SCADA Server & Software Upgrade

Migration from FTView SE to Centralized Ignition SCADA — Consolidating 87+ Screens Across Four Production Areas

CLIENT

Confidential

INDUSTRY

Wheat Flour Milling

LOCATION

Great Falls, MT

DELIVERED BY

Logic Control Systems

The Challenge

A multi-plant wheat flour milling facility was running two separate FTView SE licensed systems across four production areas — creating maintenance complexity, licensing cost, and operational risk.

Two separate FTView SE licensed systems running different software versions — FTView SE Local v9 and v11 respectively.
Over 87 HMI screens plus dozens of pop-up screens spread across four operational systems, all maintained independently.
All maintenance tasks required taking systems offline, making changes locally, then downloading and testing during mill downtime — creating unnecessary production risk.
Tracking multiple software versions, separate programs, and individual licenses across systems was inefficient and error-prone.
Rockwell's software version policy required purchasing new licenses to upgrade to newer versions — creating recurring licensing costs for each server.

The Solution

Logic Control Systems migrated all four production areas to a single centralized Ignition SCADA server — consolidating 87+ HMI screens, three PLC connections, and all production data onto one platform.

Centralized Architecture

The new system runs on a single Ignition server that communicates with all three PLCs across the four production areas. Client workstations connect to the server via browser — no software installation required on individual machines. All HMI screens, tag databases, and historian data are managed centrally.

Screen Migration

All 87+ FTView SE screens plus pop-up screens were rebuilt in Ignition, using native Ignition templates and a consolidated tag architecture. The migration was structured to maintain operational continuity — production areas were cut over sequentially to minimize mill downtime.

PLC Integration

Three existing Allen-Bradley PLCs were integrated into the Ignition platform using native Rockwell drivers — preserving all existing PLC programs while replacing the HMI layer.

A single Ignition license replaces multiple independent FTView SE licenses — with no per-upgrade licensing fees as software versions advance.

Technology at a Glance

FTView SE

Previous Platform

Ignition SCADA

New Platform

Production Areas

PLCs Integrated

87+

HMI Screens Converted

Results & Impact

All four production areas now operate under a single, centrally managed SCADA platform.
HMI maintenance, updates, and modifications can be performed on the central server and pushed to all client workstations simultaneously — eliminating offline maintenance and mill downtime for software changes.
A single Ignition license replaces multiple independent FTView SE licenses, with no per-upgrade licensing fees as software versions advance.
Backups are faster, simpler, and more reliable on the centralized architecture.
The consolidated tag architecture and native Ignition templates provide a cleaner, more maintainable codebase than the legacy FTView systems.
New client workstations can be added anywhere on the network with no software installation — just a browser connection to the Ignition server.
The total cost of ownership over the system's operational life is substantially lower than continuing with or upgrading the Rockwell FTView SE platform.

About Logic Control Systems

Logic Control Systems (LCS) is a Texas-based industrial automation integrator specializing in PLC programming, SCADA/HMI development, process control, electrical panel fabrication, commissioning, and remote automation maintenance. LCS serves clients across the U.S. in industries including food processing, fabrication, chemical, oil and gas, pharmaceutical, and water/wastewater.

UL Certified | Ignition Certified | ISNetworld Member | Fortinet Partner