Services
Industrial automation and PLC/SCADA integration
Vanguard Systems delivers industrial automation projects in French-speaking Switzerland, from engineering to PLC/SCADA programming, testing and commissioning.
Our approach
What we actually do
Vanguard Systems delivers industrial automation projects in French-speaking Switzerland, from engineering to PLC/SCADA programming, testing and commissioning.
We work with Siemens, Rockwell, Beckhoff and Emerson on new projects, retrofits and migrations. The project can connect instrumentation, control and energy supervision, with documentation and support after handover within the agreed scope.
On special machines, we take the automation, electrical and integration scope; the mechanics stay with the builder or your teams.
Work, interfaces and responsibilities are defined before the project starts. A senior automation engineer can also reinforce your engineering office.
Connect energy, automation and maintenance in one project
New projects, revamping and retrofits for industrial sites and utilities in French-speaking Switzerland. Vanguard provides technical leadership and integration within the agreed scope.
- 01
Assess and measure
Site assessment, available data, metering plan and specifications.
- 02
Integrate and program
Instrumentation, control, PLCs, SCADA and EMS supervision.
- 03
Test and commission
FAT/SAT as required by the project, backups, documentation and team handover.
- 04
Monitor and maintain
Energy follow-up, preventive and corrective maintenance, diagnostics and agreed updates.
The quote defines deliverables, allocated capacity, testing and responsibilities. Panel building, specialist electrical work and mechanical work are assigned according to the project, with the required partners and authorisations. Maintenance terms are defined in the contract.
Acceptance can be followed by a mechanical, electrical and automation maintenance contract. Covered equipment, backups, visits and support terms are defined with operations. General service hours are 07:00 to 19:00 every day.
Project leadership and coordination · Organisation and partners
On-site work: Vaud, Valais, Geneva, Fribourg, Neuchâtel and Jura. Authorised secure remote access where the installation allows it.
Our expertise
Technologies
Use cases and references
Technologies used:
Technologies used:
Technologies used:
Frequently asked questions
Can you deliver an integration project rather than reinforce our team?
Yes. We define an automation work package covering engineering, PLC/SCADA programming, testing, commissioning and documentation. Interfaces with instrumentation, energy and maintenance are specified during scoping. Electrical or mechanical work, required partners and responsibilities are identified in the proposal. Heavy electrical distribution or panel manufacturing is only included after assessment and explicit agreement.
On a special machine, does your scope include the mechanical work too?
No. On special machines we take the automation, electrical and integration scope: control design, component selection, programming, wiring and commissioning. The mechanics stay with the machine builder or your own teams. We also work on machines already in place, adding a function, adapting to new production or replacing the PLC, without touching the mechanical build.
Are you a Siemens shop or a Rockwell shop?
Neither exclusively, we work both in parallel, plus Beckhoff and Emerson depending on the installation. On the Siemens side that covers TIA Portal and PCS7 through to S7-1500 and S7-400 controllers, on the Rockwell side ControlLogix and Studio 5000 through to FactoryTalk and PlantPAx. On a site with a mixed fleet, that means you are not stuck calling two different providers depending on which controller you are looking at.
Can you deliver in a GMP environment with the FAT/SAT/IQ/OQ documentation we need?
Yes, that is a large part of what we do in French-speaking Switzerland, for over 10 years on pharma, biotech and microtechnology sites in regulated GMP and GAMP5 environments. On a sterile fill and finish line commissioning for example, we covered the FAT at the builder through to routine production, with documentation compliant with GAMP5 and 21 CFR Part 11. We also work in non-regulated environments depending on the site.
Our PCS7 or ControlLogix system is getting old, do we have to redevelop everything to migrate?
Not necessarily. We regularly handle legacy system migrations, for example PCS7 v7 to v9, ControlLogix v20 to v34, or Wonderware to AVEVA. The goal is to secure the switchover without starting the existing logic from scratch.
Can you provide a senior external automation engineer to reinforce our engineering office?
Yes, this is something we do regularly for special-machine OEMs in French-speaking Switzerland during tight phases. Software development follows your house standard, with support on the internal FAT and the SAT at your end customer. At handover, knowledge is transferred to your internal team rather than keeping the machine dependent on us.
We want to add a function or upgrade safety on a machine already in production, is that possible without starting over?
Yes, modifying machines already in place is regular work for us: new function, adaptation to new production, safety upgrade or PLC replacement. We work from the existing installation rather than a fresh design. The same team can also handle diagnostics first if the line has reliability issues before the modification.
Contact
A project to scope out?
Tell us about your need and your timeline constraints. We come back quickly with a clear scope.