Whether the cross-reference actually holds
A paper match can still differ in signal type, scan behaviour, instruction set or mounting. The question is what changes when you fit it.
For · System integrators
Cross-reference the hardware; expose the rework
A migration is more than a part-number match. Automation Liberty helps integrators identify candidate hardware, software dependencies, wiring changes and commissioning boundaries before the work is quoted.
What you are actually deciding
How much of the program is rework, not conversion
Platform-specific logic, drivers and safety interfaces do not carry across. Knowing that share before quoting is the difference between margin and loss.
Where your responsibility ends
Supply, re-implementation, panel changes and acceptance are four scopes. Quoting them as one is how migrations overrun.
What the engineering desk contributes
Cross-reference scope
Competitor part numbers are mapped to candidate replacements — subject to engineering review of electrical, mechanical, software and safety constraints.
Logic re-implementation
Projects from TIA Portal, GX Works, Sysmac or other ecosystems are reviewed for explicit logic, library and I/O re-implementation in the target environment.
Panel and wiring review
Terminal layout, signal type, I/O map, communications and EMC considerations are checked against the available drawings and application.
Commissioning boundary
Remote guidance or site work is included only when its access, deliverables and responsibilities are explicitly scoped and confirmed at quotation.
How the request moves
01
Provide the source set
Send the current program, drawings, I/O list, device list and machine acceptance requirements that are available.
02
Audit dependencies
Engineering identifies platform-specific logic, drivers, protocols, safety interfaces and undocumented assumptions.
03
Define the rework
The proposal states what carries over, what is re-implemented and what must be validated at bench or machine level.
04
Confirm the work scope
Deliverables, access, quotation, availability and scheduling are confirmed after the technical boundary is understood.
Where this connects
Automation Liberty works in three ways. These are the ones that normally apply to you.
Cross-reference support
Competitor part numbers mapped to candidate replacements, with the mismatches stated rather than hidden.
OpenMigration process
What carries over from the source project and what has to be revalidated in the target system.
OpenPLC & HMI programming
Logic re-implementation scoped from your existing program rather than machine-translated.
OpenWhat we do not do
- We do not auto-convert STEP 7, GX Works, RSLogix or TIA Portal programs. Logic is re-engineered with explicit I/O mapping, and the rework is stated before it is quoted.
- A candidate replacement is not a compatibility promise and remains subject to engineering review for your specific machine.
- Machine-level safety, compliance and acceptance stay with the responsible integrator. We supply component-level documentation.
- Site commissioning is included only when access, deliverables and responsibilities are explicitly scoped and confirmed at quotation.
Questions asked before the first order
How do I find a replacement for a discontinued PLC?
Start from what the machine does: I/O and signal types, fieldbus and protocol devices, motion, safety scheme and the existing program. A candidate is identified against those with its differences listed — and stays subject to engineering review.
How much rework is involved in switching PLC brands?
It depends on how much of the program is platform-specific. Standard logic usually re-implements cleanly; vendor libraries, motion blocks, drivers and safety configuration are rebuilt with explicit I/O mapping. The audit separates the two before quoting.
Can you convert my existing PLC program automatically?
No — automatic conversion carries platform assumptions into a different runtime, where they fail at commissioning. Logic is re-implemented in the target environment with a stated I/O map.
Do you support commissioning on site?
Remote guidance is the normal route and can be scoped with the programming work. On-site attendance is quoted separately, with access, deliverables and responsibilities agreed in writing first.
Useful next routes
Scope the migration before quoting it
Send the source project and available machine documentation so the conversion boundary can be reviewed.