Control Panel Upgrade
Redesigned and rebuilt a large, overcrowded control panel with discontinued equipment and safety concerns into three clean, organized panels.
Before & After
Before
After
The Challenge
A customer had a large control panel with discontinued equipment and possible safety issues. The overcrowded panel made it difficult to troubleshoot and the location of the panel did not allow for a larger panel to be installed. Additionally, the plant fiber ring ran through the 480V panel — accessible only to qualified electricians — and the customer wanted motor resets brought to the panel door.
How We Solved It
- 01Verified and as-built the existing system drawings to determine what equipment was still required and what had been removed over time
- 02Designed three new control panels that removed the PLC processor, half of the system I/O, and network devices from the motor control panel
- 03Network Panel: Containing managed network switches connected to the existing plant fiber rings, patch panels and a UPS
- 04PLC Panel: Containing ControlLogix Rack with PLC and Ethernet Communications modules, 5094 Flex IO, UPS, and a managed switch for separate VLANs
- 05MCP Panel: New back panel installed in the existing enclosure containing 5094 Flex IO, motor circuit protectors, contactors with external overloads and reset solenoids, PowerFlex 525 VFDs and terminals
- 06Added a cooling fan to the MCP panel to address overheating concerns
- 07Provided guidance to the electrical contractor during installation
- 08Commissioned the new control panels and worked with the plant to verify the system worked properly
The Result
Three clean, organized panels replaced the original overcrowded enclosure — eliminating the safety concerns, improving troubleshooting access, and separating network and control infrastructure. Motor resets were relocated to the panel door as requested, reducing operator dependency on qualified electrical staff for routine resets.