Demag Ergotech NC4 refit: controller replacement for the plastics processing industry
After the Sumitomo (SHI) acquisition in 2008, the technical focus shifted to the Japanese and Asian market. For legacy NC4 machines in Europe this means: 6-12 week response times for parts, limited knowledge at European service technicians and no more software updates for NC4 firmware.
Demag Ergotech was acquired by Sumitomo (SHI) in 2008. The European service network for legacy NC4 controls has significantly weakened since then. NC4 machines run on S5-era HMI hardware for which no replacement components are available. GCG replaces the NC4 + S5 control with a modern B&R X20 installation, preserving recipes, cycle times and CE conformity.
Demag Ergotech NC series: lifecycle and support
| Controller | Era | Status |
|---|---|---|
| NC4 / Sys 4 | ~1990-2002 | Fully EOL, no parts, S5 HMI no longer available |
| NC5 | 2000-2008 | EOL: limited support via Sumitomo (SHI) Demag |
| Systec | 2003-2012 | Manufacturer support tapering. Plan now |
| activeColour / activeDrive | 2012-heden | Actively supported by Sumitomo (SHI) Demag |
NC4 architecture: what you need to know
Platform: S5 HMI hardware
The NC4 control is built on S5-era hardware with Siemens-compatible I/O modules. This hardware has been end-of-life for more than a decade. Reconditioned boards are the only option on failure, and stock is drying up fast.
EEPROM storage: data loss risk
Machine recipes and calibrations are stored in EEPROM modules subject to fatigue. After 25+ write cycles per year for 20+ years, corruption is a real risk.
Communication: proprietary RS-422
The NC4 communicates with the drives via a Demag-proprietary RS-422 protocol. This protocol is not documented. GCG reverse-engineers the message structure as part of the migration intake. Later NC5 machines have partial Euromap 63 support.
I/O mapping: fully manual
There is no automated conversion path from NC4 to B&R. GCG performs a full wiring audit, documents all signal routes and rebuilds the machine functionality in Automation Studio based on the original wiring diagrams.
German installed base: why the refit peak is now
Germany has the largest concentration of Demag Ergotech machines outside Japan. The machines were bought in the period 1993-2008 and are now 18-33 years old. The NC4 controls have exceeded their technical service life. With the weakening of the European Sumitomo service network, the urgency window for an orderly migration is limited.
From NC4 + S5 to B&R X20
B&R X20 / Automation Studio + Euromap 67/77 + mapp View HMI
Parameter dump & bus analysis
Read out all recipes via serial port. Record and decode RS-422 traffic to reconstruct signal definitions.
Wiring audit
Full inventory of sensors, actuators, safety switches and fieldbus couplings.
B&R engineering & FAT
Build application programme in Automation Studio, prepare cabinet, FAT at our workshop in Eindhoven. Documentation in German included.
SAT & moulding qualification
Commissioning on the production floor, 5 reference products for qualification, operators trained. Average downtime: 48-72 hours.
3-5 machines together: 20-35% cost reduction
GCG offers German injection moulders a cohort approach: 3-5 companies with similar Demag Ergotech NC4/NC5 machines clustered into a 6-12 month migration programme. The RS-422 protocol reverse-engineering and B&R base application are developed once and reused for all machines in the cohort.
Register for next cohort →Frequently asked questions
Can my Demag NC4 be repaired?
Theoretically yes, but the S5 HMI cards have been unavailable for more than a decade. The EEPROM memory modules and display units are most critical. GCG recommends migration once an NC4 card fails a second time or when HMI response time structurally slows.
Are my machine recipes preserved after migration?
Yes, GCG reads the parameter list via the NC4 serial port before migration starts. In case of EEPROM corruption GCG can set new base parameters based on product samples and process data. Most NC4 installations still have readable EEPROM modules.
Does the machine run during the refit?
No, downtime is 48-72 hours for a standard Demag Ergotech machine. GCG schedules the downtime in a planned maintenance window and delivers the cabinet pre-configured. For German factories we prefer to plan in consultation with production scheduling.
What does a Demag Ergotech NC4 refit cost?
Costs depend on machine configuration (El-Exis, System, IntElect), number of axes and I/O points, and presence of an F-safety system. Indicative range for a single Demag NC4 machine: EUR 17,000-33,000. For a cohort of 3-5 similar machines this drops by 20-35%.