A PLC-5 to ControlLogix conversion within 48 hours helped improve control and visibility for a food manufacturer’s conveyor system.

Challenge

Challenges arise when hardware and software become outdated. This was the case for a leading food manufacturer who needed modernized controls for their warehouse conveyor system. The existing Allen-Bradley PLC-5 hardware was obsolete and lacked modern communication protocol. The conveyor system also lacked HMIs to monitor processes, identify problems, and visualize data. Because of this, the customer sought the help of E Tech Group, an E Tech Group company, to upgrade their Allen-Bradley PLC-5 to the latest Rockwell Automation ControlLogix processor, integrate AVEVA InTouch HMI stations, and connect devices over an EtherNet/IP communication network.

Solution

E Tech Group was challenged to migrate the PLC system within 48 hours of planned downtime. E Tech Group worked closely with the customer to understand their existing system in detail and identified potential challenges that could occur before the PLC conversion. After this step was completed, E Tech Group proceeded with the Allen-Bradley PLC-5 to ControlLogix migration, overseeing the installation and testing. E Tech Group converted the existing PLC-5 logic to its Logix equivalent and connected the new ControlLogix processor to distributed, remote, and POINT I/O racks via EtherNet/IP communication network. Then the project team configured and connected devices with AVEVA InTouch HMI to provide conveyor line operators with better visualization capabilities.

Results

This upgrade provided the food manufacturer and its operators with greater control and visibility over their conveyor system, enabling efficient fault detection, improved PLC and HMI communication, data acquisition, and technical support from the manufacturer. With this migration project completed, the customer minimized their risk of downtime, enhanced conveyor performance, and strengthened their network communications.