Steps to Migration

The need to migrate the control hardware in your facility is often realized after the damage is done. The loss of data in your current applications that rely on legacy hardware is a legitimate threat to your business. Costs of unforeseen downtime will impact you and your customers unless you take action.

How do you know if migrating to modern hardware is right for you? Start by asking yourself these questions:

• Are your variable frequency drives (VFDs) more than ten years old?
• Are your application’s VFD products still available or repairable?
• When was your control solution implemented or last serviced?
• Do you have a recovery plan in place in case of unforeseen disasters or workplace personnel changes?

If you are concerned about your application, or unsure about the answers to these questions, a consultation with a Power/mation Sales Representative is the next step for you. Power/mation partners with our customers to assess and provide drive solutions that save money, create better processes, and avoid excessive downtime.

1. Assess your needs with the help of Power/mation

• Your products may be aging or discontinued, and our experts can identify and recommend replacements.
• Corporate requirements for plant architecture may pose a challenge to you or your team. Power/mation has taken part in large-scale migrations in the past and can provide expert consultation.
• Is your facility looking to adapt to or upgrade to a different industrial protocol such as Profinet or Ethernet I/P? Power/mation supports products that cover all industry-standard protocols and can get your solution added to a smart, modern network.
• Power/mation solutions are less expensive than competitor solutions.

2. Determine Control Panel Requirements

• Is the footprint of your control panel critical to your application?
• You may need to replicate an old bolt pattern to fit your panel. If this is key to your application, be sure to notify your Power/mation Sales Representative.
• Do you need to change or reprogram your PLC when upgrading your VFD?
• Data migration
  • ABB offers methods to migrate data and parameters from prior generations (ACS550 & ACS800) to current generation drives (ACS580 & ACS880). For example, the ABB keypad is an easy upgrade solution for many models. ABB Drive Composer software serves as another tool to migrate data and parameters when hardware transfers are not an option. Power/mation experts will work with you to find alternative solutions where data migration may be more complex.
  • Control Techniques offers similar migration functionality to migrate from older Commander SK models to the Commander C200/C300 and from the Unidrive SP to the Unidrive M400/M700. Methods such as the Control Techniques Smart Card offer an easy path to upgrading. With new models, some menu function parameters retain a similar format to legacy models, making setup easy if no migration option is possible.

3. Determine accessories for your application

• Critical infrastructure or sensitive applications such as utilities or hospitals will require additional harmonic mitigation to maintain an undistorted power supply. Power/mation experts will make sure you are properly adhering to IEEE-519 standards.
• Other power issues may indicate a need for line reactors or filters.
• Your drive may require the addition of load reactors, DV/DT filters, or sine wave filters for long motor leads.
• VFD cable for noise mitigation and protecting the drive from nuisance trips.

4. Power/mation Solutions Group

• Power/mation’s integration partners will help get your project online or help you migrate safely.
• Startup and commissioning services for customers with new applications
  • Following startup checklists with certified experts will drive warranties in some cases.
• Prepackaged Drive in a Cabinet solutions are available with custom options.
• Pre and post-sale support and technical advice are available when you work with Power/mation and our network of integrator partners.