Connecting to the Internet of Things

Technology company ABB Australia now offers automation solutions for the Internet of Things, Services and People (IoTSP).

It has extended its discrete automation offering to provide more connectivity and applications for discrete manufacturing, general machinery and food and beverage machine builders through ABB zenon software developed by automation company COPA-DATA.

The software includes variable speed drives, motion control solutions, motors, programmable logic controllers, and human machine interface panels.

Together, these products enable the development of solutions for IoTSP, which presents new business models for improving factory and process performance, product quality, production flexibility, and energy efficiency.

Morten Wierod, Head of ABB’s drives and controls business unit, said innovation and speed were key parts of the company’s Next Level strategy.

“The ABB zenon solution complements our discrete automation offering, and together we can provide our customers with solutions that help them improve product quality and productivity, save energy, and add flexibility to their processes,” he said.

“This is especially important for the food and beverage industry.

“The world in which our business and products were viewed and developed separately became obsolete with the advent of the Industry 4.0 concept (IoTSP). Networking begins not with machines or systems, but primarily with people.”