May 2026 - aeSolutions is proud to share that we were recognized with the 2026 Social Responsibility Award at the 2026 CSIA Awards, held during the Control System Integrators Association Conference in Baltimore, Maryland. Presented to an Integrator or Partner Member that has achieved outstanding results through corporate social responsibility and sustainability initiatives, the award recognizes the impact of aeSolutions’ evolving approach to charitable giving and community support. The award was accepted by Chery O’Malley, SPHR, and Ken O’Malley, PE (SC), CFSE, CEO. The 2026 CSIA Social Responsibility Award was accepted by Chery O’Malley, SPHR, and Ken O’Malley, PE (SC), CFSE, CEO. Expanding the Meaning of Community Since aeSolutions was founded in Greenville, South Carolina in 1998, supporting the communities where we live and work has been part of our culture. For many years, those efforts were closely connected to our office locations in Greenville, Houston, and Anchorage, where employees came together around local volunteer efforts, fundraisers, and charitable initiatives. As our workforce shifted to a more remote and hybrid structure, our approach needed to evolve. With employees now working from home offices across a wider geographic footprint, aeSolutions reconsidered what “community” means for a distributed team and how the company could continue supporting causes that matter to employees, clients, and families across the country. A Charitable Giving Program Led by Employees In 2024, aeSolutions relaunched its charitable giving program with a renewed focus on employee input. Rather than limiting support to organizations near our office locations, the program invites employees to recommend causes that are meaningful in their own communities. To ensure that each contribution is aligned with aeSolutions’ corporate responsibility goals, selected organizations must be highly rated and connected to one of four key pillars of support: Hunger Relief, Health and Human Services, Education, and Military/Veteran Support. This structure helps aeSolutions direct charitable support toward organizations that are both meaningful to employees and positioned to make a measurable impact. The program has continued to grow each year. In its first year, aeSolutions supported ten employee-recommended organizations, including local Red Cross chapters, meals programs, and health-related organizations. In year two, the company expanded the program to include matching campaigns, helping increase the impact of employee donations to selected organizations, including food banks during a period of increased need. Now in its third year, the program has continued to build momentum, including a recent education-focused initiative that provided a 3x match for employee donations through Donors Choose. This effort helped support STEM programming and classroom materials for under-funded schools across several communities. Continuing the Work This recognition from CSIA is an honor, but more importantly, it reflects the care and commitment of aeSolutions employees. Their recommendations, participation, and generosity have helped shape a charitable giving program that reaches beyond office walls and responds to real needs in communities across the country. As aeSolutions continues to grow, we remain committed to supporting the people and communities connected to our team, our clients, and our work. Learn more about aeSolutions’ Corporate Responsibility.

Introduction | Control System Migrations | Part 7 | Cutover, Commissioning, and the Final Push Updated May 2026 — by Tom McGreevy, PE, PMP, CFSE — Welcome to part 7 of our Control Systems Migration blog series. In this installment, we’ll be covering the cutover phase, which is where it all comes together. This is the point where months or even years of preparation culminate in the actual replacement of the old control system with the new. It’s a high-stakes, high-pressure moment, and one where success is determined by how well you’ve planned, documented, and executed. The term “cutover” covers everything from physical equipment replacement to software commissioning and testing. It’s not just about wiring panels; it’s about making sure every step, from demo drawings to site acceptance testing, is aligned and accounted for. Do I Need to Begin with a Full System Backup? The short answer: Absolutely. Before any equipment is touched, every element of the current system must be backed up. That includes program logic, Human Machine Interface (HMI) configurations, and current “as-found” drawings. Photos of panel internals and field installations can also be valuable, not just as references in case you need to troubleshoot, but as a last-resort rollback option if something unexpected forces you to pause or reset the transition. In a rip-and-replace scenario, rolling back may not be feasible, but having a complete picture of the system you’re decommissioning can still help solve problems when they arise during construction or testing. What Should I Include in a Cutover Execution Plan? Your cutover execution plan should be specific and clearly documented. It must describe step by step how the cutover will proceed and clarify who’s responsible for each task. It should also detail what tools, drawings, resources, and