PLC programming software workarounds

not baiting

I'm not baiting anyone...let me get that out first of all.

The simple fact of the matter is that most plants are a
broken wire or crashed hard drive away from a crisis,
at least in the short term.

I've submitted an abstract for PowerGen 2003 on this topic, and
really believe that most people are unaware as to the
real dangers out there. Anybody who went through the
Y2K scare realized just how fragile these areas are.

Peter's right...if PC's (and their operating systems) were
stable and as long lasting as the PLC's, this would be a
short thread.

The simple fact is that we are sitting on piles of aging and
proprietary hardware and software, which is supported at
various levels.

Heck, I remember when WordPerfect 5.0 came out.... I knew
a guy who wanted to upgrade from version 2.0.. WordPerfect
had no-one on staff who 'remembered' version 2.0.

Lyndon LaRouche calls this 'institutional memory', in politics.
Of course, in politics, IM is about 25 years. In PLCs, its about 10.

I have start PLC-programming in 1978 and PLC-program-commands are very nearly the same today than 25 years ago. Operating systems have changed from CPM/DOS to Linux/WinXP dozens of times. For us biggest problem is RS232C handler changes from DOS to NT/XP, programs it self works (in command-console) but not serial-interface, who did it ?

Softwares check revisions only, and not work even they can handle all properties. Fe. load old program file by newer developper and save it only, you can't open it anymore by older developper.
Dear developper developpers, please time-stamp all command by last revision who can handle it and search from file are there any greather revision than developper-self is !

Great Comments!

So, what's wrong with retrofits and upgrading?

Many of us in this forum have seen our buisness' take a shift from new systems to retrofits. In everyone of my personal cases envolving retrofiting / upgrading, we increased out customers saftey, production, and ease of maintenance.

With all that said, I figured about an average ROI (Return On Investment) of less than 6 months for our customers. A good ROI is considered to be 1-2 years on any equipment.

There have been many good points in this thread but there seems to be a little apprehension regarding change and cost. IMHO change is a very good thing if you let it be.

Chris