Brownfield Integration: Planning Around Legacy Equipment
Survey before you quote
- Trace the existing control signals and record what the machine actually does, not what the drawing says.
- Photograph the cabinet, the available space and the cable routes.
- Measure the stopping time of the machine the robot will interact with.
- Confirm what can be stopped and when production allows it.
| Constraint | Effect on the project | Option |
|---|---|---|
| No fieldbus | Handshake limited to discrete I/O | Add sensors and a small PLC |
| Tight footprint | No room for a standard fence | Use area scanners or a cobot |
| Short shutdown windows | Commissioning must be staged | Pre-build and test off site |
| Old electricals | Cannot guarantee isolation quality | Refurbish before automating |
Write down the surprises
Every brownfield project finds something undocumented. Record each discovery with a photo and a date: it becomes the change-order evidence and the basis for the next project's estimate.