Allen Bradley PLC & HMI Obsolescence Software Upgrade for Type 45 ATU Control Systems
Sector:
Aerospace & Defence
Type:
Obsolecence Upgrade, Software Only
Platform:
Allen Bradley
Certification:
CE / UKCA
Summary
DelaControl delivered a software-only obsolescence upgrade for four instances of a Type 45 control system, migrating aging Allen Bradley PLC and HMI software to a modern Studio5000 and PanelView 5310 platform, with on-site verification support included.
Challenge
Four instances of a Type 45 control system were running on an obsolete Allen Bradley PLC platform using RSLogix5000 on legacy firmware, paired with an end-of-life PanelView 300 keypad HMI. The hardware had reached the point where continued operation on obsolete software represented an unacceptable long-term risk.
A like-for-like software migration was not straightforward: the PLC code required careful conversion and remediation to run on the newer controller and firmware, and the HMI software could not be converted at all — it had to be rewritten from scratch for the replacement PanelView 5310, while preserving existing control functionality and operator familiarity.
Solution
DelaControl undertook a software-only upgrade scope, migrating the existing PLC program from RSLogix5000 to Rockwell's Studio5000 environment targeting a new Allen Bradley 1756-L81E ControlLogix controller running firmware v30 or above. The conversion process was managed carefully to identify and resolve the errors inherent in this type of platform migration.
Because the PanelView 300 HMI software cannot be converted to the PanelView 5310 format, DelaControl rewrote the HMI application from the ground up in FactoryTalk Studio. The new screens were designed to preserve the original control functionality and keep the visual layout as close to the original as practical, easing the transition for operators. Time was built into the scope for the customer to review the delivered HMI, raise snagging points, and receive a revised final version.
The most complex of the four system instances was developed first and used as the master reference, with the remaining three instances then adapted from this donor code — an efficient approach given that the four systems are largely similar but differ in screen count and minor configuration. Verification was carried out against a customer-provided PLC and HMI test rig using simulation and hardwired I/O test signals, with a DelaControl engineer attending on site for each iteration.
Key Facts
• Four instances of the control system upgraded
• PLC migrated from legacy RSLogix5000 to Studio5000, targeting Allen Bradley 1756-L81E controller (firmware v30+)
• HMI rewritten from PanelView 300 to PanelView 5310 using FactoryTalk Studio
• Software-only scope — no materials supply
• On-site verification support included for each iteration
• 4–6 week delivery lead time from purchase order