed. InnoTech has experience executing many successful migrations using our streamlined process that keeps you informed the whole way through.

Read more about our PLC migrations, download our guide to modernizing obsolescent PLC-5s in industrial facilities (below), or talk to one of our experts today!

Talk to one of our experts