Checklist for old automation systems

    Hello everyone,

    I work at the factory where we have the old automation systems, and I should check the condition, technical documentation, software, etc. After that, we will decide where we need modernization in the future. I think, in the first, I need to create a checklist. Maybe someone has an example or can give me some advice about it. :help:

    Thanks in advance!

    Well, that's a bit of a tall order. And it'd be a checklist with many branches, depending on what decisions you make when you modernize. For example, if you decide to replace a robot but keep the welding unit that robot uses, then you have to ensure that your new robot can work with that welding unit, and is ordered with the correct options to enable the interaction.

    I suppose the first order of business would be to catalog:

    1. Each robot
    2. what that robot does (process)
      1. Spot welding, material handling, dispensing, etc
      2. What software/hardware options from the manufacturer the robot has to have for that process
        1. This is important, b/c it's a lot cheaper to buy with the robot, than to add it after the fact
    3. What that robot has to be capable of (physical model)
      1. how much weight is has to carry, how fast, where it has to fit into
      2. Environment -- dust, explosion risk, heat, washdown, etc
    4. What that robot has to connect to (both superior and subordinate equipment)
      1. And how
        1. This is, what kind of equipment the robot has to connect to (welders, dispensers, grippers, PLCs, safety circuits, etc), and how it's connected to them
        2. Safety connections and what network/busses are being used is vital to get right
      2. And what options the robot has to have installed to support that communication -- most robots can support many different communication options, but each one is a paid option.

    If you're not going to retain any of the old equipment, then Step 4 is somewhat less important. But if you're keeping any of the old gear, then you have to ensure that the new robot can connect to both the old gear, and any new gear being added. These days, it's not hard to buy a new robot that may not support some of the really old communication busses, and some newer equipment may no longer be available with obsolete bus options.

    Just as an example, let's say you keep the cell PLC, but replace the robot and the welder the robot controls. The robot and welder might use Ethernet/IP (modern), but an old PLC might only support, say, DeviceNet. If that's the case, you need to either add a DeviceNet option to your robot, or add a "bridge" device to translate between DN and EIP.

    Then there's communication options -- most brands support EIP, but you can often get tripped up, b/c they'll offer a cheaper "Device" option that only lets the robot be controlled by, say, a PLC, but doesn't support the robot acting as a "Scanner" to run its subordinate equipment.

    Some processes may require special option packages in the robot, hardware, software, or both. This varies wildly from brand to brand and process to process, so creating a comprehensive list of what you need before placing any orders is vital.

Advertising from our partners