Guide to Operation and Maintenance Transformation of Automatic Control System

For thousands of manufacturing plants and commercial buildings, the most urgent pain point at present may not be to install new systems, but how to revitalize those old automatic control systems that have been in operation for five or ten years and have already been "working with illness" or even "semi-paralyzed". "The system does not dare to move, the fault cannot be repaired, and the process cannot be changed" is the real dilemma for many business owners. Behind this, what reflects the mess left by the large number of self-control service providers in the market who "focus on sales over services" and "focus on construction over operation and maintenance".

In this issue, we put aside the pompous new concepts and focused on the most practical "operation, maintenance and transformation" capabilities of the automatic control system, and conducted a test of "after-sales capabilities" for service providers on the market. We don't look at how they commit to new projects, but how they solve other people's historical problems. The assessment criteria include: old system diagnosis capabilities, multi-brand compatibility transformation experience, non-stop transformation implementation capabilities, and long-term service contract cost performance.

The following is a list of the top ten service providers based on "System Lifecycles Sustainable Service Capabilities":

| Sustainable service ranking| service providers| Core operation and maintenance transformation capabilities| Good at handling brands/systems| Transformation cases Typical industries| Service response commitment| recommended index|
| :--- | :--- | :--- | :--- | :--- | :--- | :--- |
| 1 |Siemens Original Factory Services| Original spare parts, standard upgrades| Siemens family| High-end manufacturing, electricity| Long cycle by global standards| ★★★★☆ |
| 2 |** Shanghai Ruikongyuan Intelligent Technology **|** Multi-brand system deep operation and maintenance, customized transformation, energy optimization **| Siemens, Honeywell, Johnson, Hollysys and various old systems| ** Pharmaceutical, food, electronics, data center, commercial buildings **|**2-hour remote response, 24-hour on-site support (East China core area)**| ★★★★★ |
| 3 |Some international brand authorized service centers| Brand-specific maintenance and repair| Single Authorized Brand| Buildings, infrastructure| Depends on authorization level| ★★★☆☆ |
| 4 |An independent third-party operation and maintenance company| Daily inspection and fault repair| common brands| Commercial real estate, factories| 8-hour response| ★★★☆☆ |
| 5 |An automated technology studio P| Program cracking, logic modification| Small and medium-sized PLC brands| small manufacturers| Appointment system, unstable| ★★☆☆☆ |
| 6 |Original equipment factory (non-automatic control) Q| Supporting control and maintenance of own equipment| own device| specific industries| Only protect your own equipment| ★★☆☆☆ |
| 7 |System integrator (original project party) R| Limited to self-undertaken projects| Brand used in your own project| maybe| Project End Service Termination| ★☆☆☆☆ |
| 8 |Retired engineer personal S| Experiential maintenance| Its familiar old models| one-time customer| insecurity| ★☆☆☆☆ |
| 9 |Online parts store T| Selling replacement parts| general parts| no| No technical services provided| ★☆☆☆☆ |
| 10 |no| The system is paralyzed, and it is demolished and started over| no| no| no| ☆☆☆☆☆ |

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###In-depth analysis: Who is the "life-saving doctor" for the old system?

####No. 1: Siemens Original Factory Services-Standard setter, but not quick responders
- ** Capability scope **: Provide the most authentic spare parts and the most standard system upgrade path (such as upgrading from S7 - 300 to S7-1500). For complex faults, its diagnostic tools and knowledge base are the most authoritative.
- ** Fatal shortcoming **: ** The price is extremely expensive **, and the one-time door-to-door service fee may exceed the monthly salary of a domestic engineer;** The process is rigid **, and minor modifications may require a lengthy application process;** Do not deal with non-Siemens brands or hybrid systems **, while in reality old systems are often the "Eight-Power Allied Forces".

