The Hidden Costs of Keeping Obsolete Control Systems Running
Obsolescence is often treated by companies as a problem for the future, when the machinery or software is no longer responsive. Typically, halting production or slowing down the workflow is seen as too costly to warrant the pause needed to replace obsolete equipment, despite it being an important and potentially damaging gamble.
Choosing to wait to tackle the problem of obsolescence when it comes to control systems can be incredibly risky, not to mention deceptively costly. It might seem like it’s cheaper to not slow down production, but in the long run, the impact that decision can have will cost a company much more.
By not taking the time to properly upgrade legacy control systems, businesses are left to cover a whole range of costs that many people don’t even think about.
Energy Costs
As with most technology, older control systems may well use more energy or use it less efficiently. This means that the business is footing an energy bill that is higher than it actually needs to be, all for the sake of familiarity and the fear of a brief pause in production or workflow.
Newer devices, control systems, and other tech alike are designed with newer technologies, all built with the knowledge that many companies are striving to cut costs and potentially even meet net-zero or green eco policies.
Staff Costs
Depending on how old the obsolete control systems are, businesses often find themselves in a situation where they are forced to retain or hire specialist staff who require high salaries. In some cases, businesses may be able to train their employees how to use the obsolete systems, but this also takes time and, therefore, money.
Companies may also find that their tech department spends far too much time fighting with and troubleshooting old equipment. Old and outdated control systems may no longer work as they should, or may work differently from equipment that equipment professionals are familiar with. By spending so much of their time on the obsolete equipment, the tech department is no longer free to help elsewhere. This can result in delays and overtime, both of which cost the company money in the long run.
Then there’s the issue of specialist staff leaving or retiring. Often, when specialists are trained in obsolete equipment, they age out of work. This leaves the company with a gap in knowledge that could be frustrating and slow the business down, or could halt production altogether, depending on what the control system is used for.
Hardware And Software Costs
As hardware and software age, they become harder and more costly to maintain. The licence fees go up, sometimes as much as 10 to 15% each year, and the parts needed to repair the machinery can become increasingly hard to find, not to mention expensive to purchase.
As a result, companies can often suddenly find themselves with a cash sink that has no real benefits, nor any chance of improving.
Emergency Costs
Then, when the obsolete equipment stops working all of a sudden, businesses are left with a number of costs to cover. There’s the obvious: the cost of the business lost in the time it takes to fix or replace the control system. But that’s not all.
Companies will also have to cover labour costs to fix or replace the control system. They’ll also potentially be faced with fines for missing deadlines and breaking contracts, and they’ll lose out on returning customers, costing them even more money in the long run.
If the system is repaired and still not upgraded, businesses may then find themselves reactively maintaining the control system, which results in more and more expenses each time the equipment breaks.
What makes a control system obsolete?
As we progress technologically, machinery and software are becoming obsolete faster than before. There are a few factors that can make a control system obsolete:
The manufacturer discontinuing the hardware
Software that is no longer supported
Spare parts becoming hard to find or expensive to source
The system no longer meets contemporary requirements
A system being obsolete doesn’t mean that it doesn’t work. This is why businesses often leave it too late to do something about it. Plenty of obsolete systems are still responsive, but when they break, they leave the company in a very difficult situation.
How to start upgrading obsolete control systems
Once you’ve established that your company’s control systems are obsolete, you might be wondering how you even begin to upgrade them. After all, you’ve probably had them installed for a while.
That’s where our engineers come in. At S&T Control, we can guide you through the upgrading journey and take away the risk of relying on obsolete technology. With 25 years of experience, we’ll be able to set your business up for success and answer any questions you may have about the process.