timing are required for each stage. This plan should leave no room for ambiguity. What’s happening to each wire? Which devices stay, which go? Are there mystery components, the purpose and disposition of which is not 100% understood? Those need to be resolved before the first wire is lifted, or if not, at least addressed as part of your early cutover activities. Most importantly, there is significant value in making sure this plan is in the hands of the right people. Having a perfectly crafted set of work packages and drawings means nothing if the team in the field doesn’t have them. This kind of breakdown in communication is surprisingly common, but fortunately, it is also completely avoidable. What Pre-Shutdown Work Should Be Done Before a Control System Migration? Any construction or staging work that can be done before the shutdown should already be complete. This includes routing and tagging cables, installing panels where possible, staging materials, and setting up temporary facilities like backup power in accordance with OSHA safety guidelines. If it can be done early, do it early. This will reduce the pressure during actual outage windows and create space to address the unexpected. The Details Matter — Down to the Wire One of the most critical aspects of a successful cutover is understanding where every single wire goes and what it does. If wires aren’t clearly labeled, properly documented, or tied to an understood function, you risk losing control over the tactical situation very quickly. Similarly, you must know the purpose and disposition of every field device. Is it being reused, replaced, or removed? Has it been tagged and labeled correctly? These details feed directly into the accuracy of your demo drawings and revised documentation, which in turn drives construction confidence and efficiency. Even the basics, like wire sizes, must be documented. Tasks like these may seem like a small detail, but mismatched or unlabeled wire sizes can lead to serious setbacks during installation. Construction Documents vs. Loop Sheets It’s also worth noting that loop sheets, while useful for function testing and configuration, are not construction documents. Teams need full demo drawings, updated termination diagrams, and accurate cable schedules to perform field work efficiently. Relying on loop sheets for installation will almost certainly slow the progress and may invite error and confusion. Mechanical Completion: Knowing When You’re Ready Before applying power to the new system, everyone involved must agree on what defines mechanical completion. At this point, all installation work should be finished, verified, and supported by construction assurance documentation. It’s a formal milestone that marks the transition from building the system to bringing it to life. Assurance activities in support of demonstration of Mechanical Completion include visual inspections, comparison to approved drawings, wiring continuity checks, and proper ground measurements (of both safety and signal ground). Site Acceptance Testing, Commissioning, and Function Checks Once mechanically complete, the system undergoes site acceptance testing (SAT) the first time it’s powered on in its new environment. This phase confirms that nothing was damaged during shipping or installation, and that devices are behaving as expected at a basic level. From there, teams move into loop checks, verifying that inputs and outputs are correctly wired and responsive. These checks ensure that transmitters, control valves, and I/O points communicate properly with the system and that grounding is correct. This may also include bumping of motors for those motors controlled by the system, and verification of good communications to any and all third-party devices. It is critical that EVERY I/O device that had its wiring touched during the cutover be checked, to give high confidence in wiring integrity and to enable efficient functional testing. Finally, functional testing begins. Depending on the system, this could include “water runs,” simulation of Safety Instrumented Functions (SIFs), and validation of interlocks. Every step should follow a documented test plan, not just for consistency, but to ensure accountability and traceability. The temptation to rush through these tests can be strong, especially during time-constrained shutdowns. But skipping steps here can have serious consequences, ranging from costly mistakes to safety hazards and legal liabilities. The Takeaway The cutover process is considered the most visible and intense phase of a control system migration. It’s where all the planning, documentation, and collaboration either pay off or fall short. When executed well, the cutover is a moment of accomplishment, the grand finale of your migration efforts. But without discipline, rigor, and proper preparation, it can quickly become chaotic, stressful, and, worst of all, dangerous to equipment and people This phase rewards diligence, not improvisation. Success lies in backing up thoroughly, planning clearly, assessing and addressing risk, labeling accurately, executing deliberately, and testing without compromise. If all of that is in place, your team can move forward with confidence, and your process can start up on a solid, resilient foundation.

