ABB introduces DCS modernisation program

ABB has introduced what it calls its Automation Extended program, which the company says is a strategic evolution of its distributed control systems (DCS), designed to help industries modernise without disruption.

Automation Extended outlines how future automation capabilities can be introduced progressively — preserving system integrity while enabling the flexibility, scalability and efficiency needed for the next era of industrial operations.

ABB says that operators can continue to use ABB systems such as ABB Ability System 800xA, ABB Ability Symphony Plus and ABB Freelance, while introducing new technologies progressively and without operational interruption. This approach aims to provide a structured, low-risk path to modernisation, preserving continuity while enabling innovation.

“In industries we serve — many operating large and complex infrastructures that deliver essential resources — our customers rely on modernisation without disruption,” said Peter Terwiesch, President, ABB’s Automation business area. “Automation Extended delivers exactly that: bringing future-ready capabilities into the systems they know and trust, with security and interoperability at the core.”

ABB says the Automation Extended program is implemented through a modular environment designed for interoperability, scalability and seamless integration across industrial domains. Based on separation of concerns principles, the automation ecosystem includes two distinct but interconnected environments:

• The control environment, a software‑defined domain for deterministic control for critical processes.
• The digital environment, securely connected to the control layer, enabling advanced applications, edge intelligence and real‑time analytics. This space leverages artificial intelligence (AI) and machine learning for decision support without disturbing proven control structures.
   

By integrating new technologies such as an OPC UA backbone and a cloud-native architecture for managing both environments, the ecosystem is said to enable a broad spectrum of enhancements — ranging from proactively detecting and correcting process anomalies to continuous condition monitoring of critical assets, and improving engineering with modular approaches ready for deployment across diverse hardware platforms.

Access to Automation Extended will be enabled through the next releases of ABB Ability System 800xA, ABB Ability Symphony Plus and ABB Freelance process automation systems.

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