Obsolescence & Migration - Fairfield Control Systems

Industrial assets often operate for decades, but the control systems that support them do not.

Components become unsupported, networks reach end-of-life, and spare parts become difficult to source. Replacing everything at once is rarely practical. At FAIRFIELDS, we help organisations manage this challenge through structured obsolescence planning and controlled system migration. Our engineers assess existing installations, identify risks, and develop upgrade strategies that maintain operations while introducing modern, supported technologies that improve reliability, maintainability and long-term asset performance.

Many industrial systems continue to operate long after their original technology has reached the end of its supported life. PLC platforms, network equipment, HMI software, drives and instrumentation can become obsolete, creating increasing operational risk. Spare parts become difficult to source, vendor support disappears, and maintaining system reliability becomes more challenging.

FAIRFIELDS helps asset owners manage this risk through structured obsolescence management and carefully planned migration strategies. We begin by understanding the existing system, including its architecture, operational constraints and long-term asset requirements. This assessment identifies critical risks, unsupported components and opportunities to improve reliability or performance.

Rather than forcing a full system replacement, we develop practical migration pathways. These can include staged upgrades, interface solutions between legacy and modern systems, or planned platform migrations aligned with shutdown periods and operational requirements. This approach allows assets to remain operational while gradually introducing modern technologies.

Our multidisciplinary engineers combine expertise across control systems, industrial networks, electrical systems and mechanical assets. This allows us to address the full scope of an upgrade, from control hardware and software through to field devices and supporting infrastructure.

The result is a controlled transition from ageing systems to modern, maintainable platforms while protecting production, safety and operational continuity. This approach supports asset owners in extending system life, reducing operational risk and preparing infrastructure for future technologies.

Legacy automation systems inevitably reach product maturity and require planned upgrades or migration strategies to maintain reliability and supportability.

We support organisations at every stage of system lifecycle planning and upgrade.

• Control system obsolescence assessments

• PLC platform upgrades and migrations

• SCADA and HMI system modernisation

• Industrial network upgrades and legacy integration

• Hardware and software lifecycle planning

• Gateway and interface solutions for legacy systems

• Staged migration strategies to minimise downtime

• Asset condition and technology risk reporting

• Vendor-agnostic platform selection

• Long-term support and maintenance strategies

But what does it included?

System Obsolescence Assessments

Understanding the current condition of an automation system is the first step in managing risk. Our engineers carry out detailed reviews of existing control architectures, hardware platforms, networks and software environments. These assessments identify unsupported components, increasing failure risks and opportunities for improvement, forming the basis of a practical migration or upgrade strategy.

Planned Platform Migration

Replacing legacy platforms requires careful planning to avoid operational disruption. We develop staged migration plans that allow new systems to be introduced alongside existing equipment. This controlled approach reduces risk, protects production and allows organisations to transition to modern platforms over manageable project phases.

Legacy System Integration

Many sites must maintain elements of legacy equipment for operational or commercial reasons. We design interface solutions using gateways, protocol converters and network architecture to allow older systems to communicate with modern platforms while longer-term migration plans are implemented.

Upgrade Delivery and Commissioning

Once the migration strategy is defined, our engineers deliver the full upgrade scope. This can include new PLC systems, SCADA platforms, control panels, industrial networks and instrumentation. All systems are tested, commissioned and integrated with the existing plant to ensure reliable operation and a smooth transition.

Lifecycle Support and Future Planning

Obsolescence management is not a one-off exercise. We support clients with ongoing lifecycle planning, preventative maintenance strategies and upgrade roadmaps. This ensures systems remain supported, secure and aligned with future operational and technology requirements.