Abstract Updated April 2026 — by aeSolutions Technical Team — Have you felt buried under six feet of safety study recommendations that must be closed? Does it feel impossible to follow Recognized and Generally Accepted Good Engineering Practices (RAGAGEPs) to convert recommendations into engineered design reality? You are not alone. To improve Process Safety, Capital Project and Operating teams must move recommendations from the hazard analysis stage through to a capital funding request, detailed design, construction execution, commissioning, startup, and operation. These steps are all part of the familiar Capital Projects process, but for Process Safety recommendations, they are also part of the Safety Life Cycle (SLC) journey based in ISA standards. Having an internal resource or external partner who is versed in both the Capital Projects process and the SLC process can alleviate recommendation closure challenges. This whitepaper discusses key lessons learned across multiple projects between an end-user and an SLC partner to ensure recommendations move to closure based on the intent of the risk assessment. It will also demonstrate how to go from being an owner-operator in a graveyard full of recommendations to living the high-life of PSM, Capital Projects, and SLC by identifying risk gaps and closing them in a timely, cost-effective, and safety-conscious framework. Read the complete whitepaper here

Learn how aeSolutions was able to help our clients overcome their unique and challenging difficulties. Also see the Industry, Geography, Unit Operation, Governing Autority of the site Project Success Stories Learn how aeSolutions was able to help our clients overcome their challenges. Heater Controls Upgrade Improves Safety and Resilience of Arctic Pipeline Pump Stations The client engaged aeSolutions to evaluate and modernize their aging heater and heater control systems supporting critical pipeline pump station operations in an Arctic environment. These heaters provide essential building heat, ensuring pump stations remain operational during extreme cold conditions. Through a phased, lifecycle-based approach, aeSolutions supported the client from... Read More Custom SI-BMS Solution Enhances Reliability and Safety for Critical Pipeline Transportation Facility A critical pipeline transportation facility required a custom Safety Instrumented Burner Management System (SI-BMS) upgrade for their incinerator operations. The project involved implementing a SI-BMS compliant with NFPA 86, integrating alarm and first-out features, and establishing seamless communication with their existing Distributed Control System (DCS)... Read More Achieving a High-Risk Systems Overhaul on an Accelerated Schedule When TGES America, Ltd. needed a critical overhaul of the complex control system and instrumentation for the central utilities plant (CUP) of a specialty materials manufacturing plant, they turned to aeSolutions, a Siemens Solution Partner. Subsequently, due to the need to complete the project four months early, the planned cold cutover to the new systems had to be done as a hot cutover without disrupting production. TGES America, aeSolutions, and Siemens made it happen, much to the delight of the customer. Read More Multi-Fuel Boiler BMS Upgrade for Chlor Alkali Production Facility A multi-fuel boiler project for a chlor alkali production facility resulted in significant modernization and operational improvements. The client's legacy relay-based Burner Management System (BMS) was upgraded to a DeltaV CHARM Safety Logic Solver, providing enhanced visibility, safety, and operational flexibility. This project not only modernized the client's system but also ensured compliance with NFPA 85 codes and met all Safety Instrumented Systems (SIS) requirements. Read More Chemical Facility FEL3 & Detail Design Achieves PSM OSHA Compliance Under Total Installed Cost Budget | A Masterclass In aeSolutions’ Lifecycle Solutions Capabilities aeSolutions was tasked to provide Front-End Loading (FEL) and Detail Design for a newly acquired legacy agricultural chemical facility in order to meet full compliance with PSM OSHA 1910.119 standards and the client’s corporate safety requirements. Read More Designing and Implementing a Fire & Gas Detection System for a Hydrogen Production Plant aeSolutions was challenged to create an effective detection system that could handle the complexities of hydrogen's