Maintenance and Fault-Finding on Existing Automation Systems
ASSESS AND CORRECT.
Industrial electrical and automated control systems are designed for reliable operation, but equipment condition, component age, environmental exposure and changing production requirements can affect performance over time. PLC hardware, instrumentation, variable speed drives, communications, control panels and field equipment may require inspection, maintenance, modification or replacement during the operating life of a plant.
Overberg Industrial Control provides maintenance and systematic fault-finding services for existing industrial automation and control systems, including systems originally designed or installed by third parties. Our engineering scope may include PLCs, HMI and SCADA systems, VSDs, process instrumentation, industrial communications, motor controls and associated electrical control equipment.
When a system fails, the visible symptom is not always the source of the problem. An unexplained plant stop may originate from a field instrument, interlock condition, communication failure, drive trip, damaged cable, electrical component or mechanical equipment fault rather than the PLC itself. OIC assesses the complete control path to identify the underlying cause and determine the appropriate corrective action.
Maintenance of Existing Control Systems
Control-system maintenance helps identify developing problems before they cause a localised equipment failure or plant-wide breakdown. The maintenance requirement will depend on the age, complexity and operating environment of the system. A control panel in a clean indoor environment may require a different maintenance approach from equipment exposed to heat, dust, moisture, vibration or corrosive conditions.
Maintenance work should be planned around the operating requirements of the plant. Some checks can be completed while the system is running, while others may require equipment isolation or a planned production shutdown.
Maintenance services may include:
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PLC hardware inspection
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Control-panel inspection
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Electrical connection checks
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Instrument and signal verification
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VSD and motor-control inspection
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Industrial communication checks
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HMI and SCADA system review
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Alarm and event review
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PLC and HMI software backups
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Inspection of power supplies and protection devices
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Review of equipment fault histories
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Identification of obsolete components
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Verification of control-system documentation
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Testing of selected operating sequences
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Review of recurring plant faults
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Recommendations for repairs, upgrades or replacement equipment
Discuss Your Maintenance or Fault-Finding Requirement
Effective fault diagnosis begins with a clear description of the failure, the equipment affected and the operating conditions at the time. When contacting Overberg Industrial Control, provide the plant location, installed PLC or control platform, relevant alarm messages, photographs of the control panel and any available software backups or electrical drawings.
Please also indicate whether the system is completely stopped, operating at reduced capacity or experiencing an intermittent fault. Information about recent maintenance, equipment replacement, process changes or PLC modifications can help narrow the initial investigation and identify the engineering resources required.