System supports total plant management and control.

Press Release Summary:



System 800xA is built on Industrial IT Aspect Object(TM) technology platform. Functionality includes process control, production management, safety systems, smart instrumentation, smart drives and motor control, robotics, information management, asset optimization and documentation. Engineering environment manages one set of consistent data, for single-point entry, single-point change, and re-use across the plant.



Original Press Release:



ABB's IndustrialIT System 800xA Truly Extends the Reach, Functionality of Traditional Automation Systems



Wickliffe, OH, January 7, 2004 - ABB's IndustrialIT System 800xA provides customers with a better way to achieve measurable productivity and profitability improvements. System 800xA extends the scope of traditional control systems to include all automation functions in a single operations and engineering environment so that plants/mills can run smarter and better at substantial cost savings.

"With Industrial IT System 800xA Extended Automation, our customers will achieve dramatic and continuous productivity improvements at all levels of their automation operations," said Robert Hausler, vice president Industrial IT Marketing, ABB Inc. "System 800xA provides our customers with the ability to do much more with their automation systems than they could in the past. With this introduction, ABB has raised the bar for automation system scope and functionality."

Industrial IT System 800xA extends far beyond the reach of traditional automation systems to achieve the productivity gains necessary to succeed in today's business markets. This reach extends well beyond the realm of essential process control to production management, safety systems, smart instrumentation, smart drives and motor control, robotics, information management, asset optimization and documentation. Its unique engineering environment manages one set of consistent data, for single-point entry, single-point change, and re-use across the plant.

For the first time, this range of functionality is accessible from a single user interface that is configured to present information and provide interaction in a context appropriate to all user disciplines. The growing deployment of peripheral applications related to productivity improvement vastly increases the amount of data available within the plant, utility, or mill. Yet, without the proper context, plant personnel can be exposed to information overload. With System 800xA's single user interface, management, operations, maintenance and engineering personnel access the specific information and functions that are relevant to them. This eliminates wasted time spent searching through data or views that are not relevant to the individual job function in order to get to the desired information. System 800xA's single user interface dramatically increases individual productivity by saving time and effort for each user.

Extended automation objects created within the 800xA Engineering environment provide a foundation for the efficient development, deployment, reuse, and continuous improvement of production applications with predictability unattainable from other automation solutions. This significantly increases engineering efficiency, as solutions and applications only need to be developed once for uniform use and reuse throughout the automation environment. This makes it easy to access and reuse the best strategies to solve problems and improve the process.
System 800xA is the latest installment on ABB's 20+ year commitment to their DCS users. ABB's pledge of Evolution through Enhancement ensures that future advances in systems technologies will enhance rather than compromise customers' current investments. With System 800xA, customers have the ability to extend the automation reach of their present system to enjoy new levels of productivity. It provides the flexibility to implement the functions these customers require today and the agility to add others as needs evolve.
"Where others promote 'rip and replace' migration strategies, we deliver true system evolution, allowing our customers to build on their strong ABB DCS foundation." said Hausler. "With System 800xA, our customers can add the functionality they need at a pace that suits them."

Built on the Industrial IT Aspect Object(TM) technology platform and industry specific expertise, ABB's automation portfolio provides the seamless link between process and business management to deliver knowledge-based solutions.
By removing the barriers of traditional distributed control systems, the 800xA system supports the platform, application, and professional service needs of total plant management and control. It dramatically improves plant-wide productivity through the following powerful, integrated core functions:

Operations: OperateIT Process Portal, the industry's most intuitive system interface, provides a consistent method for accessing enterprise-wide data and for launching multiple applications from any connected workstation in the plant or office.

Engineering: Integrated engineering environment efficiently supports the complete lifecycle of the automation project, from planning, through configuration and library management, to commissioning and operation to minimize system ownership costs.

Information Management: Powerful information management software collects, stores, retrieves and presents historical, process and business data to enhance the usefulness of data from all operations.

Batch Management: Production Management and Optimization tools provide the agility, speed, and control needed to respond to increasing production demands by modeling, executing, and tracking information associated with material and control flow across the plant.

Asset Optimization: Asset Optimization software exploits the wealth of plant resident information to assess and report equipment conditions in real-time to reduce costly corrective and preventive maintenance and optimize maintenance and calibration work flows. Comprehensive workflow processes extend from condition monitoring in the field device to Enterprise Asset Management applications such as Computer Maintenance Management Systems (CMMS.)

Control and I/O: Comprehensive suite of standards-based hardware and software meets the needs of total plant control. Controllers are complimented with a full line of industrial I/O interfaces to meet all plant environments.

Fieldbus (Field Device integration): 800xA integration of all fieldbus standards lowers lifecycle costs through significant cost savings in the design, implementation, and operation of field equipment.

ABB has designed system level functions, such as security, quality oriented audit trails, true system scalability, and reliability provided by progressive levels of system availability across all of these areas to provide customers with the extended control and functionality that leads to continuous productivity improvements.

Industrial IT System 800xA is part of ABB's award winning suite of integrated Industrial IT solutions; these solutions address the challenges that automation customers face in today's global marketplace. ABB's comprehensive Industrial IT portfolio of products is focused on delivering productivity and profits to automation customers. ABB's product strategy is for evolution through enhancement to protect customer investment.
ABB (www.abb.com) is a leader in power and automation technologies that enable utility and industry customers to improve performance while lowering environmental impact. The ABB Group of companies operates in around 100 countries and employs about 120,000 people.

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