Compact controller bridges the gap between PLC and DCS.
“The AC700F provides our customers with a powerful scalable control option for smaller applications, where a full size DCS solution would be much more than what is needed to do the job, and a PLC would not provide enough capability”, says ABB’s Gero Lustig. “The AC700F is the right sized solution for these applications, as it provides superior functionality and ease of use, with the option to expand into a larger system, for roughly the same cost as a traditional PLC.”
While traditional PLCs are compact in size with fast processing speeds, they offer few engineering options and often lack convenience visualisation capabilities. Larger process control systems integrate numerous components, such as controllers, engineering tools, HMI, and functionality such as asset optimisation, safety and ERP integration.
The Freelance compact DCS system is offered as a hybrid control solution for smaller sized applications. It complements the company’s portfolio of other system offerings, ranging from the AC500 PLC for manufacturing processes, Compact Products 800 for standalone processes, to its flagship industrial IT Extended Automation System 800xA for larger, more complex processes that require visibility into, and integration with, multiple systems.
Unlike conventional PLC systems, AC700F offers all of the benefits of the tools integrated in the Freelance system such Control Builder F engineering, ease-of-operation with DigiVis, pre-engineered visualisation components such as faceplates, module diagnosis, extended troubleshooting capabilities, ready made system communication, event list, alarm line, trend displays or automatically generated sequence diagrams.
Lustig says that these components can be used straight out of the box, eliminating the manual configuration that is required when using traditional PLCs.
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