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Friday, June 7, 2013

Ya Gotta Do What You Gotta Do!

So a network bridge card went Tango Uniform Memorial Day weekend at work. That killed the communications between two operator workstations to a Programmable Logic Controller. Not just any controller, the one that runs our waste treatment process. So I deftly replace that card with a spare. Its brand spanking new! What could go wrong? Factory sealed. Since 1995.

I ran into the "Bathtub Failure Curve". Here it is:













The "New" card fell out. I ran into the Early "Infant Mortality" Failure. Card is now made of unobtanium.

I work at a chemical plant and the beaker people up front are really good at making oil and water stick together. This thing tries to undo the work they did before we discharge to the public sewer system. So now its like getting into a perfectly functional car but there is no dashboard and no ignition switch.

So, with little options left we went old school. 














Drag a PC out to it with the programming software on it. Direct connection to the processor and force or enter variables to run the thing. Some logic is in the operator workstations so its the equivalent of having a Lobotomy to a degree. It will run for a while without the higher logic but its running. That's the main thing. 

The Smithsonian called and wants the Reliance Electric AutoMax DCS when we are done with it though. So there is that, LOL!  I hate it though. This thing has been so reliable over the years. I doubt whatever I put in next will hold up 20 years.

And that is why Blogging has been light. I hope to get to the range and provide more shooty goodness posts soon. I think however I will be busy with ripping this stuff out soon! 

10 comments:

  1. Whoever said diagnosing the problem is half the battle, obviously didn't envision trying to replace or upgrade obsolete & nonexistent hardware.

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    1. Shepard, I have been telling EVERYBODY this is the weak link and the time would come. For a decade. It seems decisions come easier when there is no other choice. Unfortunately it means some work for me. No matter. If I was so smart why am I here, LOL!

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  2. Cough, Cough.. I just threw away my assembler programs written on floppy discs from 30 years ago.

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  3. I feel your pain... I was asked to look at replacing a computer in our prototype lab today. I was afraid it was going to be some ancient DOS machine with proprietary cards. I almost did a little happy dance when it was XP and they just needed one serial and one parallel port. But it doesn't always turn out like that.

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    1. This did not. You never no till you go! Thanks Brick!

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  4. If you'd just add a piece of gum and some string tied to it... I'd call you McGyver!

    Dann in Ohio

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    Replies
    1. HA! In reality that is where this thing is right now Dann.

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  5. Bubble gum and bailing wire (parenthetically) still works... And that curve is the BANE of new AND old systems... Although I'd say yours really fell into the random failure mode! Nice recovery and 'now' they'll listen to you!

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  6. Next time you decommission a PLC system, feel free to mail me the parts. Always wanted to learn industrial control systems, but "new" stuff costs so damn much.

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