31.8.2026
Success Stories
Long-Term? Yes, Long-Term!
Manufacturers of industrial electronics promise longevity. But does that hold up in the real world? Syslogic delivers: the company recently helped get an offshore vessel built in 1991 back to sea.
Manufacturers of industrial electronics promise longevity. But does that hold up in the real world? Syslogic delivers: the company recently helped get an offshore vessel built in 1991 back to sea.
The request reached Syslogic a few months ago from Dynetrex Solutions in British Columbia, Canada. The company specializes in the maintenance of marine electronics. Alex, the engineer responsible at Dynetrex, contacted Syslogic about a defective analog input module.
A module, no less, that had been installed 35 years ago. Naturally, the request ended up on Urban’s desk – exactly where it belonged. Urban has been with Syslogic for 37 years and today heads the engineering team. An electrical engineer through and through, he is also someone who will go the extra mile to help. He quickly understood the implications of the problem and took it upon himself to find a solution.
The defective module was installed aboard the Canpac Valkyrie, an 87-meter specialized vessel used for research and to support the maintenance and installation of subsea cables. Launched in 1991, the Canpac Valkyrie was equipped in Norway with electronics from Rolls-Royce Marine (formerly Ulstein), including an IIS (Industrial Interface System) from Syslogic.
As part of the vessel’s alarm and monitoring system, the IIS is connected to virtually every critical component on board – from the main engines, gearboxes, cooling and lubrication systems to tanks, electrical power distribution, and the bridge. More than 300 alarm and monitoring points help protect the crew, the vessel, and its surroundings.
Digital inputs (IIS/16DI-1A), for example, monitor alarms such as high bilge water levels. Bilge water is water that collects in the lowest part of a vessel’s hull, for instance due to leaks or condensation. PT100 inputs (IIS/PT100-1A) monitor parameters including oil and cooling water temperatures. Analog inputs (IIS/AI88-1A) process 4–20 mA signals for parameters such as cylinder and exhaust temperatures as well as air and oil pressures.
If defective components in a system like this can no longer be repaired or replaced, the worst-case scenario is that the entire system has to be replaced. Including certification and commissioning, this can cost several hundred thousand Dollars and potentially leave the vessel out of service for weeks.
Syslogic no longer had the defective IIS/AI88-1A module from the Canpac Valkyrie in stock, and producing a replacement at short notice was not an option. For Urban, however, that was no reason to give up. While searching online, he came across a somewhat unusual-looking supplier in India specializing in electronics salvaged from decommissioned ships. And sure enough, among its inventory was exactly the module he was looking for.
Alex followed Urban’s tip and took a chance on ordering the module. A few weeks later, it arrived in Canada. And it worked. Problem solved – the Canpac Valkyrie was able to return to sea.
A look at the entire installation shows just how remarkable this is. Alex says: “In my experience, systems of this age have usually been replaced or bypassed long ago – or have suffered so many failures that they can no longer be operated.” The Canpac Valkyrie is different. According to Alex, of the more than 33 IIS modules installed on board, only two have been replaced in 35 years. All the others are still the original modules.
But durable hardware alone is not enough. Just as important is a manufacturer that is still willing to stand behind its products decades later. This case is a perfect example. When Alex initially contacted the supplier of the overall system, he received no support. Instead, he was advised to replace the entire system.
Syslogic took a different approach – and found a pragmatic solution in the form of a 35-year-old replacement module. For Syslogic, this story is a powerful example of what longevity means in industrial electronics. High-quality products enable machines, vehicles, and vessels to remain in operation for decades – making better use of resources and contributing to sustainability. But equally important are people who, even 35 years later, still have the knowledge, experience, and determination to find a solution. That is what Syslogic means by longevity.
