Know what’s ageing before it affects production
Ageing automation does not always show obvious signs of risk. Unsupported parts and outdated software can remain in use until something fails. An automation assessment helps reveal those vulnerabilities early, giving you time to prioritise upgrades and plan around production
If a component fails after support has ended, sourcing a replacement can take time and extend the production stop. Identifying that risk early gives you more control over when to act.
Know when you need to act
An Automation assessment helps you know where the risks are. It gives you a view of the lifecycle status of your control systems and components, identifying what is active, approaching end of life or already obsolete, and highlights where action may be needed. Depending on the scope, it can also help prioritise upgrades and plan when they should be implemented to minimise disruption to production.
The assessment process
Every site is different, but our on-site assessments follow the same seven-step process.
Prepare
Step 1
Before the visit, we gather information from our own systems and review what we know about the expected lifecycle status of the relevant components.
Step 2
On site, we meet your representative and walk through the areas included in the assessment.
Inspect
Step 3
We inspect the relevant control panels and automation components, including a visual inspection inside the panels.
Step 4
We record component and model information and check it against our lifecycle data to identify parts that may be approaching end-of-life or already obsolete.
Assess & prioritise
Step 5
We assign each component a green, yellow or red lifecycle status, showing where no action is needed, where planning should begin and where action is required.
Green: active
Yellow: end of life announced
Red: discontinued
Step 6
Where relevant, we also review your spare-parts inventory and factor that into the next steps.
Recommend & Plan
Step 7
We bring the findings together in a report with recommendations based on the needs of your operation.
Turn the findings into a plan
The assessment is the starting point. Your report identifies where action is needed and which upgrades should be considered.
Where required, we can also develop an implementation plan around your production schedule. This helps you decide not only when to act, but which upgrades should take priority.
The assessment can also support the business case for an upgrade. By considering total cost of ownership alongside technical risk, you can weigh the cost of acting against the cost of keeping ageing equipment in service.
What else can an upgrade unlock?
An upgrade can do more than replace a component that is reaching end-of-life. It can also be an opportunity to improve how existing equipment performs.
Across Tetra Pak® Upgrades, customers have used targeted improvements to reduce energy and water use, increase available production time and lower operating costs. Other upgrades have helped extend component life and reduce maintenance demands. The right opportunity depends on what the assessment reveals and what matters most to your operation.
A proactive approach when it comes to obsolescence is an investment worth making. Some customers are unaware of equipment being phased out, and this can lead to problems and downtime in the event of a failure. If something breaks, and it’s already obsolete, the lead times for replacements can be lengthy, which means significant downtime. Taking early action helps to secure productivity while avoiding potential issues.
Choose when to act
Technology will continue to change, and parts that are supported today will eventually reach end of life. Identifying those changes early gives you time to decide what needs attention and fit the work around production.
An automation assessment gives you that visibility before a component failure makes the decision for you.
Ready to understand where your automation needs attention?
Talk to our experts about an automation assessment.