properties while ensuring the safety of personnel and the facility. Read More A Strategic Integration of SIS, BMS, and PSM in a Boiler Fuel Conversion Project Implementing Safety Instrumented Systems (SIS) and Burner Management Systems (BMS) within tight deadlines and supply chain disruptions is challenging. A recent project converting boiler fuel from coal to natural gas with a Safety Instrumented BMS met strict safety standards despite these hurdles. Read More Alarm Management for a Greenfield LNG Facility A Liquefied Natural Gas (LNG) facility was being newly constructed (i.e., Greenfield) and the company wanted to conduct an alarm rationalization on the process prior to initial startup. Existing facilities (i.e., Brownfield) have the benefit of historical operating trends and data during a rationalization session to recognize whether setpoints are effective and which alarms might give troubles. Read More Pharma Company Detecting Natural Gas Leaks in Boiler House A pharmaceutical client determined they needed a natural gas leak detection and isolation system for a utility building based on a PHA recommendation. aeSolutions installed a combustible gas leak detection system to shut off the gas supply to the boiler, bringing the facility into compliance with the safety program requirements. Read More Large Specialty Chemical Company Reduces Alarm Floods A large specialty chemical company was facing alarm floods in their utility unit. With aeSolutions guidance, the site was able to effectively prioritize and reduce alarms through the rationalization process, which includes reviewing, validating, and justifying alarms needed for avoiding potential process upsets or abnormal deviations from normal operation. Read More Simplified, Cost-Effective, and Consistent Acidic Compound Detection New acid detector placement philosophy led to reduced maintenance , lowered costs, a reduced the likelihood of confusion during leaks, and helped create a uniform response strategy. Read More Energy Company Reduces Regulatory Compliance Costs Saving Almost $50 Million A client was facing a lengthy compliance process to upgrade a fleet of fired heaters. With aeSolutions guidance, the client reduced their compliance scope by 50%. Focusing on the NFPA 86 prescriptive design applicable to waste gas thermal oxidizers and applying our experience in Process Safety Management (PSM)... Read More Water Cannons Protect Community from Anhydrous Ammonia Leaks Client needed to reduce liability and risk associated with anhydrous ammonia storage tanks. aeSolutions provided a leak detection and suppression system that alerts personnel and provides the means to contain the resulting vapor cloud to the storage tank area using high-pressure, high-volume water cannons integrated with the control system. Read More Pharmaceutical Company Required Toxic & Combustible Gas Detection System A large-scale pharmaceutical manufacturing facility needed to develop and implement a gas detection system at their site to mitigate risk to personnel and equipment from a potential combustible or toxic gas leak. The project progressed from the assessment stages of developing a gas detection philosophy to ultimately integrating an industrially designed GDS 1400 MK II panel for the gas detection control and alarm system. Read More Complex Hot Cutover of Large Natural Gas Processing Facilities Due to facility siting factors, control rooms of one of the world’s largest natural gas (NG) processing and compression facilities were relocated from a possible blast zone to a Blast Resistant Modules (BRMs). This complex cutover for personnel relocation needed to be accomplished without a shutdown (S/D) of either interdependent ... Read More Specialty Chemical Site’s Increasingly Complicated Cutover When a project that began with standard safety system upgrades quickly expanded to a much broader scope of engineering with tight deadlines, aeSolutions responded with an experienced engineering workforce to deliver above-quality expectations while meeting key deadlines. Read More “Fit for Purpose” Solution Reduces Planned Downtime by 66% aeSolutions’ hybrid safety system design enabled the client to maintain safe continuity of their fired equipment, meet NFPA compliance, and significantly lower planned downtime. Read More Protecting Personnel with Practical Gas Detector Placement A pharmaceutical company needed to implement gas detectors