Don't wait until something breaks down to upgrade
PNOZ m1p safety multifunction relays and their variants m0p, m2p, m3p and Multi mini from PILZ were established and proven solutions for the functional safety of machinery and production equipment for many years.
This is precisely why they can still be found in many machines and production lines today.
If the equipment is operating reliably, there is of course no reason to replace the relay simply because a newer generation is available. However, PNOZmulti first-generation systems are increasingly facing another issue: these models are no longer manufactured and their availability is decreasing.
Replacement units can sometimes still be sourced from remaining stock or on the secondary market. However, prices may be significantly higher than in the past, and there is no guarantee that the required model will be available when it is actually needed.
And a safety control system is usually not a component without which a machine can simply continue operating.
The biggest problem is not the cost of the relay, but production downtime
An older machine equipped with PNOZmulti may continue to operate reliably for many years. The key question is what happens when the unit fails.
If a replacement unit is not available from stock, the race against time begins.Maintenance teams start searching for an available replacement, production is at a standstill, and at the same time it must be determined whether migration to a new system is necessary. Such a modernization is much more difficult to manage under pressure when the machine has already stopped.
We therefore recommend not waiting for a failure and planning the migration to the new generation in advance.
Replacement for PNOZ m1p and Multi mini: PNOZ m B0 or PNOZ m B1
For the modernization of older PNOZmulti systems, the current-generation PNOZ m B0 or PNOZ m B1 can be used. This is not simply a matter of replacing an old device with a new one. The newer generation also offers several practical advantages:
- significantly smaller dimensions, saving valuable space in the control cabinet,
- higher performance and faster signal processing,
- greater system expansion capabilities,
- backlit display for easier diagnostics,
- modern configuration software available free of charge,
- a solution suitable for future system development and modernization.
Modernization therefore does not have to address only the issue of an obsolete base unit. It can also provide an opportunity to prepare the machine's safety control system for future modifications or expansion.
What about the existing configuration?
This is often the first question customers ask: “If we have a working program in the old PNOZmulti, will we have to program everything again?”
The good news is that migration does not necessarily mean starting completely from scratch. At SYSTEMOTRONIC we can retrieve the existing configuration from the PNOZmulti system, convert it for the new generation and prepare the entire migration process to minimize the impact on production.
We therefore do not focus solely on replacing the component itself. We also assess the existing wiring, configuration and required safety functions of the machine.
Don’t Planned modernization or unplanned downtime?
This is the key point.
If you have several machines in production equipped with the first generation of PNOZmulti, there is no need to replace all of them immediately.
- However, it makes sense to know:
- where the older PNOZmulti units are installed,
- which machines are critical to production,
- which specific unit types are being used,
- whether a replacement unit is available,
- whether you have a backup of the current configuration,
- and what would be involved in migrating to the new generation.
The modernization can then be scheduled, for example, during a planned maintenance shutdown instead of having to deal with it when the machine unexpectedly stops production.
Don’t wait until your PNOZmulti fails
If you are still using PNOZ m1p, m0p, m2p, m3p or Multi mini in your machines, we recommend planning their future replacement in advance.
Planned modernization is generally easier than searching for an obsolete replacement unit and then carrying out the migration under the pressure of a production shutdown.
At SYSTEMOTRONIC we can help you assess your existing solution, retrieve the current configuration, design a suitable replacement and migrate the system to the newer PNOZ m B0 or PNOZ m B1 generation.
Not sure how complex the replacement would be? Contact us. We will review your specific solution and recommend the most suitable approach.
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