Watchdog Automation successfully completed a full-scale reverse engineering and automation platform replacement for a large industrial feedmill production facility, transforming a proprietary European OEM automation system into a modern, open, and fully maintainable Siemens-based control architecture.
The original automation system was supplied by a Swiss feedmill equipment manufacturer, utilizing a software-based PLC architecture built on Wonderware InControl, with plant supervision handled through Wonderware Archestra IDE SCADA. The facility's production management layer was implemented through a custom-developed Feedmill Manager application written in legacy Visual Basic, which coordinated batching, formulation, process sequencing, and production monitoring.
While the system had served the plant for many years, the owner faced significant operational risks due to:
To address these challenges, Watchdog Automation was commissioned to perform a complete reverse engineering and modernization of the entire feedmill automation system, enabling the facility to migrate away from the proprietary OEM platform and transition to a globally supported industrial automation architecture.
The project began with a deep technical analysis of the original automation infrastructure, including the reconstruction of control logic, plant process architecture, communication structures, and supervisory interfaces.
The feedmill control system consisted of 1,054 process tags, covering the complete plant operation, including:
Because the original OEM system was built using software-based PLC technology, the entire process control logic had to be carefully reverse engineered and redeveloped into a hardware PLC platform while maintaining full operational compatibility with the plant's existing equipment and instrumentation.
The legacy software PLC environment was replaced with a high-performance Siemens SIMATIC S7-1517-3 PN/DP controller, providing industrial-grade reliability, deterministic processing, and long-term lifecycle support.
The new automation system was engineered using the Siemens TIA Portal integrated engineering framework, enabling seamless integration between PLC control logic, SCADA systems, and plant data management.
Supervisory monitoring and plant visualization were modernized through the implementation of Siemens WinCC Professional V19 SCADA, delivering advanced features including:
The migration from a software PLC environment to a dedicated industrial control platform significantly improved system robustness, reliability, and long-term maintainability.
One of the most technically demanding aspects of the project involved the complete redevelopment of the plant's proprietary Feedmill Manager application.
The original application was developed using legacy Visual Basic technology, which had become difficult to maintain due to outdated development tools and compatibility limitations.
Watchdog Automation performed a full reverse engineering and software modernization of the Feedmill Manager, rewriting the entire application in the modern VB.NET framework.
The new Feedmill Manager platform was designed to integrate directly with:
This modernization created a fully unified automation and production management ecosystem, providing operators and plant managers with improved control, visibility, and operational efficiency.
The upgraded feedmill now operates on a state-of-the-art automation platform consisting of:
By successfully reverse engineering and replacing the original European OEM automation system, Watchdog Automation delivered a fully independent, open-architecture control system that the plant can maintain and expand without relying on proprietary technology providers.
Most significantly, the entire modernization project was completed at less than half the cost quoted by the original Swiss OEM, providing the client with substantial capital savings while delivering a far more flexible and scalable automation platform.
The feedmill facility now benefits from a modern industrial automation system designed for long-term operational sustainability.
Key outcomes include:
This flagship project demonstrates Watchdog Automation's ability to replace complex proprietary OEM automation systems through advanced reverse engineering, industrial software development, and large-scale control system integration.
With expertise spanning PLC engineering, SCADA development, industrial software architecture, and system modernization, Watchdog Automation enables industrial facilities to regain control of their automation infrastructure while achieving superior performance, reliability, and cost efficiency.
