What causes most industrial control system downtime?

In most cases, downtime is caused by obsolete PLC hardware, poor software structure, or lack of diagnostics rather than catastrophic equipment failure.

Can downtime be reduced without replacing entire machines?

Yes. Control system upgrades, panel refurbishments, and SCADA improvements often deliver major uptime improvements without full replacement.

How quickly can downtime improvements be implemented?

This depends on system complexity, but many improvements can be phased in during planned shutdowns or maintenance windows.

Reduce Industrial Downtime

Reduce Downtime Caused by Control System Failures

Unplanned downtime is one of the biggest cost drivers in industrial operations. In many cases, the root cause is not mechanical failure but ageing or poorly designed control systems. PLC failures, obsolete control panels, and unclear automation software can turn minor faults into extended production stoppages.

Stratos Control Systems helps industrial sites reduce downtime by improving the reliability, structure, and visibility of their control systems.

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Why Control Systems Are a Major Cause of Downtime

As control systems age, they become harder to maintain and more prone to failure. Obsolete PLC hardware, undocumented software changes, and control panels built without clear standards make fault finding slow and unpredictable.

When failures occur, maintenance teams are often forced to rely on external engineers or trial-and-error troubleshooting, extending downtime well beyond what should be necessary.

Common Control System Downtime Issues

Industrial downtime is frequently linked to the following control system problems:

Obsolete or unsupported PLC hardware
Control panels built without consistent wiring or labelling standards
Poor diagnostics and ineffective alarm handling
PLC software changes made without version control or documentation
Limited system visibility and no historical fault data

Control System Risk & Lifecycle Assessment

We conduct detailed assessments of existing automation infrastructure to identify vulnerabilities and prioritise investment.

Our structured reviews provide clear visibility of system condition, supportability, and long-term viability.

Identification of obsolete, unsupported, and high-risk systems
Assessment of asset lifecycle and vendor support status
Prioritised upgrade and replacement planning
Clear recommendations aligned to business objectives

How We Reduce Control System Downtime

Stratos Control Systems takes a structured, engineering-led approach to reducing downtime:

Control panel redesign and rebuild using AutoCAD or E-Plan
PLC, HMI, and SCADA upgrades aligned to modern standards
Improved alarm handling, diagnostics, and fault visibility
Structured testing, commissioning, and validation
Clear documentation to support ongoing maintenance

Our focus is not just fixing failures, but preventing repeat downtime events.

Who This Is For?

This solution is typically used by:

Maintenance Managers responsible for uptime and response times
Engineering Managers managing ageing control systems
Operations teams experiencing frequent or unexplained downtime

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Reduce downtime at my site

Whether you’re planning system upgrades, reducing downtime, or improving long-term reliability, speak to our engineers today for practical, site-specific solutions you can rely on.