Platforms and vendors
- Rockwell Allen-Bradley
- Siemens
- Ignition
- AVEVA Wonderware
- Citect SCADA
- Schneider
- Omron
Service · 07
Automation Upgrades & Legacy PLC Migration
Metromotion Controls plans automation upgrades, retrofits and legacy PLC migration around the highest-impact wins for uptime and throughput while clearing obsolescence, staged by our Melbourne control systems team for food and beverage sites across Victoria and Australia.
How we approach it
Engineered for your site and support model
A good upgrade targets the changes that return the most uptime and throughput, and clears obsolescence along the way. Metromotion Controls plans legacy PLC, SCADA, drive, HMI and server migrations around asset criticality, shutdown windows, test evidence and rollback points, so each stage of spend lands where the operational return is highest.
01
Phased upgrade strategies for live sites
02
Legacy platform migration planning and execution
03
Fault finding and root-cause troubleshooting
04
Preventative maintenance programs
05
Long-term support contracts with defined response models
Delivery context
Relevant experience
- Founded in 2012 and based in Mount Waverley, planning upgrades around production schedules for Melbourne and national sites.
- Legacy PLC and SCADA migrations are staged with source-code review, simulation, FAT, SAT, cutover run sheets and rollback points.
- Recognised platform depth includes Ignition Gold Certified System Integrator status and Rockwell PartnerNetwork recognition.
Section 01
Legacy modernisation without full shutdowns
Automation upgrades and retrofits need careful planning because most sites cannot stop production for long periods. We start with asset criticality, obsolescence risk and dependency mapping across PLCs, drives, HMI nodes and network infrastructure. From there we build phased upgrade plans that align with outages, parts availability and operating constraints. Detailed run sheets define pre-checks, decision gates, rollback triggers and communication responsibilities so each change window is controlled.
Section 02
Platform migrations and retrofit delivery
Retrofit projects blend engineering, site coordination and practical support after go-live. We deliver migration design, code conversion, simulation, FAT, SAT and onsite commissioning assistance, then remain available for optimisation once operators are using the new system. Documentation is updated in parallel, including electrical drawings, software backups, alarm lists, network maps and operator guides. Where training is required, we run sessions for electricians, supervisors and maintenance planners so the new platform is understood across shifts. A common scenario is replacing an obsolete SCADA layer while retaining field devices and MCC infrastructure to meet budget limits. We sequence this work to preserve production visibility and avoid data gaps. Metromotion Controls also offers ongoing support contracts, preventative maintenance visits and remote troubleshooting to keep upgraded systems stable over time.
Frequently Asked Questions
Common questions
How do you prioritise what to upgrade first?
We rank items by operational return, looking at where uptime, throughput and maintenance gains are largest, alongside spare part availability and obsolescence. That lets a budget target the highest-impact wins first while still building toward a complete modernisation roadmap.
Can we keep production running during a retrofit?
Often yes. We use staged cutovers, temporary interfaces and pre-tested migration packages to minimise downtime. The exact strategy depends on process constraints and shutdown windows available at your site.
Do you provide support after migration is complete?
Yes. We provide post-commissioning support, tuning, documentation updates and optional support contracts so your team has reliable assistance as the upgraded system beds in.
How do you carry across control behaviour when the old code is poorly documented?
We rebuild the intent from the process rather than copying logic blindly. Reading the P&ID, walking the line and reviewing the existing program together shows us what each sequence, interlock and CIP step is really doing, including the undocumented tweaks operators rely on. The new code then reproduces the behaviour the plant expects, with modern diagnostics and a clean structure, so the upgrade is easier to maintain instead of carrying old assumptions forward.
Related Work
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Related work
Related project proof
Project
Bulla
Bulla's ice cream churns ran on Allen-Bradley SLC 500 PLCs and I/O that were approaching obsolescence, with spares getting harder to source. The churns are central to production, so a controller failure would have meant an unplanned stop on a core line rather than a peripheral inconvenience. Bulla chose to upgrade before that happened, replacing the SLC 500 controls on two churns with CompactLogix PLCs, I/O and new HMIs. Metromotion Controls delivered the SLC 500 upgrade as a hybrid migration: existing control logic was ported across rather than rewritten from scratch to keep the project cost-effective, then simplified and commented so the code would be easier to navigate and maintain going forward. The two churns are functionally identical but differ in some internal detail, so each line was engineered separately rather than treated as a single duplicate job. The upgrade also extended to the recipe management system, increasing the number of recipes it could store and bringing its logic in line with how the plant actually runs the churns day to day. The full migration, cutover and commissioning were completed within a single one-week shutdown window.
Project
McCormick
McCormick is one of the world's largest spice and flavouring manufacturers, with production facilities across Australia. When the team needed to migrate a critical Clean-In-Place system to a modern, maintainable platform, Metromotion Controls delivered a full migration to Ignition SCADA with integrated database, multi-terminal operator access, and a distributed control architecture spanning the facility. CIP systems are production-critical in any flavouring or seasoning environment, and the migration was planned and executed to maintain production continuity throughout.
Project
Steamtech Engineering
Steamtech Engineering is a boiler OEM that installs across multiple end-customer sites, and its boiler automation ran on ageing legacy PLC programs that every new installation inherited. The task was a legacy PLC migration with a goal beyond any one site: the migrated program had to become a maintainable baseline suitable for repeat deployment, not a one-off conversion. Metromotion Controls migrated the legacy code base onto current Rockwell CompactLogix and PanelView platforms, verified the migrated logic against the field through structured I/O testing, and supported commissioning from the OEM workshop through to Steamtech end-customer sites. The result is a more consistent controls baseline across new installations, which is easier for Steamtech and its customers to support.
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Need support with automation upgrades, retrofits & support?
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