AutoMax --> ControlLogix Conversion

Hi there,

I was hoping for some advice on the best place to start on a PLC conversion. For my first ever large project I've been tasked with the migration of an old Reliance Electric Automax PLC to an Allen Bradley ControlLogix.

I've made a start by creating a new project and setting up the tasks and I/O configuration in CLX. Next, I was going to go to work on replicating the old Automax database in CLX. I've generated an Automax address ordered configuration listing (the _CONF.CNL file) and was going to start making this into a meaningful .CSV file to import the tags into CLX. Before getting too involved, I thought this would be a good opportunity to see if anybody had previous experience in this nature of upgrade and had a best possible starting point, tips or useful info.

Thanks in advance,

Kane

We had an old Automax system that we were looking to upgrade to ControlLogix. We had Rockwell Automation quote the integration. They have years of experience doing this. That would be my advice. We never got to do our upgrade though, as our company decided to scrap the machine and replace with a new one with a different control platform. Good luck to you!

+1 on having Rockwell integrate it. We had them do an integration from Automax to compact logix. Everything arrived in working order and took less than a shift to install.

Welcome to the Forum, I have never used the Automax platform before but I have worked with some conversions from other AB platforms to Studio 5000 programs.

The tendency for the conversions I have seen is to keep the old addressing and nomenclature in the new program. For example a start PB is connected to a internal bit B3:1/2. The new program will have a tag name B3_1_2 instead of Start_PB. Studio 5K is a tag based programming language, why not use it to the fullest. Give everything a good descriptive tag. One that will tell you at a glance what it is. It will take more time in the development phase but after it is done and you are in the commissioning phase you will be happy you took the time to use good tag names in your program instead of the old addressing. Not to mention when you come back to work on the system you wont have to spend hours getting yourself up to speed with the addressing.

Good luck with your project!!

If your company can't afford the expense of having Rockwell do the conversion ... Bullzi is right on the money. Studio 5000 is tag based just like the Automax system. It shouldn't be too painful to transition. Having a good record of your i/o points & tags in a spread sheet before you start coding isn't a bad idea. I'd do it. Would be handy to cross reference your old points & tags when developing new/similar scheme while setting up your new project.

This is interesting. I wonder how good they are. Send them your Reliance code and they return AB code

https://www.plcconversions.com

If interested- I guess Google, its being blocked for some reason