Introduction
Still using obsolete controls?
What happens when the next failure isn’t fixable?
You’ve probably felt it already—those creeping issues with outdated HMIs, unsupported PLCs, or servo drives that seem impossible to source.
If you’re facing aging controls, how confident are you that your next failure won’t halt production for days or, worse, require a total retrofit?
At Douglas, we’ve helped dozens of manufacturers take a proactive approach to controls obsolescence, often before they even realize what’s at stake.
In this article, you’ll learn why controls go obsolete, how to reduce your risk, and which upgrade path offers the best ROI—based on your situation, not just your budget.
Why Electronic Obsolescence Happens (Even If The Machine Still Runs Fine)
Many legacy machines are mechanically sound—but their electronics aren’t. Platforms like PLCs, HMIs, drives, and sensors become obsolete due to:
When platforms reach end-of-life, the result is often a forced migration. The strongest teams avoid reactive fixes and plan upgrades in advance.
Today’s Electronic Controls Upgrades Are Smarter, Smaller, and Easier to Maintain
Today’s controls upgrades do more than just swap out failing components. They enhance maintainability and diagnostic speed:
A good upgrade doesn’t just solve today’s problems—it prevents tomorrow’s downtime.
Choosing the Right Upgrade Path: 3 Proven Approaches
When legacy controls near obsolescence, most manufacturers pick one of three upgrade strategies. Each has merit, but tradeoffs are real.
1. Do It Internally (DIY)
Best when: Your team has controls engineering depth, standards, and time flexibility.
Pros
Cons
Common risk: The swap is fine … until the machine won’t start, and the OEM can’t help because the logic or safety is off.
2. Use a Third-Party Integrator
Best when: You need technical horsepower fast and don’t have the in-house bandwidth.
Pros
Cons
Common risk: You may inherit someone else’s bad code and lose OEM support in the process.
3. Parter With the OEM
Best when: Uptime is mission-critical and you want full documentation, long-term support, and risk reduction.
Pros
Cons
Full disclosure: As an OEM, we’ve seen how proactive planning reduces service time and risk. That’s why we recommend OEM migration in high-risk environments—but only when documentation, safety, and service continuity are top priorities.
You may pay more now, but you will avoid mystery faults, longer downtime, and inconsistent support later.
How to Prioritize Your Electronic Controls Upgrade Using Tiered Risk Strategy
Controls upgrades don’t have to be all-or-nothing. Many plants start with the biggest risks, then phase in the rest:
Tradeoff: Budget-based upgrades may retain failure-prone parts – leading to unplanned outages later.
Don’t get tunnel vision on servo drives. Some of the most critical components at risk of failure are:
Buying used? That’s a short-term bridge, but it comes with serious availability and reliability risks, especially on high-utilization lines.
The Best Manufacturers Treat Controls Upgrades as a Long-Term Strategy
The worst time to plan a controls upgrade is during an unplanned outage.
Best-in-class plants follow these steps:
Step 1
Inventory your installed base (and lifecycle status)
Step 2
Identify single points of failure
Step 3
Plan mitigations during scheduled downtime
Step 4
Align with documentation and support needs
Step 5
Choose your path – DIY, integrator, or OEM – based on risk, not just price
Conclusion: Plan Now or Scramble Later
Electronic controls obsolescence is inevitable, but unplanned downtime doesn’t have to be.
You came here trying to make sense of aging components, hidden risks, and confusing upgrade paths – and now you have a roadmap.
The best next step? Connect with our Aftermarket Services Team to audit your controls and plan a stress-free migration. We’ll do more than just replace parts—we’ll help future-proof your lines, before emergencies strike.
