ABB stands for Asea Brown Boveri, and the company is headquartered in Zurich, Switzerland. They are an engineering and manufacturing powerhouse serving power, automation, and digital industries worldwide.
ABB produces Drives which can be anything that provides an input to a system with an output. Products include AC servo drives, DC drives (standard open-loop or closed-loop), and microprocessor-based PLCs to control various process functions, such as factory production lines or doors opening at a train station upon the arrival of a specific train. ABB also produces software systems that make it easy to control the machines in your factory.
ABB has world-renowned global manufacturing facilities worldwide in all major industrial markets and power generation/distribution centers. ABB products are used to wire, control and protect a wide range of electrical loads, including motors, transformers, power generators, heavy-duty lighting, HVAC systems, and industrial plant equipment. They have over 60 regional headquarters worldwide, as well as regional offices in Asia & Africa.
ABB Power Products
ABB products range from highly automated and computerized drives to small DC motors. Generally, these are used to control very small AC motors, but they also have been used in large industrial applications as well as in transportation.
AC servo drives are devices that use an electronic “servo” system to move a mechanical component (like an arm) or a large mechanical component (like an elevator) according to the signals provided by a central computer. Servo drives are used extensively throughout industry and transportation because they simplify motion control of many different types of equipment.
DC drives, also known as open-loop or closed-loop drives, are used for the drive of motors, generators, and other mechanical loads. In closed-loop systems, the motor speed is determined by the system’s feedback loop that controls its state. In open-loop systems (also called servo drives), the motor speed is governed only by motor position feedback from encoders or other sensors. Primary applications include AC induction motors (commonly found in appliances) and synchronous motors (used in power generation and large machinery).
PLCs are devices that perform a wide range of functions and tasks based on digital control signals provided by a computer. These tasks include monitoring system inputs, controlling components and devices, issuing alarms, accepting data from sensors or external devices, and logging data for analysis.
Software is an essential part of the modern drive system. It allows the user to improve efficiency and performance by providing a unified platform for automating control at many levels within a plant. The software allows access to drives and controls via Ethernet technology and can help ABB customers create a more efficient, flexible, and safer production environment.
ABB has established manufacturing facilities worldwide in all of the major industrial markets worldwide, as well as power generation/distribution centers around the globe. These include plants in North America, South America, Europe, Africa, and Asia Pacific region.
ABB Process Automation Products
ABB has developed an application lifecycle across its automation business that gives customers a clear and simple way of working with ABB. In this way, customers can be sure that their application will deliver the value they seek.
The basic concept is that all automation applications require three things in order to work well: theory, practice, and tools. These three elements make up the lifecycle.
The theory is the initial step, where ABB helps customers identify the best way to apply their automation application. This is done by looking at the objectives of the application and determining which level of automation will deliver the most benefit for that particular situation.
Practice is often overlooked in industrial applications, but it is vital to success. The practice stage covers all activities before a project can begin: selecting components, planning space requirements, and installing equipment. It even covers writing user manuals. When all of these actions are completed well, they ensure customer satisfaction and allow future operations to be carried out smoothly.
ABB Robotics and Motion Products
ABB is a global leader in robotics and motion control, serving various markets such as automotive, manufacturing, and packaging. Many of the products are used to improve safety and ensure efficient performance by automating tasks that humans would otherwise perform. Other products help with tasks that don’t fit within the parameters of human capabilities.
Robotic products are used worldwide in some of the most demanding industrial applications. They can be found in high-pressure environments, warehouses, and harsh environments where they make it possible to do jobs humans cannot perform. They help make machine tools more productive, and they also help control hazardous production processes (such as while working with acids or radiation).
Products that assist humans help save time and energy. Using robotic systems to replace human assistance allows workers to focus on high-value activities instead of lower-value tasks. Human operators can delegate tasks that don’t require too much knowledge or precision to a robot so they can handle tasks that require both.
ABB Wireless Products
Wireless technology enables sensors and actuators to send and receive wireless data without being connected to a wired network. ABB wireless products support networks based on Wi-Fi and Bluetooth technologies and ZigBee applications (for example, CIP Smart).
ABB also houses the company that originally developed and patented Infrared transmission for remote control.
ABB Power and Motion Solutions (APMS) provides a range of solutions to customers worldwide in industries where ABB is a major player. Through its Network Operations Center (NOC), the APMS provides engineering, technical, and maintenance support.
ABB Electrification Products
ABB Electrification Products (AEPS) provides a full range of DC and AC drives, control, and protection products to fulfill the automation needs of more than 80 industries.
ABB Digital Enterprise Solutions (DES) provides an end-to-end solution for managing and integrating both ABB and the customer’s IT infrastructures in a secure data center environment.
ABB Robotics is a division of ABB that designs, develops, and manufactures industrial robots for use in various sectors, including automotive, metal manufacturing, plastics, pharmaceuticals, chemicals/petrochemicals, wood/paper processing, electronics assembly, food/beverage packaging, foundry work & hazardous environments.
Conclusion
ABB is the most widely recognized name in electrical engineering and utility switchgear, providing power generation, transmission, distribution, and control products. The company is well known for its robotics businesses.
ABB is the most widely recognized name in electrical engineering and utility switchgear, providing power generation, transmission, distribution, and control products. The company is well known for its robotics businesses.
The company was founded in 1892 as “Oerlikon”, a Swiss manufacturer of high-speed winding machines.
