Why Standardizing PLC Hardware Saves You Money — And Headaches

If you own or manage an industrial facility — or a municipal water/wastewater plant — you’ve probably noticed this problem before:

Over time, as equipment is added or replaced, you end up with a patchwork of different brands and models of PLC hardware. One panel might have Allen-Bradley. Another might use Automation Direct. Maybe an older machine is still running a Siemens or Mitsubishi controller.

At first glance, this seems harmless. After all, “they all do the same thing,” right?
Well — yes, they all control equipment — but mixing too many brands can quietly create extra costs and problems that show up later when you least expect them.

Here’s why:

● Training your people gets harder.

Each brand of PLC has its own software, programming language quirks, and troubleshooting steps. When your staff has to learn several systems, it takes more time — and costs more for training. New hires also face a steeper learning curve, which can slow them down.

● Spare parts inventory grows unnecessarily.

You end up stocking parts for each different PLC platform — different power supplies, CPUs, communication cards, I/O modules, programming cables, and so on. That ties up money and shelf space, and increases the risk of grabbing the wrong part when you’re in a hurry.

● Making systems work together takes extra engineering.

When you want two different PLC systems to communicate, you often need special gateway modules or extra programming effort. This adds upfront costs and future maintenance headaches.

● Getting tech support can be inconsistent.

If a critical PLC goes down, it’s a lot easier to get help — or find a replacement part — when you’re using a common brand supported by local distributors. But if that failed controller is an uncommon or old brand, you might face long delays getting it fixed — or even a complete redesign of that control panel.

What we recommend — and why:

At Britton Electronics & Automation, we almost always recommend standardizing on a single platform for PLC hardware. For most of our customers in Illinois and across the Midwest — especially in the municipal water/wastewater world — Allen-Bradley is the best fit.

Why?

● It’s well-supported locally.

Distributors in the region stock plenty of AB hardware, and there is strong technical support available.

● It’s reliable and proven.

We’ve seen Allen-Bradley systems perform very well in tough environments — pumping stations, treatment plants, factories — year after year.

● It protects your investment.

Even older models of AB PLCs have long-term support and parts availability. This isn’t always true with some of the cheaper brands.

● It simplifies training and reduces errors.

Your team only needs to master one programming environment — which saves time, prevents mistakes, and makes your operation more efficient.

Bottom line:

Choosing to standardize your PLC hardware might not sound exciting, but it is one of the smartest ways to save money and avoid problems down the road.

When you have one consistent hardware family across your plant — your people get faster at troubleshooting, your inventory shrinks, your systems integrate better, and your risk of unplanned downtime goes down.

If you’d like help reviewing your current PLC landscape — or if you’re planning upgrades and want to avoid a mix of brands — give us a call. We can help you build a roadmap that makes future expansions easier, smoother, and more cost-effective.