Lifecycle service helps plant managers with legacy automation 24 March 2011

Rockwell Automation is offering plant managers a new level of support minimise the risk of obsolescence.

Lonnie Morris, senior manager, Rockwell Automation, says the firm's new Lifecycle Service Agreement is designed to identify and mitigate risks and deal with resulting financial consequences, due, for example, to unplanned downtime when spare parts or speedy repair are unavailable.

"There are many companies around the globe who rely on legacy systems to meet today's production demands, either because they don't have the capital to upgrade or because there are simply too many outdated systems to address all at once," comments Morris.

"In fact, [the analyst] ARC Advisory Group recently reported that 88% of process manufacturers acknowledge the use of automation beyond the manufacturer's obsolescence date," she adds.

For Morris, the point is that, while some obsolete products work well, Rockwell's Lifecycle Service Agreement give manufacturers peace of mind "by maximising the life of their automation investment until they are able to migrate to current technology".

In fact, he describes the service providing "intensive care" for legacy automation products – with 'Reserved Repair', 'Remote Support' and 'On-Site Support' for discontinued automation products.

Brian Tinham

Related Companies
Rockwell Automation UK Ltd

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