Global Tyre Manufacturer Modernises Production Assets and

A leading global tyre manufacturer operating a plant in Romania faced mounting pressure to modernise aging production infrastructure on its stage one and stage two tyre building machines. The existing control architecture — built around legacy Allen-Bradley SLC 500 PLCs, AC motors with basic I/O-controlled drum positioning, and an older PanelView HMI — could not support the speed, flexibility, or connectivity demanded by modern tyre production. Recipe changeovers and parameter updates were slow and error-prone, production cycle times lagged behind market standards, and the systems lacked the modularity needed to accommodate new tyre architectures. Compliance requirements from the manufacturer's customers added further urgency to the modernisation programme.

Romanian systems integrator INDAS Tech — a Rockwell Automation Recognised Systems Integrator with 15 years of tyre industry experience — was engaged to redesign both the mechanical and automation layers of the tyre building machines. The legacy SLC 500 architecture was replaced with an Allen-Bradley ControlLogix PAC as the core controller, paired with a PanelView Plus 1000 HMI for operator interaction. Allen-Bradley PowerFlex 70 variable-speed drives replaced the existing AC drive setup, while Allen-Bradley Kinetix 6000 servo drives on a SERCOS network delivered precision motion control. EtherNet/IP provided connectivity to Level 2 systems and servers, and DeviceNet integrated third-party components including pneumatic valves and a laser marking system. INDAS Tech developed all PAC and HMI application software, conducted production testing, and delivered full factory acceptance testing and operator documentation.

Following deployment, the tyre manufacturer achieved measurable improvements across production performance and operational flexibility:

• Faster production cycle: Cycle times were reduced compared to pre-modernisation baselines, bringing the plant in line with market standards.
• Reduced downtime: The modern control architecture simplified diagnostics and reduced unplanned stoppages.
• Increased flexibility: Operators can now execute recipe changes and parameter adjustments significantly faster than under the legacy system.
• Easier operator interaction: The PanelView Plus 1000 HMI streamlined parameterisation and calibration tasks.
• Rapid new product development: The plant can now develop, programme, and initiate new tyre architectures more easily, supporting product variety and market expansion goals.

• Modernisation ROI extends beyond throughput: Replacing legacy black-box PLCs with open, data-capable platforms unlocks compliance, connectivity, and OEE improvements simultaneously.
• Systems integrator expertise is a critical success factor: INDAS Tech's combined depth in both Rockwell Automation platforms and tyre manufacturing workflows reduced deployment risk and compressed the project timeline.
• Modular software architecture pays forward: Designing PAC software for modularity from the outset enables faster adaptation to future tyre architectures without full reprogramming cycles.
• Network convergence enables digital transformation: EtherNet/IP integration with Level 2 systems creates a foundation for data analytics and enterprise visibility that legacy I/O-only architectures cannot provide.