Demanding market conditions have forced manufacturers globally to pursue maximal productivity and protect their capital investments, which include automation components, software and systems. In addition, companies aim to be more environmentally friendly, translating into safely disposing of old equipment and salvaging where possible.
Rockwell Automation offers its customers a long-term strategy, the StepForward programme, to help optimise equipment for a competitive advantage, while extending a host of cost-related benefits. This programme applies to most capital value items, such as PLCs, variable speed drives, servo controllers, electronic soft starters, motor protection devices and even software.
“Only one day of downtime due to equipment failure can cost a company substantially, besides creating unsafe working conditions. An important aspect of our StepForward programme is its focus on the value of customers’ current architecture and the assistance provided in managing it,” says Sean Homan, business manager control systems, Rockwell Automation.
As products mature, Rockwell Automation works with its customers to make sure that they get the most value from their existing equipment, to help determine subsequent steps and draw up a seamless transition plan to newer technology. This is done through lifecycle services, and Rockwell Automation offers: risk identification, which entails assessing the installed base with lifecycle analysis; risk mitigation, which entails the signing of a lifecycle service contract designed to maximise life of discontinued plant-floor automation; and risk elimination, which comprises using migration planning support services.
“Our primary aim is to extend the active phase of our products, and we keep the migration path in mind already during design. Some of our controllers and I/O products boast lifecycles exceeding 30 years,” says Homan. Details of impending product retirement are communicated timeously to help plan and manage migration of existing equipment to updated Rockwell Automation products, to allow customers to benefit from new technology, lower cost and increased productivity.
“With the financial savings this programme offers, customers have more money to roll back into other aspects of their facilities. It should serve as a strong motivation to invest in our brand and we are truly proud of the win-win situation it presents for our customers,” concludes Homan.
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