Page 19 - Logistics News - May June 2022

P R O CESS AUT O MATI O N

ABB unveils future of

process automation

ABB presents the future of distributed control systems (DCS) as vital to sustainably meeting the rising
demand for energy, utilities and goods.

BB has released its white paper entitled ‘The secure connectivity and collaboration among people,
DCS of tomorrow: ABB’s process automation systems and equipment.
Asystem vision’, which outlines how process • New business models will be feasible through readily
automation systems will evolve to support industries downloadable application subscription services.
as they undergo digital transformation and shift to • Machine learning and artificial intelligence will speed
sustainable energy sources. issue resolution and promote remote, autonomous
operations that keep people out of harm’s way and
For more than a century, automation systems mitigate against human-induced error.
have been central to empowering industries that • The generation joining the workforce will leverage the
provide the basic building blocks of our everyday lives familiar benefits of digitalisation without having to
– energy, power, water, metals, minerals, chemicals sacrifice the reliability, availability and security that
and transportation – to scale to the needs of a growing current systems provide.
population. And for nearly 50 years, the DCS – a digital
platform for automating and operating large plants – “With the DCS of tomorrow, we will accelerate
has been instrumental in enabling safe, efficient and innovation while maintaining the reliability and
reliable 24/7 operations for these process and energy continuity for which we are known,” says Peter
industries. ABB has been a global market leader in DCS Terwiesch, President, ABB Process Automation. “This
for 22 years, maintaining a leading share of around 20 white paper is a blueprint for automation systems that
percent in a market worth more than $14-billion. will future-proof industries for decades to come. Many of
the industries we serve are energy and material intensive
At the core of controlling and supervising complex and strive toward more sustainable production. As they
processes, the DCS will continue to provide the increasingly integrate renewables into their energy mix,
essentials needed for safe and reliable operations, we will provide the automation with which to do it.”
while evolving its functionality to serve the needs
of accelerating digital transformation and energy ABB’s distributed control systems combine process
transition. It will combine an ability to scale and serve control, electrical control, power management and safety
new market conditions by adapting to new technologies, management. They are a collaboration enabler, allowing
including the provision of standard interfaces for third- improvement of engineering efficiency, operator
party connectivity. performance and asset utilisation. “ABB automates,
electrifies and digitalises some of the largest and most
ABB foresees a modular automation architecture critical operations in the world to meet the needs of our
that will evolve to address customer needs, becoming growing society, helping our customers make a world
more open, interoperable and flexible, while maintaining of difference,” says Terwiesch. “These sophisticated,
the same high level of reliability, availability, safety and interconnected systems work in the background, and yet L O GI S T I CS NEWS
security to which users have grown accustomed. are essential for nearly everything we use in our daily
• The DCS of the future will be embedded in a digitally lives. Our future automation offerings will continue to
enabled environment that facilitates enterprise-wide be at the heart of this.” •

www .l o g ist i csn e w s .c o .z a M A Y/JUNE 2022 17