Can I Change the CPU Type in Do More Designer Offline?

You have a Do More Designer project configured for BX-DM1E-10ER3-D, but the replacement or production controller is BX-DM1E-36ED23-D. Change the controller definition through the offline PLC setup, then resolve every memory and I/O conflict before commissioning the revised project.

Skip the quick fixes that hide the real mismatch

Do not start by copying the entire ladder into a new project. That approach can restore the logic, but it also creates extra work: project documentation, configuration, and other project-level settings may not follow a rung-only copy. Use it only when the existing project cannot be converted cleanly.

Do not download the original project to the new controller simply because both CPUs belong to the same product family. The offline project carries a specific CPU definition. A mismatch can affect available memory and physical I/O, so the correct first move is to change the offline PLC selection and examine the resulting conflicts.

Confirm which CPU the offline project targets

Open the project offline and read the selected PLC model. Compare that value character for character with the model on the controller being installed.

• If the project already shows BX-DM1E-36ED23-D, stop changing the CPU definition. Investigate the connection, transfer, or hardware configuration separately.
• If the project shows BX-DM1E-10ER3-D, continue to the offline PLC setup.
• If the physical model cannot be read confidently, stop and verify the complete catalog number from the equipment label. Similar-looking model names are not interchangeable evidence.

This check matters because the controller selection defines the hardware context used to interpret the project. Ladder instructions may remain logically valid while addresses tied to memory capacity or onboard I/O no longer correspond to available resources.

Select the replacement PLC through Offline PLC Setup

Use the existing project's controller-selection command. The documented menu path is PLC > Offline PLC Setup > Choose New PLC.

1. Save a separate copy of the original project so the known configuration remains recoverable.
2. Open the working copy offline.
3. Select PLC > Offline PLC Setup.
4. Choose Choose New PLC.
5. Select BX-DM1E-36ED23-D as the target controller.
6. Accept the selection, then read every conflict or validation message produced by the software.

If the new model appears and the project remains valid, proceed to the I/O and memory checks. If the model is unavailable in the selection interface, stop rather than substituting a similar catalog number. Confirm that the installed software supports the required controller through AutomationDirect's official support channel.

Resolve memory and I/O conflicts before transfer

Changing the selected PLC does not prove that every project reference is usable on the new hardware. Check the two conflict classes identified for this conversion: memory and I/O.

Use the project cross-reference to find every instruction that reads or writes a changed address. Review output references first because a mistaken output mapping can energize the wrong load. Then inspect input permissives, alarms, interlocks, counters, timers, and data moves that depend on affected resources.

Do not rename an address merely to remove an editor warning. Trace it back to the field device and its function. Keep the symbolic description and electrical documentation aligned with the final mapping.

Use a new project only when conversion cannot be cleaned up

If changing the PLC type creates conflicts that cannot be resolved reliably, create a new project for BX-DM1E-36ED23-D and copy the ladder rungs into it. Treat this as a controlled reconstruction, not a complete project migration.

1. Create the new project with the required CPU selected from the start.
2. Copy the ladder logic in manageable groups.
3. Rebuild or transfer the required documentation and project-level configuration deliberately.
4. Resolve invalid references as each group is added.
5. Compare the new project with the original by function: inputs, outputs, permissives, sequences, alarms, and stored data.

The smaller transfer batches make the source of a conflict visible. If a pasted group introduces an invalid address, correct that group before moving more logic. Do not assume that successful rung pasting validates the hardware mapping.

Verify the resolving branch before returning to service

Complete verification with the machine or process in a safe state and outputs prevented from causing unintended motion. Get it running only after the target model, project resources, and physical points agree; then update the documentation properly.

1. Reopen PLC > Offline PLC Setup and confirm that the selected model is BX-DM1E-36ED23-D.
2. Run the software's project validation or equivalent compile check and clear all relevant errors.
3. Cross-reference each address changed during the conversion.
4. Compare the configured I/O with the installed wiring and electrical drawings.
5. Test inputs individually and confirm that the intended program states respond.
6. Test outputs under controlled conditions and confirm the correct field device responds.
7. Exercise permissives, interlocks, sequences, and alarm paths affected by changed references.
8. Save the verified project under a revision that identifies the new CPU target.

If the CPU selection is correct but the project still reports unexplained resource conflicts, do not force the transfer. Record the exact message and the affected reference, then use those details when escalating.

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