Title
Programmable Logic Controller (PLC) Modernization - Proposal
History
The Public Works Department currently manages a water distribution system and sanitary/storm collection systems consisting of twenty-five (25) sites. The sites include one (1) main pumping station, seven (7) water towers, three (3) booster stations, one (1) storm station, and thirteen (13) lift stations.
The Utility Division of Public Works upgraded the water and waste water control infrastructure in 2000 from Printed Circuit Board (PCB) technology to Programmable Logic Controllers (PLC). This system integrates into the Supervisory Control and Data Acquisition (SCADA) system. A PLC is a computer processor that is dedicated to run one program that monitors a series of different inputs and logically manipulates the outputs for the desired control. Currently, the PLCs in the village’s system are GE Fanuc and have reached end of life status and are no longer supported by GE.
Concentric Integration of Crystal Lake, Illinois, (Concentric) was selected in 2019 to complete the SCADA upgrade and has been the Village’s system integrator for the past fifteen years. Staff requested an assessment from Concentric in order to ensure the reliability and security of the combined SCADA system and PLC components. The assessment was completed in May 2019. The SCADA system was ultimately upgraded soon after to improve security and reliability of the software program and computer hardware. The assessment results indicated the following regarding the aging PLCs:
1. The existing GE PLC that operates the system is not experiencing failures, but has reached end of life status.
2. The existing GE PLCs are not supported By GE, and replacement parts have very limited availability. Public Works has a limited supply of replacement parts on hand.
3. Concentric has recommended replacing the existing GE PLCs with Allen-Bradley PLCs to coincide with the current PLC platform being installed in the new Mo...
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