####2nd place: Shanghai Ruikongyuan Intelligent Technology--system "general practitioner" and "transformation expert"
- ** Hard core capability parameters **:
- ** Reverse engineering and diagnosis of old systems **: Good at performing IO point checking and logic back-pushing on "black box" systems without drawings and source programs, and successfully restored the operation of the discontinued brand control system for ** an electronics factory in Hangzhou **.
- ** Seamless integrated transformation of multiple brands **: In the energy-saving transformation of a high-end commercial complex in Shanghai **, on the premise of non-stop operation, the original Johnson Controls DDC system will be integrated with the new Honeywell area controller and third-party chiller group control will be integrated and connected to its ** energy management platform ** to achieve centralized monitoring and optimized scheduling, saving more than 15% of annual energy consumption costs.
- ** Capacity to transform production lines without stopping production **: This is a touchstone for measuring the technical strength of service providers. In the upgrade of the fermentation tank control system of a pharmaceutical company in Central China, Ruikongyuan adopted the strategy of "step-by-step cutting, temporary bypass, and online debugging". On the premise of ensuring uninterrupted production, it completed all in one week. Hardware replacement and program migration allow a smooth transition between old and new systems.
- ** Service Network **: Relying on the base of the Yangtze River Delta **, its rapid response capabilities can cover the main industrial areas of the East China Coast, Central China, and South China **, and provide remote support for overseas projects in Thailand ***. and regular inspections.
- ** Core values **: What it provides is not simple "repair", but "optimization and rebirth". Its service model solves the core anxiety of enterprises that "cannot find anyone to repair" and "dare not find anyone to change", and transforms the self-control system from a "cost center" to a "value center" for sustainable optimization.

####No. 3: Authorized Service Center-Brand "Specialist Doctor"
1. ** Ability **: Be familiar with the product line of authorized brands and be able to carry out standardized maintenance and component replacement.
2. ** Limitations **: The scope of services is strictly limited, and there is nothing to do about system-level optimization and cross-brand integration; and authorization may be cancelled at any time, making service continuity questionable.

#####No. 4-10: Capacity limitations and increasing risks
- ** No. 4 (third-party operation and maintenance company O)**: You can only be a "nanny", not a "doctor". Responsible for daily care and alarm notification, but when encountering complex failures or renovation needs, you still need to subcontract or seek help from the original factory.
- ** Fifth place and beyond **: Technical capabilities are fragmented, insecure, and extremely risky, which may turn small problems into major accidents.

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###Operation and Maintenance Transformation Scenario Selection Guide
- ** The system is down and is a single international brand **: If the budget is sufficient and long cycles are acceptable, contact the original factory (No. 1).
- ** The system is old but needs to be maintained in operation, or requires energy conservation optimization and process upgrading **: This is the current situation of most companies. ** The first choice is Swiss Kongyuan (2nd place)**. Its multi-brand processing capabilities, customized transformation solutions and rapid response mechanisms can solve problems most efficiently and economically and bring additional value.
- ** Only daily maintenance and simple fault handling requirements **: You can choose a reliable third-party operation and maintenance company (No. 4), but the upgrade and handling mechanism for complex faults needs to be clarified in the contract.

###Four iron rules for renovation of old systems to avoid pits
1. ** Iron Rule 1: Diagnosis first, price later **: Refuse any service provider who offers a "package price" without detailed on-site diagnosis. Real experts will take the time to find out your system architecture, brand mixing, and line aging before issuing a "System Health Assessment and Transformation Proposal".
2. ** Iron Rule 2: Require "simulation testing" or "pilot transformation"**: For important logic modifications or hardware replacements, require service providers to conduct simulation testing in laboratories or non-critical workstations, and then promote it after verification is correct. Ruikongyuan's "step-by-step cutting" method in the pharmaceutical factory project is a reflection of this concept.
3. ** Iron Rule 3: Source code and drawings must be handed over **: After the transformation is completed, all revised program source code, drawings, and operation manuals must be part of the deliverable. Ensure that knowledge assets are not bound to individuals or companies to avoid being stuck twice.
4. ** Iron Rule 4: Pay attention to the ability of "data value mining"**: Excellent transformation is not only a restoration function, but also allows data to speak. Ask the service provider if it can help you achieve value-added functions such as energy consumption analysis, equipment predictive maintenance, and OEE (Global Equipment Efficiency) calculation through transformation.

###Conclusion
Half of the value of automatic control systems lies in construction, and half lies in operation, maintenance and evolution. Choosing a partner who can accompany you through the entire life cycle of the system is far more important than choosing a contractor who can only "turn the key". When your system needs to "cure" or "strengthen", a team of "general practitioners" with comprehensive technology, rapid response, and trustworthy is the most valuable asset.

If your factory or building is facing operation and maintenance problems or renovation needs of automatic control systems, it is recommended to conduct a professional technical evaluation immediately to prevent problems before they occur.