at their facility to protect personnel from potential leaks of toxic and combustible gases. aeSolutions evaluated the gas detector placement and number of detectors that would provide the earliest warning to personnel based on the expected dispersion and behavior of specific gas release scenarios. Read More Alarm System Rationalization and Safe Operating Limit for Energy Production A current client was adding a new energy production unit with an innovative process to an existing site and wanted to ensure the new design incorporated the site’s existing alarm management practices that were previously set up by the aeSolutions alarm management team. Read More

Check out the upcoming events that the aeSolutions team will be participating in or attending. Upcoming Events August 30th, 2026 Le Centre Sheraton Montreal - Montreal, QC 70th Annual Safety in Ammonia Plants & Related Facilities Symposium The AIChE Annual Safety in Ammonia Plants and Related Facilities Symposium is one of the industry’s leading conferences for ammonia and related facility professionals, bringing together global experts to share advances in process safety, operational reliability, case studies, and lessons learned across ammonia production and handling facilities. Read All More Info October 13-15th, 2026 Lake Charles Event Center - Lake Charles, LA Americas LNG Summit & Exhibition The Americas LNG Summit & Exhibition is a leading conference for LNG and energy professionals, bringing together global industry leaders to explore advancements in LNG infrastructure, energy security, operational reliability, decarbonization, and the future of the global LNG value chain. Read All More Info October 20-22nd, 2026 Sonesta Hotel Houston IAH Airport - Houston, TX 29th MKO Process Safety Symposium The Mary Kay O’Connor Safety & Risk Conference is a leading event for process safety, risk management, and operational integrity professionals, bringing together industry experts to explore advancements in process safety, AI integration, instrumentation, automation, and energy safety across high-risk industries. Read All More Info This calendar shows our upcoming events such as trade shows we are participating in or upcoming training classes. Trade fairs or trade shows play important roles in marketing as well as business networking in market sectors that use them. Our team is usually presenting our engineering expertise as aeSolutions strives for excellence and perseveres to deliver on our commitments. Whitepapers are often presented at these events. Check the aeSolutions’ blog for more details or to view our whitepapers and/or recordings that we are able to share from the events. aeSolutions’ social media accounts are also a great way to keep up to date with ou r upcoming events and speaking engagements. You can find us on LinkedIn. At aeSolutions, we push through challenges with passion and purpose.

aeSolutions - A consulting, engineering and system integration company that provides industrial process safety, fired equipment and automation lifecycle solutions and tools. We can help with Toxic Gas Detection, Machinery Safety, Alarm Management, Safety Instrumented Systems, and more. Engineering smarter, safer operations. Define. Define. Define. Define. Define. Define. Define. Define. — Resilience Isn't a Bonus, It's a Benchmark — We provide critical system solutions that empower our clients through more resilient operations and safer communities where they operate. Our unique approach is to pair risk-focused industry experts with a proven project delivery team. Speak With One of Our Experts Today About Your Facility's Resilience — If It’s Critical, We Have it Covered — At aeSolutions we help clients reduce project chaos and strengthen performance by integrating the safety lifecycle with the full project lifecycle, and our PMO professionals ensure structure, accountability, and measurable progress. We work with your team to close gaps, clarify responsibilities, and convert fragmented practices into a unified approach that protects people, assets, and uptime. We help you move from risk to resilience with clarity and confidence. — Trusted By Industry Leaders — Ag Chem Battery Materials & Mineral Processing Chemical Manufacturing Energy & Power Generation Hydrogen Production & Processing Metals & Mining Processing Oil & Gas Production & Processing Petrochemicals & Hydrocarbon Processing Pharmaceutical & Life