Your Old Machines Probably Do Not Need to Be Replaced
A mixed fleet of machine brands, ages and controller types is normal and does not block the project. This assessment reviews each machine you list (its PLC or controller, what protocols and signals are actually accessible, and your network situation). It comes back with a preliminary connection method for each one, before any hardware is ordered.
Assess my machine fleetSee all Proof of Concept programsWhat this checks
For an engineering or IT/OT team facing a fleet where some machines have a modern PLC, some have an old one with no documented protocol, and some have no PLC at all. The team needs a realistic, machine-by-machine answer before scoping a connectivity project.
What we do
- Review each machine's brand, model, PLC/controller and any protocol documentation you have.
- Assess what signals are actually accessible: a native PLC tag, an OPC/SCADA point, a Modbus/MQTT register, or nothing usable at all.
- Recommend a preliminary connection method per machine: native PLC integration, OPC/SCADA, Modbus/MQTT, MSF Smart I/O signal retrofit, camera-based counting, or a manual panel where nothing else is viable.
- Flag network and security constraints your IT/OT policy will need to approve before any connection work starts.
What we need from you
- A list of the machines in scope: brand, model, approximate age, and PLC/controller if known.
- Any protocol documentation you have, or a note that none exists. That is common and does not block the review.
- What KPIs you actually need from each machine (status, count, cycle time, downtime), since the answer differs by what you are trying to see.
- Your current network and security situation on the shop floor, and who would need to approve an exception.
- Photos or documents only through an approved secure channel. They are never uploaded through the public site.
What you get back
- A preliminary connection method for each machine in your list.
- A rough sense of which machines are straightforward and which will need a Smart I/O retrofit or a camera-based workaround.
- The network/security prerequisites to raise with IT/OT before hardware is ordered.
- A recommended PoC scope built from machines that represent the real mix, including the difficult ones.
What this does not claim
A connection method here is preliminary and based on what you report. It is confirmed on-site during the PoC itself, where the actual signal is verified machine by machine. This assessment is what makes that PoC's scope realistic before it starts. It cannot guarantee what will be found.
The Proof of Concept this leads to
Frequently asked questions
What if a machine has no PLC at all?
That is normal and does not disqualify you. Machines with no usable controller connection are typically handled with an MSF Smart I/O retrofit reading existing signals (cycle contacts, lights, counters), or with camera-based counting where even that is not available.
Can I send you photos of the machine and control cabinet?
Yes, but only through an approved secure channel arranged after the initial assessment. Never upload them through the public site or attach them to the general contact form, which is deliberately not built to accept factory images or documents.
Does this replace a site visit?
For a preliminary answer, no site visit is needed. Confirming the exact connection method and signal quality on each machine happens during the PoC's own installation phase.
Request this Proof of Concept
Tell us the scope you have in mind and we will come back with a written PoC plan: what gets connected, what you provide, how success is measured and what the decision at the end looks like.