5 Ways to Engineer Control Systems That Fit Your Floorplan
Squeezed behind a roaring machine, flashlight clenched between teeth, tracing a single wire through a jungle of spaghetti cabling, your radio buzzes. A critical sensor failed on Line 3. The control panel is buried near the loading dock. An 8-minute sprint away is next.
This is the everyday reality in many manufacturing plants. The control system wasn’t designed for their actual floor layout. Standards like ISA-88 or ISO 13849 must have been overlooked. The result? Higher maintenance costs, inconsistent product quality, and frustrated teams.
So, what can you do?
This Verdusco Automation article is your no-fluff guide to retrofitting automation into your existing facilities.
Here are five ways to engineer control systems that actually fit your floor plan.
#1 Map Your Space Like a Pro
Before a single wire is pulled, you need a living blueprint that captures the real environment.
The cramped aisle where pallets scrape conduits.
The sprawling cold storage area with its icy corners.
The electrical room already packed to the rafters.
Take, for example, a juice factory with three product lines: pear, apple, and peach. Each line has its quirks. A control system that treats them all the same? That’s a recipe for chaos.
Mapping with precision helps you:
Reveal failure points disguised as clutter (like a junction box hidden above a steam pipe in the apple line).
Uncover hidden conflicts (HVAC ducts, structural beams).
Pinpoint utility access.
Visualize traffic and workflow.
Use digital floor plans, LiDAR scans, or even drone footage to visualize how operators move, where machines breathe, and where control panels can live without being buried.
A well-mapped space is the foundation of a control system that fits like a glove.
#2 Match Control Zones to Process Zones
Your process isn’t random. It flows. Your control zones should, too.
Back to the juice factory. How does the product move?
Raw intake → Washing → Blending → Pasteurization → Filling → Packaging
Each is a distinct functional zone. So, avoid grouping I/O just because it’s convenient to wire. Group them based on how the process works.
When a valve fails on Line 3, you don’t want your operators digging through Line 1’s logic to find it.
When control zones mirror production zones, operators gain clarity, and maintenance teams stop chasing ghosts.
#3 Keep Panels Accessible and Cables Short
Control panels look neat tucked away… until they need service.
Accessibility is non-negotiable for safety and efficiency. In your design, always factor in:
Service space. Leave at least 3 feet of clearance in front of panels. No climbing ladders or moving pallet jacks just to reset a breaker.
Environmental conditions. Keep panels away from direct spray, excessive heat, or corrosive atmospheres. Mounting them slightly elevated is fine, as long as access is safe.
Short cable runs. Shorter cables mean less cost, less voltage drop, less susceptibility to electrical noise, and faster installation. Think “arm’s reach” for critical components.
A former client was losing hours every month tracing signal losses. We rerouted their network with clean, direct paths. Now they achieve faster diagnostics and better performance.
#4 Favor Modular Industrial Control System
Bulky, monolithic cabinets belong in the past. Modular industrial control systems are your best friends in tight or irregular layouts. Distributed I/O, modular PLCs, and compact enclosures let you scale without stuffing every cabinet to the brim.
In cleanrooms or phased installations, modularity is gold. You can add new functions without ripping out the old. And you avoid the trap of maxing out every slot on day one.
Modularity equals flexibility. Your control system will grow with you without compromises.
#5 Design for Your People, Existing Systems & Future Scalability
Your retrofitting design is for real people working with existing systems:
Use eye-level HMIs, intuitive interfaces, and layouts that reduce sticky bottlenecks.
Respect existing systems. Don’t bulldoze them.
And always plan for what’s next: new lines, new products, and new regulations.
Also, consider upstream and downstream systems. If your ERP or MES needs to plug into your control system next year, will it work? Will your HMI still make sense?
A reliable control system should feel streamlined, safe, and ready for tomorrow.
Engineer Control Systems Without Headaches
Control system engineering is evolving fast. From edge computing to low-voltage distributed control, the future is modular, connected, and human-centered.
At Verdusco Automation, we help manufacturers engineer control systems that actually fit their workflow, floor plan, and budget, whether you’re working with tight retrofits or ground-up builds.
Here’s how we support your team:
Floorplan-Optimized Control System Design: Smart layouts, less clutter, and faster troubleshooting.
Modular PLC and I/O Integration: Scalable, clean, and compliant installs.
On-Site Automation Retrofitting Services: Minimal downtime. Maximum compatibility.
“The best systems are invisible until something goes wrong. Great design prevents problems you never see.”
Take action: Contact Verdusco Automation today!
