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From MS-DOS software to today's control systems: Emmetitech in the revamping of steel automation in Terni
An Emmetitech case of modernization of control systems: analysis of existing logic, updating Siemens PLC systems and migration of MS-DOS software, with activities planned around production needs.
The project in summary
The revamping of steel automation by Emmetitech has covered more production lines of a ternane plant: updating of Siemens PLC systems, analysis of existing control logic and migration of programs developed in MS-DOS environment, up to the start in the field.
The main constraint was to operate on an operating system, coordinating the changes with the available stop windows and preserving the compatibility with the plant parts not yet affected by the interventions.
Terni and steel: over 140 years in the same place
On 10 March 1884 the Società degli Alti Forni, Fonderie and Acciaierie di Terni was born, commissioned by entrepreneur Vincenzo Stefano Breda. Since then the history of the city is linked to that of steel, to the point that Terni is known as the city of steel
Over 140 years of history means expanded and modified plants in different periods, where technologies installed decades away must continue to work together.
The challenge: control systems of different generations
Over time, in steel plants, control architecture includes PLCs of different families, logic developed by different suppliers and software made according to today’s standards. As long as it works, coexistence holds; the problem arises when part of the plant is updated, expanded or integrated with the rest.
Before touching a line it is necessary to understand the dependencies between the systems, to reconstruct the behavior of the existing logics and to define a migration sequence compatible with the productive constraints.
MS-DOS Software and Legacy Systems: Risk is Not Working
In the project there were control programmes developed in the MS-DOS environment: a completely normal choice for the installations of the eighties and nineties, and still widespread in the heavy industry.
This kind of software, as long as it turns, does its job. The risks are elsewhere:
- Parts and legacy hardware: Industrial PCs, cards and old generation components are difficult to find in times compatible with production. A banal failure can become a long stop.
- Support and compatibility: software and dated operating systems do not receive updates and require specific verifications to dialogue with networks, peripherals and current systems.
- Know-how concentrated: the operation depends on historical code, often incomplete documentation and skills present in a few people.
- Complex integration: Connect legacy systems to supervision, data collection or management applications requires dedicated interfaces that become a fragile point.
Revamping is used to reduce this risk without losing the process functions that the plant must continue to ensure.
The Emmetitech approach to revamping steel automation
Understand before editing
Before intervening on logic, the work started from the analysis of the real functioning of the lines: sequences, process conditions, exchanged signals and dependencies with the plant parts intended to remain in operation.
Migrate by stages
On a plant that produces, integral replacement in a single solution is not feasible. The activities were organized for later stages, concentrating the most invasive interventions in the available stop windows and checking the changes before commissioning.
Managing the transition
During a progressive migration the updated systems must continue to dialogue with the not yet replaced parts. The continuity of interfaces and process functions must therefore be ensured throughout the project, phase after phase.
Competence Siemens
Emmetitech is Siemens Solution Partner: the migration of Siemens legacy PLC systems to current platforms is part of the certified skills on which the company works daily.
Emmetitech activities
- Line analysis and automation: verification of the logic of control and intervention on the production lines covered by the project.
- Siemens PLC update: migration from legacy Siemens control systems to current platforms, keeping the necessary process functions.
- Migration of MS-DOS software: transfer of control functions to supported environments, preserving the behavior required by the system.
- Activities in the field: FAT and SAT, functional tests, commissioning, start and support to the plant staff.
The operational benefits
- Less risk of stopping: less dependence on hardware and software that the market no longer supports.
- Newly integrated system: the current platforms dialogue with supervision, data collection and business systems without improvised interfaces.
- Knowledge recovered: the analysis of existing logic returns an updated documentation of what the system really does, reducing dependence on a few people.
- Impact on production: planning for phases takes advantage of the already planned stops instead of imposing new ones.
Modernizing a historical plant does not mean remaking it
In the steel revamping the goal is not to replace everything that is old, but to intervene on points that generate risk, obsolescence or difficulty of integration, maintaining what is still reliable.
It is the least visible work of industrial automation, and is what allows a factory with over 140 years of history to be competitive today.
Do you have legacy control systems to upgrade?
Emmetitech supports steel and manufacturing companies in automation revamping, migration of PLC systems and legacy software and related electrical engineering activities, even on operating systems.
