LS Precast — PLC & HMI Rebuild

The Situation

LS Precast was awarded the contract to manufacture concrete tunnel segments for the Victorian Government's Suburban Rail Loop Package D. To meet the timeline, they sourced a decommissioned concrete carousel line from Sydney, transported it to Benalla, and re-erected it on site.

When React Automation was engaged, the challenge exceeded initial scope. LS Precast had no access to the original PLC or HMI source code. The existing program was locked and partially documented, with code that did not match what was running on the machine. LS Precast had also significantly modified the physical line to suit their site, relocating railing, gantry, and core structural components. With that level of change, patching the original code was not viable.

The Work

React's engineering team performed a complete ground-up rebuild of all PLC and HMI projects, reverse-engineering the line's operating cycles from incomplete electrical, mechanical, and maintenance documentation.

New HMI screens were developed with simplified layouts and improved diagnostics. A mould tracking system was added to manage the large number of moulds cycling through the line simultaneously.

Timelines compressed significantly mid-project. First pour was pulled forward by several weeks, and production pressure mounted before commissioning was complete. React's lead engineer spent two and a half months on site at 70-hour weeks, with additional team members rotating through to hold the schedule.

The Result

LS Precast now owns the source code of their production line and has full local engineering support. They can make changes, add capacity, and resolve issues independently, at reduced cost and with far less risk of delay from OEM reliance.

The carousel is in production and output is increasing as operators settle into the new system.