Sciences Manufacturing Renewable Fuels & Bioenergy Specialty Chemicals & Advanced Materials Utilities & Critical Infrastructure Ag Chem Battery Materials & Mineral Processing Chemical Manufacturing Energy & Power Generation Hydrogen Production & Processing Metals & Mining Processing Oil & Gas Production & Processing Petrochemicals & Hydrocarbon Processing Pharmaceutical & Life Sciences Manufacturing Renewable Fuels & Bioenergy Specialty Chemicals & Advanced Materials Utilities & Critical Infrastructure Ag Chem Battery Materials & Mineral Processing Chemical Manufacturing Energy & Power Generation Hydrogen Production & Processing Metals & Mining Processing Oil & Gas Production & Processing Petrochemicals & Hydrocarbon Processing Pharmaceutical & Life Sciences Manufacturing Renewable Fuels & Bioenergy Specialty Chemicals & Advanced Materials Utilities & Critical Infrastructure Click Here to Chat With Our Industry Experts — DON'T JUST TAKE OUR WORD FOR IT — Evidence-Backed Results Heater Controls Upgrade Improves Safety and Resilience of Arctic Pipeline Pump Stations Custom SI-BMS Solution Enhances Reliability and Safety for Critical Pipeline Transportation Facility Achieving a High-Risk Systems Overhaul on an Accelerated Schedule Multi-Fuel Boiler BMS Upgrade for Chlor Alkali Production Facility Chemical Facility FEL3 & Detail Design Achieves PSM OSHA Compliance Under Total Installed Cost Budget | A Masterclass In aeSolutions’ Lifecycle Solutions Capabilities Designing and Implementing a Fire & Gas Detection System for a Hydrogen Production Plant A Strategic Integration of SIS, BMS, and PSM in a Boiler Fuel Conversion Project Alarm Management for a Greenfield LNG Facility Pharma Company Detecting Natural Gas Leaks in Boiler House Large Specialty Chemical Company Reduces Alarm Floods Simplified, Cost-Effective, and Consistent Acidic Compound Detection Energy Company Reduces Regulatory Compliance Costs Saving Almost $50 Million Water Cannons Protect Community from Anhydrous Ammonia Leaks Pharmaceutical Company Required Toxic & Combustible Gas Detection System Complex Hot Cutover of Large Natural Gas Processing Facilities Specialty Chemical Site’s Increasingly Complicated Cutover “Fit for Purpose” Solution Reduces Planned Downtime by 66% Protecting Personnel with Practical Gas Detector Placement Alarm System Rationalization and Safe Operating Limit for Energy Production Heater Controls Upgrade Improves Safety and Resilience of Arctic Pipeline Pump Stations Custom SI-BMS Solution Enhances Reliability and Safety for Critical Pipeline Transportation Facility Achieving a High-Risk Systems Overhaul on an Accelerated Schedule Multi-Fuel Boiler BMS Upgrade for Chlor Alkali Production Facility Chemical Facility FEL3 & Detail Design Achieves PSM OSHA Compliance Under Total Installed Cost Budget | A Masterclass In aeSolutions’ Lifecycle Solutions Capabilities Designing and Implementing a Fire & Gas Detection System for a Hydrogen Production Plant A Strategic Integration of SIS, BMS, and PSM in a Boiler Fuel Conversion Project Alarm Management for a Greenfield LNG Facility Pharma Company Detecting Natural Gas Leaks in Boiler House Large Specialty Chemical Company Reduces Alarm Floods Simplified, Cost-Effective, and Consistent Acidic Compound Detection Energy Company Reduces Regulatory Compliance Costs Saving Almost $50 Million Water Cannons Protect Community from Anhydrous Ammonia Leaks Pharmaceutical Company Required Toxic & Combustible Gas Detection System Complex Hot Cutover of Large Natural Gas Processing Facilities Specialty Chemical Site’s Increasingly Complicated Cutover “Fit for Purpose” Solution Reduces Planned Downtime by 66% Protecting Personnel with Practical Gas Detector Placement Alarm System Rationalization and Safe Operating Limit for Energy Production View More Case Studies Here — News & Resources — Whitepaper: Six Feet Under | How to Dig Yourself Out of a Recommendations Graveyard The PHA Recommendation Playbook | Part 3 | Managing Scheduling and Operational Disruptions Whitepaper: Achieving 84-92% Urgent Alarm Reduction Through Comprehensive Lifecycle Implementation: A Dual-Unit Midstream Case Study Scoping Your Industrial Project: Best Practices for Success Control System Migrations | Part 7 | Best Practices for Installation, Testing, & Commissioning The PHA Recommendation Playbook | Part 2 | Untangling Technical Complexity — Let's Discuss Your Facility's Needs —