New program from Schneider Electric Projects and Services gives performance enhancements without disruption.
Schneider Electric Projects and Services now offers users of legacy Telemecanique Series 7 PLCs the opportunity to conveniently upgrade their systems to current standards. The new Telemecanique Modicon Advance Program enables users of Series 7 units installed between 1984 and 1995 in large numbers, to significantly enhance their systems and thereby optimise their automation systems with minimum disruption.
Benefits of the program include performance improvements, enhanced reliability, easier plant modification and extension, better spares availability and the opportunity to take advantage of the latest technologies. All of these are achieved while fully protecting existing automation investment.
To ensure an optimum match for the client’s requirements and budget, both partial and complete upgrades are offered. In either case, an appropriate model from the latest TSX57 Unity Premium range replaces the controller itself. The existing Series 7 user programs are ported to the Unity platform, which is common to all of the company’s current PLC products. This provides immediate performance gains, while allowing the existing proven applications to be retained.
With partial upgrades, the Series 7 input/output hardware is used in conjunction with the new controller. This avoids the need for wiring modifications, which minimises the time required to carry out the upgrade work, as well as the costs involved. For full upgrades, the input/output hardware is also replaced. Although this involves additional work, it means that the installation is completely upgraded to the latest standards.
As part of its asset optimisation offer, the PLC upgrade is based on a series of structured steps, which start with an examination of the existing situation and the objectives to be achieved. This is followed by a detailed analysis of the technical aspects of the existing architecture, and identification of the alternative target architectures appropriate to the application. The final steps involve drawing up a modernisation plan, and network validation. This methodical approach minimises the risk of problems, while maximising the scope for functionality and performance enhancements.