No all-or-nothing choice
The retrofit path does not force a decision between replacing everything and getting no analytics — coverage starts where the sensors already are.
Existing plant · assorted sensors · staged budget
Add condition monitoring without ripping out what's already there
Broad sensor compatibility, tunable local storage and a start-small-then-scale processing model for retrofits.
0sensor replacements needed to start
Built for the plant engineer working with existing instrumentation
The challenge
Built for the plant engineer working with existing instrumentation.
- Existing plants already have a mix of sensor types and ages; full sensor replacement to fit a new monitoring platform is often cost-prohibitive.
- Older or lower-spec edge hardware already on site may not have the storage or compute for a full-featured system out of the box.
- Plants want to start with basic monitoring and prove value before committing budget to advanced analytics.
How the system solves it
Only the capabilities that apply to this use case.
- 01
Legacy sensors
IEPE · 4–20 mA · mixed ages
- 02
EtherCAT terminals
Daisy-chain · no rewire to cabinet
- 03
Tunable edge DB
Retention & sample rate fit the IPC
- 04
Modular stack
Metrics → DSP → AI on same runtime
Start metrics-only on CX9240/C6015 · enable DSP or AI later where CPU headroom allows · offline rollback
- Broad open sensor support
- Standard IEPE and process signals via EtherCAT terminals, including extreme-temperature IEPE ranges. Compatible types and counts are confirmed per site inventory before commitment.
- Tunable retention and sample rate
- Local database retention and sample rate are configured to fit the storage capacity of whatever IPC is already on site, rather than requiring an upgrade on day one.
- Modular processing
- Launch with Metrics & Alarms only, then add DSP or AI later on the same hardware where compute headroom allows. What is addable per tier without a swap is verified during sizing.
- Safe updates
- Offline update and rollback workflow for plants with restricted network access.
Why it wins here
Architectural differences, not slogans.
Add intelligence, not hardware
DSP and AI are software services on the same box, so the next capability step is a configuration change rather than a purchase order.
Off-the-shelf hardware availability
Standard Beckhoff components ship from stock rather than on multi-month lead times, so a retrofit window is not held hostage by procurement.
Deployment path
Variant
Either variant, depending on site wiring feasibility
Hardware tier
Start on CX9240 or C6015; size headroom for a later DSP/AI upgrade
Why
A retrofit is staged by definition. Size the first IPC for today's sensors and keep the tier that lets you enable add-ons without a second purchase.
Wired retrofit where cable routes and cabinet space already exist; wireless retrofit where trenching or conduit is the blocker. Both paths share the same software and data model.
Proof & validation
Retrofit case study, sensor by sensor
A real retrofit records the legacy sensor types integrated, the before/after monitoring coverage and the install time. The compatibility check confirms which of your sensors are supported before you commit.
Next step
A lightweight compatibility check — tell us what is installed and we will tell you what is supported.
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