ABB is the recognized leader in power technologies.Research and development in this area is focused on better serving industrial, commercial and utility customers with products that are geared to making them faster, more efficient and ultra-competitive.
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ABB’s technical solutions include design and construction of systems for clean rooms like this one manufacturing vacuum interrupters. Manufacturing to international standards means no more than ten particles of dust or dirt per cubic foot of air in a clean room.
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Market characteristics
Traditionally, ordering power equipment took a long time. As power markets deregulate, delivery times must get faster. Utility customers need complete and reliable information to make quick and decisive business plans. ABB is shaping the future of this market by linking information systems and Internet technology with core production processes. As a result, customers have their orders filled in weeks rather than months, days rather than weeks, and end-users get more reliable, cleaner and cheaper power.
Technology areas
ABB is involved in three main areas of power technology. The first, insulation technology, is needed for both alternating and direct currents. It uses insulators ranging from polymeric material to SF6 gas, and is a basic need for almost all power products and systems. The second, current interruption, is the art of handling electric arcs but also includes electronics for converters. The third, the ability to control the flow of electrical energy from large transmission systems to household applications, is supported by a number of Industrial IT technology areas.
Research programs
ABB has a global laboratory running four research programs to support the development of power technologies. The power devices research area works on current interruption and limitation. Utility systems deals with system-specific research and development issues for customers. The nanotechnology research program is critical to the development of surface structures and material parameters, not only for power technology devices, but also for specific applications. Another program focuses on sustainable development and the related life cycle assessment of ABB products.
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Industrial IT simplifies management of data and systems in complex power grids.
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Industrial IT
Most of ABB’s power technology products are Industrial IT-enabled. This is a basic requirement for R&D projects where the goal of research is new products (as opposed to process improvements or technology enhancements). Customers who operate energy transmission and distribution systems can manage enormous quantities of data with ABB’s Industrial IT architecture. It readily supports customized asset management and service. All of ABB’s engineering systems are developed within the Industrial IT architecture to simplify the management of complex power grids.
Strategic initiatives
ABB generator circuit breakers are a core component in power plants, and can interrupt the most powerful short circuit electrical currents. This is why Bechtel, the global engineering, procurement and construction company, selected ABB as its main supplier for these devices, and has now given us its Top Supplier Performance Award. M. Zeiger, head of global procurement at Bechtel, says: “We value greatly our relationship with ABB. This partnership provides mutual benefits and delivers state-of-the-art products as demonstrated by the generator circuit breaker, which holds the world record for the highest short circuit current interruption using self-blast technology. As a result of our successful relationship, Bechtel is happy to buy from ABB’s entire portfolio: from breakers to drives and from switchgear to robots.”
The customer’s voice
ABB generator circuit breakers are a core component in power plants, and can interrupt the most powerful short circuit electrical currents. This is why Bechtel, the global engineering, procurement and construction company, selected ABB as its main supplier for these devices, and has now given us its Top Supplier Performance Award. M. Zeiger, head of global procurement at Bechtel, says: “We value greatly our relationship with ABB. This partnership provides mutual benefits and delivers state-of-the-art products as demonstrated by the generator circuit breaker, which holds the world record for the highest short circuit current interruption using self-blast technology. As a result of our successful relationship, Bechtel is happy to buy from ABB’s entire portfolio: from breakers to drives and from switchgear to robots.”
Outlook
Driven by ABB’s Industrial IT initiative, information technology will increasingly permeate the research and development of all our products and systems. This will inevitably lead to more intelligent, communicative subsystems, which can be more efficiently managed. New materials and new ways of manufacturing components with the help of nanotechnology will continuously improve ABB product performance.