If updating wasn't so easy, would we be willing to change?

However, if the process wasn't so easy, would we be so willing to change? With most industries if a part breaks down in an automated system it causes manageable process problems; such as downtime, quality management issues and negative impact on production. However, in some areas of industry, a broken down part can be a serious problem.

For instance, while in other industries a replacement new part can be sourced and fitted with relative ease, in the pharmaceutical and nuclear sectors it's not quite so simple.

Understandably, due to the delicate nature of the two sectors, the equipment used is subject to stringent regulations, which means that there's no such thing as a quick upgrade. Rigorous testing and safety regulations are responsible for ensuring superior product quality in the pharmaceutical industry, while in nuclear, they ensure everything possible is done to avoid hazards.

Although the need for enhanced regulation in the pharmaceutical sector is self-evident, the Food & Drug Administration has recently acknowledged that it does, at times, stand in the way of the adoption of cutting edge automation equipment and innovative manufacturing practices.

The consequences are that the automation equipment in pharmaceutical manufacturing and nuclear plants tends to be dated, with a heavy reliance on obsolete parts.

For example, a turbine in a nuclear power plant requires considerable support from a number of pumps to ensure the condensate water and cooling water systems are maintained properly. Due to the required capacity of these pumps, the majority are powered by high voltage motors. It may surprise you to learn that some of these motors are in excess of 20 years old.

After years of continual stress on the motor, it's understandable that it's going to show signs of wear. A lot has happened in automation in the last 20 years, not least new efficiency legislation, like the Ecodesign Directive, which sets mandatory requirements for electrical products. Should this motor break down, it's plausible that an exact replacement is now obsolete.

So what are the options? Purchasing a new motor will require checking compatibility with the rest of the system, not to mention going through the rigmarole of ensuring it fits with stringent industry regulations typified in pharmaceutical and nuclear. There's also the added cost of upgrading other elements of the system that need to be adapted as the result of changing the motor.

However, there is another way. Just because a part is obsolete, it doesn't mean a replacement can't be found. In fact, European Automation specialises in sourcing obsolete motors, PLCs and inverters. It can even deliver in under nine hours in some cases. So if you work in a sensitive environment, restricted by safety legislation, it might just pay to reconsider that costly and timely upgrade the next time an obsolete part breaks down.