In industrial automation, efficiency and reliability are non-negotiable. Mismanaged inventory, outdated hardware, and a lack of visibility into automation assets can lead to costly downtime and operational bottlenecks. Unplanned failures disrupt production, reduce output, and increase maintenance costs—making proactive planning essential.
An Installed Base Evaluation (IBE) from Rockwell Automation provides a comprehensive audit of your facility’s automation assets, covering everything from critical hardware to spare parts and lifecycle status. This evaluation helps identify risks, optimize inventory, and develop a strategic upgrade plan to keep operations running smoothly.
At HESCO, we understand how important it is to have full visibility of your automation infrastructure. Our team conducts IBEs tailored to your facility’s unique needs, equipping you with the data required to improve uptime, reduce costs, and future-proof your operations.
How an IBE Works
An IBE is a two-step process that provides detailed insights into your automation ecosystem. By identifying at-risk components and inefficiencies, you can make informed decisions that enhance productivity and prevent disruptions.
Site Visit and Data Collection
The first step in an IBE involves a thorough, on-site inventory of all automation assets. Experts from HESCO or another Rockwell Automation distributor visit your facility to document every piece of automation hardware, including PLCs, HMIs, drives, industrial computers, sensors, and other control components. They catalog both the equipment actively in use on the plant floor and any spare parts stored in inventory.
Beyond creating an equipment list, the evaluation team assesses the physical condition of automation components, checking for signs of wear, damage, or environmental exposure that could reduce longevity. They also review wiring, grounding, and networking infrastructure to ensure safe and efficient operations. Additionally, compliance with safety regulations is a key focus, as the team inspects Arc Flash labels and safety signage to confirm they meet current standards.
Courtesy of Rockwell Automation
Post-Collection Analysis
After completing the site visit, the collected data is analyzed to provide meaningful insights into the status of your automation assets. Each component is assigned a lifecycle status, determining whether it is active and supported, nearing obsolescence, or discontinued entirely. Understanding where each piece of equipment falls in its lifecycle allows your team to anticipate and plan for necessary upgrades or replacements before they become urgent issues.
The analysis also includes an in-depth review of spare parts inventory, identifying critical gaps that could lead to unplanned downtime. If certain components are missing or understocked, the report highlights them as priorities for procurement. On the other hand, the evaluation may reveal excessive or redundant inventory that can be optimized to free up capital.
Once the analysis is complete, all findings are compiled into a detailed report that provides not only a snapshot of your facility’s automation infrastructure but also clear recommendations for improvement. These suggestions may include strategies for preventing downtime, optimizing spare parts management, and phasing out outdated hardware. The end result is a roadmap designed to enhance reliability and operational efficiency.
Key Benefits of an IBE
A properly executed IBE delivers measurable benefits across multiple aspects of industrial automation.
Spare Parts Optimization
Maintaining an optimized spare parts inventory is essential for minimizing downtime. An IBE ensures that your facility has the right components available when needed, preventing costly delays caused by missing critical parts. By eliminating excess inventory, you also reduce the financial burden of overstocking and free up storage space for more essential items.
Lifecycle Status Awareness
Knowing which components are obsolete or nearing obsolescence allows your facility to plan ahead for replacements and upgrades. Instead of scrambling for discontinued parts when something fails, you can proactively schedule maintenance, ensuring your operations continue without disruption. This approach minimizes risk and allows for cost-effective, strategic decision-making.
Risk Mitigation for Legacy Equipment
Aging automation hardware can become a weak link in production systems, especially when spare parts or technical support are no longer available. An IBE identifies these high-risk components and helps prioritize which should be replaced first. This proactive approach prevents sudden failures and ensures continued operational stability.
Strategic Upgrade Planning
With the insights provided by an IBE, you can make data-driven decisions about where to invest in automation upgrades. Rather than guessing or reacting to unexpected failures, facilities can take a phased approach to modernization, spreading costs over time while ensuring that upgrades align with production goals and industry advancements.
Courtesy of Rockwell Automation
Enhanced Regulatory Compliance
Beyond improving efficiency and reliability, an IBE also helps ensure that your facility remains compliant with industry safety regulations. During the evaluation, missing Arc Flash labels, outdated wiring practices, and other hazards are flagged so they can be addressed before they become compliance violations or safety risks.
Considerations Before Getting an IBE
While an IBE is a valuable investment, there are a few key factors to consider before moving forward.
Cost Considerations
The cost of an IBE varies depending on the size and complexity of the facility. The price of an IBE can vary depending on the size of the facility and the scope of the process, but most range from $6,000 to $10,000. While the upfront investment may seem significant, it is important to compare it to the potential cost of downtime—a single day of lost production could exceed the price of an IBE.
Aligning Expectations
To ensure the most value from an IBE, it’s important to clearly define your goals before the evaluation begins. A pre-evaluation questionnaire helps align expectations between your facility and the evaluation team, ensuring that the process is tailored to focus on your most pressing concerns.
Site Visit Requirements
During the site visit, a facility representative should be available to guide the evaluation team. Since the evaluators may be unfamiliar with the facility layout, having someone on hand to provide access, answer questions, and offer context on legacy systems ensures a smooth and efficient process.
Real-World Impact of an IBE
Facilities that have undergone an IBE often experience significant improvements in their operations. Many discover gaps in their spare parts inventory that could have led to unexpected downtime, allowing them to take corrective action before a critical failure occurs. Others find that their storerooms contain excessive inventory, tying up capital that could be better allocated toward modernization efforts.
For some facilities, the IBE process reveals that they are still heavily reliant on legacy systems, making future upgrades more difficult. With a clear roadmap in place, these facilities can prioritize modernization efforts and make strategic investments in newer automation technology without disrupting operations.
By taking a proactive approach, facilities that invest in IBEs reduce downtime, streamline spare parts management, and position themselves for long-term operational success.
Future-Proof Your Facility with an IBE
An Installed Base Evaluation isn’t just an audit—it’s a roadmap for improving efficiency, reducing risk, and planning for the future.
HESCO’s team of automation experts provides comprehensive evaluations, offering actionable insights that help you make smarter investment decisions. Don’t wait until outdated equipment becomes a problem—be proactive.
Take control of your automation future—contact HESCO today to schedule your IBE.