Controls, Sensors and Monitoring Upgrade
Third Generation Capability on Your Existing GBI Stacker
A single retrofit package that brings nine Third Generation controls and sensing features to a GBI stacker already in the field. Same mechanical machine. Modern controls. Installed by a GBI electrical and mechanical technician team, typically in three days on-site.
Features Included
Typical Installation
Installation Crew
What the Upgrade Does
The Retrofit in One Paragraph
The Controls, Sensors and Monitoring Upgrade lifts an existing GBI stacker onto the Third Generation controls platform — Rockwell ControlLogix L8 processor, FactoryTalk Optix HMI, EtherNet/IP and IO-Link networking, and a complete verification-sensing package built from Allen-Bradley, Keyence, and Pepper+Fuchs components. The mechanical machine doesn't change. The way the operator runs it does, and the reasons the machine crashes go away.
For mills running an earlier-generation GBI stacker that is otherwise mechanically sound, the upgrade is how to get crash-prevention, auto-cycle operation, and modern HMI without capital-replacing a stacker that still has decades of service life left in it.
What's Included
Nine Capabilities in the Package
The Controls, Sensors and Monitoring Upgrade is sold as a bundle. Individual features can be quoted as line items if a mill has specific priorities, but the bundle is the recommended path because several features depend on others — Auto Cycle, for example, cannot run without the Pulled-Back Stick Scanner and Overhead Rake-Off Crash Detection active.
Each feature is described in detail on the Third Generation Platform page.
On-Site Installation
What the Installation Looks Like
A GBI crew of one electrical technician and one mechanical technician performs the installation on-site, typically in approximately three days. Actual duration depends on the condition of the machine and site conditions — GBI confirms the schedule in the proposal.
Compatibility Review
GBI engineering confirms which control-system hardware on the existing machine carries forward and which needs to be upgraded first. Earlier-generation stackers may need supporting hardware changes before the full package can be applied.
Control Cabinet & Field I/O
Rockwell ControlLogix L8 processor, FactoryTalk Optix HMI, and distributed I/O modules installed. EtherNet/IP and IO-Link networks brought up. Quick-disconnect cabling run to field sensor locations.
Sensor Installation & Mechanical
Allen-Bradley absolute encoders mounted on carriage and distribution chain. Keyence scanning curtain and through-beam laser installed. Pepper+Fuchs IO-Link lasers installed at every stick position. Pneumatic chain tensioner and air manifold installed.
Commissioning & Operator Training
PLC and HMI programming validated. Encoders homed. Sensor blow-off tested. Crash-detection and stick-in-pan verification exercised. Operator walk-through on the new HMI screens, auto-cycle operation, and the Stick Status diagnostic screen.
The Controls, Sensors and Monitoring Upgrade is sold as a fixed-scope package with installation labor quoted separately. Pricing varies by the specific configuration of the existing stacker and any supporting hardware needs identified during compatibility review. Contact GBI for a written proposal.
Common Questions
What Mills Ask Before Upgrading
Will this work on my specific GBI stacker?
Most GBI stackers in the field can be retrofitted. Some earlier-generation control systems require supporting hardware upgrades before the full Third Generation package can be installed — GBI engineering reviews the existing machine and confirms compatibility as part of the proposal, before any commitment.
Does this change the mechanical stacker?
No. The VPG pan geometry, Fastack frame, and hydraulic drive are untouched. The upgrade is controls, sensing, HMI, and supporting pneumatics. Your machine still behaves mechanically the way it always has — the change is how it is instrumented and how it is run.
Can the mill run auto-cycle after the upgrade?
Yes — auto-cycle is one of the nine capabilities in the package. Because the Pulled-Back Stick Scanner and Overhead Rake-Off Crash Detection are also in the package, the safety dependencies auto-cycle requires are satisfied by the same installation.
Does GBI still honor "no scheduled PM, no service contract" after the upgrade?
Yes. The upgrade does not introduce a service-contract obligation. The new sensors do need occasional optical cleaning, which is why the package includes an automatic air blow-off at every laser — the system cleans itself at the end of every package, and an operator blow-off button is on the HMI for on-demand clearing.
Can we add Remote Stacker Support at the same time?
Yes — and many mills do. Remote Stacker Support is a separate service offering, but installing it alongside the Controls, Sensors and Monitoring Upgrade is often the most cost-effective path because both involve on-site work by GBI technicians.
What doesn't the package include?
R&D-stage capabilities including a new Double Stick Unscrambler and a Tong Loader configured for 1-inch-by-4-inch sticks are on GBI's engineering roadmap but are not part of the Controls, Sensors and Monitoring Upgrade today. Contact GBI if these are relevant to your mill's long-term planning.
Retrofit Your Stacker
Tell GBI which stacker you have and what production outcomes matter most. GBI will confirm compatibility and return a written proposal with scope, schedule, and pricing.
Request a Proposal See the Platform