While you may currently be up and running without concern or issue, what’s your plan to service an obsolete controller? Could its failure bring your business to a halt? This may seem like a far-fetched situation, but many machine shops are crippled by controller failure. This typically happens in shops leveraging outdated hardware which is no longer supported. Often times resources are spent attempting to locate a used controller or a product on the secondary market. Do you want to put your business in a position where…
- Manhours are spent attempting to repair a controller while your machines sits idle.
- Typically productive employees sit on the sidelines waiting for a replacement.
- Your employees attempt to tackle the replacement on their own, only to find they lack the knowledge and expertise to properly fix the issue.
- Department heads scour the internet in search for a used controller as a band-aid for what will become a recurring problem down the line.
All of these activities will negatively impact the profitability and output of your organization! It is not a matter of “if” but rather a concern of “when” you’ll find yourself in this situation if you’re not planning in advance.
Common models which fall into this category are the Allen-Bradley 8- or 9-series, as well as older GE / FANUC CNC controllers.
We have experience converting these older controllers to Allen-Bradley PNC which can interpret CNC code. Many suppliers provide documentation making this seem like a simple process conversion, however it is a highly complex process from a PLC code perspective. Make sure you’re working with a trusted integrator possessing the proper knowledge to handle this conversion.
Let’s Get Connected