Designing Industrial Applications to keep Fix-It Felix Happy: Part 1

A big part of keeping Fix-It Felix happy is protecting his equipment from damage caused by Wreck-It Ralph, or rough operators. Check out our complementary article, Designing Industrial Applications for Wreck-It Ralph: Part 1.

Imagine showing up to work as a maintenance technician with no fires to put out, no surprise breakdowns, and all your machine statuses clearly displayed in real time on a dashboard through well-designed SCADA and data visualization systems

It almost feels too good to be true, but this is what we aim to make the norm.

Why This Matters

Sure, some people enjoy staying busy knocking out tasks until the shift flies by. We like being productive too, but we’d much rather spend our time on improvements, updates, and preventive work than racing to fix a broken machine while the clock ticks on expensive, stressful downtime.

Hardware and Installation Choices

Choose Reliable, Low-Maintenance Equipment

When selecting new equipment or planning system upgrades, choose devices known for reliability, true “set-it-and-forget-it” performers.

You should be getting the information you need without constant reconfiguration, repair, or replacement over the life of the system.

Where possible, opt for non-contact instrumentation like ultrasonic or radar sensors. These eliminate the need to drill into pipes, making installation faster, cleaner, and less disruptive.

For a real-world example, check out our ultrasonic flow meter installation guide and data insights to see how non-contact instrumentation can simplify installation and improve system visibility.

Simplify Wiring, I/O, and Networking

Simplify and consolidate wiring and I/O wherever possible using technologies like:

• IO-Link
• Ethernet-based I/O
• AS-i or other remote I/O solutions

These allow more data over fewer cables and use secure connections that are less likely to come loose.

Since over 50% of service calls and connection issues come down to wiring problems, this can significantly reduce outages, installation time, and ongoing maintenance.

Even better, reduce wiring altogether using:

• Wireless Ethernet
• Wireless IO-Link
• WiFi, LoRaWAN, or industrial radio systems

When hardwiring is necessary, route cables out of harms way in cabinets, conduit, walls, or overhead, well clear of moving parts and operators.

Material & Product Selection

Quality equipment rarely breaks.

Choose products with proven durability and materials suited to the environment:

• Fiberglass for shock heavy, chemical, corrosive, washdown or salty environments.
• Stainless steel for impact resistance
• Superalloys for extreme chemical exposure

Choose products with proven durability and materials suited to the environment:

Also prioritize products with:

• Strong manufacturer or industry support
• Extensive documentation
• Short learning curves

Time-Saving Hardware Tips

• Use modular I/O connectors for quick swaps
• Match relay type to application (solid-state for longevity, mechanical for heat or inductive loads)
• Avoid embedded relays in output blocks – Instead use a standard block with interposing solid-state relays (cost-effective, easier to identify breaks and replace)
• Work with vendors and integrators to compare options

Design and Programming for Maintainability

Standardize Your Systems

Keeping production lines consistent yields these benefits:

• Fewer programs to maintain
• Simpler spare parts management
• Faster repairs and troubleshooting

Use tools like Network Address Translation (NAT) to make network structures across machines uniform while maintaining unique plant-level addressing. Also develop an upgrade schedule to keep firmware and device versions consistent across the entire plant.

Keep out “Mischief”

Lock down devices wherever possible using password protection to prevent unauthorized changes by well-meaning people and/or troublemakers.

Organize Your Code

Well-structured code with smart error handling makes everything easier.

Common Approaches:

• Classic Ladder Logic: Simple and easy to read, but can become complex quickly
• State Machines: Ideal for sequences and troubleshooting visibility.
• Sequential Function Charts: Visual and intuitive for tracking process flow

Structure Your I/O and Alarms

Troubleshooting is faster and more intuitive when you:

• Map physical I/O tags to logical program tags
• Keep alarm logic centralized
• Group alarms by system or machine area

Use Built-In Troubleshooting Tools

Most modern platforms provide powerful tools, use them.

Examples include:

• Backup/restore via SD cards
• Tag trending and diagnostics
• Parameter management between PLCs and drives
• Built-in commissioning and simulation tools

Major platforms like Rockwell, Siemens, Beckhoff, Keyence, Rexroth, and Omron all offer tools that can dramatically reduce troubleshooting time, if they’re used effectively.

Final Thoughts

With systems designed for protection, reliability, and ease of use, you can significantly reduce unexpected breakdowns and the day-to-day firefighting that comes with them.

That said, even the best-designed systems aren’t immune to wear, failure, or the occasional unexpected issue. Ongoing preventive maintenance and well-supported teams remain essential to keeping operations running smoothly.

If you’re evaluating your current system design or looking for ways to improve reliability and maintainability, reach out to our team to start the conversation.

In Part 2, we’ll shift focus to the maintenance side, how to equip your team with the tools, training, and systems they need to handle whatever comes next.

About the author

Elizabeth Engler is a Controls Integrator with diverse experience across controls design, programming, and software development. She enjoys logical challenges, user interface design, and programming machines to bring customer's visions to life. In her free time, Elizabeth enjoys gardening, mysteries, movies, and time with family.

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About Hallam-ICS

Hallam-ICS is an engineering and automation company that designs MEP systems for facilities and plants, engineers control and automation solutions, and ensures safety and regulatory compliance through arc flash studies, commissioning, and validation. Our offices are located in Massachusetts, Connecticut, New York, Vermont, North Carolina  and Texas and our projects take us world-wide.