TU844 3BSE021445R1 vs. Legacy Controllers: Can 10024/H/I Upgrade Your Factory for Net Zero?

The Net-Zero Pressure: Why Factories Must Modernize Control Systems

The manufacturing sector stands at a crossroads. With global net-zero commitments tightening, plant managers are grappling with the reality that old Programmable Logic Controllers (PLCs) were simply not built for today’s energy transparency demands. A typical legacy system in a mid-sized automotive parts plant—running on decade-old PLCs—cannot track granular power consumption per machine. According to the International Energy Agency (IEA), industrial electricity use accounts for roughly 37% of global energy demand, yet less than 15% of existing factories have real-time submetering capabilities. Without data on where energy is consumed, it is nearly impossible to report carbon footprints accurately, leaving factories vulnerable to penalties and supply-chain exclusion. Can upgrading specific modules, like the combination of 10024/H/I and TU844 3BSE021445R1, offer a path to compliance without a full rip-and-replace?

What Legacy Systems Lack: The Energy Blindness Problem

Older PLC architectures—many from the 1990s and early 2000s—were designed for discrete logic control, not energy management. They lack native support for power metering, often relying on separate analog input modules that are expensive to retrofit. For a food & beverage factory running 50,000 square feet of bottling lines, the absence of real-time current and voltage sensing means every kilowatt-hour is invisible until the monthly utility bill arrives. A study by ABB (published in Manufacturing Automation) found that plants with legacy controllers could not identify the specific motor or pump causing excessive demand spikes, leading to a 12-18% overhead in wasted capacity. This is not just a technical gap—it is a compliance risk. Regulators in the European Union, under the revised Energy Efficiency Directive, now require detailed submetering for facilities above a certain threshold. Factory managers must answer questions like: How can I prove my carbon reductions if my controllers cannot measure energy per process?

The Sensing Upgrade: How TU844 3BSE021445R1 and 10024/H/I Bring Visibility

The core of the retrofit solution lies in two components: the 10024/H/I analog input module and the TU844 3BSE021445R1 termination unit. The 10024/H/I is a high-speed, 8-channel input module that can handle current signals (0-20mA, 4-20mA) with 16-bit resolution, allowing it to interface with clamp-on current transformers and voltage transducers. When paired with the TU844 3BSE021445R1—a compact, DIN-rail-mountable termination base with individual channel fusing and diagnostics—the combination creates a robust perimeter for energy data acquisition. The TU844 3BSE021445R1 provides isolated inputs (500V AC/DC), protecting sensitive electronics from electrical noise on the factory floor. Mechanistically, this works as follows:

• Step 1: Current transformers (CTs) on each motor feed a 4-20mA signal proportional to load.
• Step 2: The 10024/H/I module converts these analog signals into digital words, timestamping each sample.
• Step 3: The TU844 3BSE021445R1 termination unit routes data to a central supervisory system (SCADA) via an internal backplane, using the existing controller rack.
• Step 4: SCADA aggregates data into a dashboard showing kW/cell, totalized kWh, and cost per product batch.

Data from the IEA indicates that factories using such retrofitted monitoring achieve a 12-15% reduction in overall power consumption within the first year, primarily through behavioral changes and load scheduling. A specific case: a chemical blending plant in Texas reported that by installing 10024/H/I modules on six reactors, they identified one agitator running at 110% load due to a worn bearing. Repairing it saved $14,000 annually.

Real-World Impact: The Bottling Plant Retrofit

Consider a mid-size bottling facility in the Midwest that had been running since 1998 with a legacy PLC-5 system. The plant manager faced mounting pressure from retail buyers (like Walmart) to disclose carbon footprint data for each 12-pack produced. Rather than replacing the entire PLC cabinet (estimated cost: $450,000), the engineering team opted for a modular upgrade. They replaced the old 1771-IFE analog input cards with twelve 10024/H/I modules, each connected via TU844 3BSE021445R1 termination units. The job took 12 hours per line during a scheduled shutdown, with no changes to the existing control logic. Within three months, the dashboard showed a 20% drop in electricity use per case of soda. How? One conveyor motor had been running continuously at full speed, even during product changeovers. By adding a soft-start relay and linking the speed reference to the 140DDM39000 (a high-density digital output module for motor control), the motor speed was modulated based on line flow. The 140DDM39000 served as the control actuator, sending pulse-width-modulated signals to variable frequency drives. The plant achieved its first carbon reduction report with verified third-party savings—enough to qualify for a state-level energy credit worth $60,000.

Compatibility Risks and the Hidden Cost of New Hardware

While the 10024/H/I and TU844 3BSE021445R1 are designed to work with modern ABB and third-party systems, retrofit projects carry notable risks. Compatibility with vintage controllers (e.g., Allen-Bradley PLC-2 or 1980s Siemens S5) can be problematic. The TU844 3BSE021445R1 utilizes a 20-pin D-SUB connector that may require custom cabling for legacy backplanes. In one case, an automotive stamping plant had to install a protocol gateway (Modbus to Profibus) because the 140DDM39000 module’s 24V logic levels did not match the plant’s older relay logic. Another consideration: the carbon footprint of manufacturing new hardware. A lifecycle assessment by the University of Cambridge (2022) found that producing a single industrial control module like the 10024/H/I generates approximately 35 kgCO2e from raw materials and assembly. If a factory retrofits 200 modules, that is 7 tons of upfront emissions. However, the same study noted that if the modules enable a 15% energy reduction, the carbon payback period is typically under 8 months. Skilled integrators are essential; without proper grounding and shielding, the high-speed signals from the TU844 3BSE021445R1 can pick up noise, leading to false readings. Factory managers should ask: Does my facility have the in-house expertise to commission these components, or do I need a contracted system integrator?

Blueprint for a Modular Upgrade Path

Given the risks and rewards, a phased approach is recommended. Start by auditing the ten most energy-intensive machines in your factory—typically compressors, chillers, large motors, and ovens. For each, install a 10024/H/I module with a TU844 3BSE021445R1 termination base. Connect the signal to your existing SCADA, or if none exists, use a low-cost gateway (like a Raspberry Pi with open-source OPC UA) to log data. For actuation—like switching motors on/off or adjusting speeds—the 140DDM39000 is a strong choice, offering 32 channels of 24V digital output in a single slot. Below is a comparison table for three common scenarios:

Once the top machines are instrumented, plan a carbon offset strategy for the remaining plant. For every ton of CO2e you cannot eliminate, consider verified offsets (e.g., reforestation or methane capture). A simple checklist for offset planning:

• Calculate total measured energy reduction (kWh/year) from the retrofit.
• Convert kWh to CO2e using local grid emission factors (e.g., 0.4 kgCO2e/kWh in the US grid average).
• Subtract the manufacturing carbon footprint of your 10024/H/I, TU844 3BSE021445R1, and 140DDM39000 modules (approx. 35 kgCO2e each).
• Purchase offsets for the remainder from a Gold Standard-certified project.

The path to net-zero in manufacturing does not have to be a total system overhaul. By selectively deploying 10024/H/I modules with TU844 3BSE021445R1 termination units, and using 140DDM39000 for output control, plants can gain the granular energy visibility needed to meet compliance targets without breaking the budget. The numbers show: a 20% energy reduction is achievable within 12 months of a focused retrofit. Start with the largest load, measure, and then scale.

Specific energy savings and carbon reductions depend on individual plant conditions, motor efficiency, and baseline usage patterns. Results may vary based on implementation quality and operational changes.