Maintaining Legacy Systems

June 14, 2011

Lessons we can learn from vendors on maintaining legacy systems for you and customers are:

Lessons we can learn from vendors on maintaining legacy systems for you and customers are:

  1. Keep it simple. When selecting parts and components for the machine control system, ask yourself if you will be able to obtain those parts five years from now. Choose interchangeable commodity parts whenever possible.
  2. Buy from reputable vendors. Buy parts and systems from vendors that give you guarantees of long-term support.
  3. Avoid the bleeding edge. The company out in front of the technology curve today might not be around five years from now. You probably want to make sure there are at least tow vendors offering whatever advanced technology you are considering.
  4. Use open technology. Avoid proprietary systems at all costs. Use Microsoft, Ethernet, fieldbus, and similar technologies that have multiple supporters. The days of custom, proprietary systems, networks and operating systems are over.
  5. Have a support plan. Market it. Your customers might be looking for the lowest cost, but it's good business to show them the benefits of buying a machine that has long-term support. Just like the big boys do.

Sponsored Recommendations

Why Electromechanical Actuators are Increasingly Replacing Hydraulic Systems

Are your heavy duty, automation applications tired of the mess, space, complexity, cost and other issues related to hydraulic systems? Converting to electromechanical linear actuators...

Validating and Optimizing Production Machinery

Join us on the path of efficient and digitalized production.

2025 State of Technology Report: Motors, Drives & Motion

Industrial motors account for a significant portion of energy costs. But reduced power spend isn’t the only advantage of using drives. And motor selection isn’t always...

Building a sustainable battery ecosystem with Jagenberg, Eirich and Siemens

Watch our one-hour on-demand webinar where industry leaders in the battery sector— Jagenberg Group, Eirich and Siemens- come together to forge the path towards a sustainable battery...