Emerson’s New Subscription Software Service to Help Plants Simplify Modernization

Emerson has released DeltaV IO.CONNECT as a new subscription software service designed to help plants simplify modernization with an architecture pathway that makes it possible to transition to more efficient control schemes without the need to completely overhaul existing infrastructure. In a traditional plant with tens of thousands of I/O points and many controllers, this can save hundreds or thousands of hours of labor and up to 40% of the capital required for a total rip-and-replace upgrade.

DeltaV IO.CONNECT provides a cost-effective path to replacing a legacy DCS with a new DeltaV distributed control system while leaving existing I/O infrastructure in place. The solution is provisioned as a subscription software component of Emerson’s Guardian Support offering, helping plants remain up-to-date, driving strategic goals and meeting business needs with future-proof operation. No legacy vendor software is required for configuration and maintenance of I/O.

By preserving existing I/O and leaving wiring intact, plants can reduce new system transition time by over 90%, keeping production on pace, reducing risks and minimizing downtime. Once the interface is installed and the plant is running new control technologies, technicians can update I/O on their preferred schedule while the plant runs, shifting what used to be a capital expenditure to the operations budget and driving immediate return on investment through improved process control performance.

Harry Forbes, ARC Advisory Group, commented, “Simplified migration of older DCS to new technology is a must-have for a DCS competitor to gain share in the brownfield market for process automation.  Simpler migration solutions reduce the degree of DCS vendor lock-in experienced by process manufacturers who operate with older DCS products.”