Rewiring the Factory

Modernizing a manufacturing operation does not always mean replacing it.

Across industrial facilities, existing machines, control panels and production systems often remain capable of doing their jobs—but the infrastructure supporting them may need to evolve. Aging wiring, outdated connection methods and limited access to production data can become obstacles as manufacturers look for ways to improve productivity without starting from scratch.
That is where remanufacturing and rewiring can play an important role.

For Jeff Plitzner, District Sales Manager for Weidmüller, the opportunity is to help manufacturers make those existing installations work harder and smarter.

“The biggest push is toward, I think, two different things,” Plitzner says. “Aiding those people in terms of producing faster,” while also giving them the ability to “harvest data as they’re manufacturing” so that information can later be analyzed to improve the operation.

In other words, modernization can begin with the connections.

A Faster Way to Rewire

When an existing installation is being rewired or upgraded, every connection represents a potential source of labor, time and complexity.

Weidmüller's SNAP IN technology is designed to simplify that process.

Rail terminal blocks are one of the company's foundational product categories. Plitzner points to the company's patented SNAP IN connection technology as a way to address one of the practical challenges encountered when working with stranded wire.

In lower-voltage applications in the United States, stranded wire is common. Conventional screw connections require an installer to insert the wire and tighten a screw, typically with a screwdriver. That process can also require torque verification to ensure the connection meets the applicable requirements.

SNAP IN takes a different approach.

The stranded wire is inserted directly into the terminal block. When the connection is properly established, the mechanism provides an audible click as well as a visual indication.

“You heard a click,” Plitzner explains, describing the installation process. “That’s an audible definition that you have enough contact inside the terminal block to give you maximum current. But also there’s a visible indicator.”

For technicians rewiring an existing panel, that immediate feedback can make the installation process more straightforward. Instead of tightening and checking individual screw connections, the operator receives confirmation as each connection is made.

And if a mistake occurs, the connection can be released and reset.

That matters in modernization work, where technicians are often working within an existing installation rather than building an entirely new system. The ability to make, verify and correct connections quickly can help reduce the time required for rewiring.
The technology also eliminates some of the repetitive steps associated with screw-terminal connections.

“It’s speed and processing,” Plitzner says.

Modernization Beyond the Terminal Block

The same connection philosophy extends beyond traditional rail terminal blocks.

Weidmüller has applied SNAP IN technology to PCB-level connectors as well, providing similar audible and visual confirmation of a completed connection. The company also offers solutions housed for additional environmental protection, along with heavy-duty connectors designed for more demanding industrial applications.

These products can provide interfaces between equipment and control panels, with connectors positioned at the bulkhead to simplify connections between the outside equipment and the panel interior.

For a facility updating existing machinery, those types of connection technologies can become part of a larger modernization effort.

The objective isn't necessarily to replace the machine. Instead, the goal can be to improve the infrastructure around it—making connections easier to install and maintain while creating opportunities to introduce newer technologies into an established installation.

Adding Data to Existing Equipment

Rewiring also creates an opportunity to think beyond the physical connections.

Many existing manufacturing systems contain valuable information about production, but accessing and using that information can be difficult if the infrastructure was not originally designed for today's connected manufacturing environment.

Weidmüller offers technologies for bringing signals into a system through both wired and wireless approaches. Those signals can include digital and analog information as well as data from industrial communication networks.

The information can then be aggregated through an industrial PC or similar platform and made available through software.

Extending the Life—and Capability—of Existing Assets

The appeal of modernization is straightforward: an existing installation may still have useful production life left in it.

Rewiring can address aging connection infrastructure. New connection technology can simplify future maintenance. And adding data capabilities can provide insight into the performance of equipment that previously operated with limited visibility.
Taken together, those upgrades can turn a rewiring project into something larger than a maintenance exercise. The goal may not be just to make an old system work again, but rather to use the modernization process to make the existing installation faster to work on, easier to monitor and better prepared for the demands of today's connected factory.

2026 Guinness World Record

See the SNAP IN in action in this video highlighting Weidmüller’s 2026 achievement of a Guinness Book World Record: