Bridging expertise with evolving industry needs
For industries looking to modernize and protect long-term investments, ABB’s Automation Extended delivers modular, cyber-secure and future-ready automation that boosts efficiency, enhances stability and accelerates time to market. Unlike traditional rip-and-replace approaches, ABB enables seamless evolution - leveraging both new and existing installations of our flagship systems - ABB Ability™ System 800xA®, ABB Ability™ Symphony® Plus, Freelance - without disruption.
An open, modular, secure and future-ready approach
<p>Automation Extended is the evolution of our Distributed Control Systems (DCS), featuring a modular, robust, lifecycle-resilient, software-defined control core paired with an extended, digitally-enabled layer, so industries can add capabilities step by step without touching core controls.</p>
Reduce total cost of ownership
<p>A standards-based, cyber-secure, open platform that continuously changes to meet evolving needs of today.</p>Sustain reliable operations
<p>Safe, secure, and autonomous system operations – locally or remotely – through intelligent design and continuous availability.</p>Automate and streamline engineering
<p>Flexible engineering workflows that provide adaptive, modular system design for streamlined project execution.</p>Accelerate digital transformation
<p>Supporting industries’ digital journey and enabling greater profitability by leveraging an automation ecosystem for extended control capabilities.</p>Innovation with continuity
<p>Add future-ready capabilities at your pace while preserving your investments, ensuring long-term sustainability through cyber-secure automation that is always up-to-date.</p>The power of integration
<p>Connect OT and IT so data flows, decisions speed up, and workflows scale, turning digital transformation into real operational impact.</p>The automation ecosystem
Automation Extended brings ABB’s process automation vision to life through a NAMUR Open Architecture (NOA) aligned separation‑of‑concerns automation ecosystem, with two distinct yet securely interconnected software environments that work in harmony to elevate operational performance. Together, these environments are managed through a unified lifecycle service model that simplifies complexity and keeps operations continuously optimized.
By combining an OPC UA backbone with a cloud‑native, container‑based architecture, the automation ecosystem brings powerful new capabilities to industrial operations; enabling a broad spectrum of enhancements from proactively detecting and correcting process anomalies to optimizing maintenance strategies through continuous condition monitoring of critical assets, while streamlining engineering with modular solutions that run across diverse hardware. The result is a scalable, agile architecture that delivers strong, reliable performance.
Global leader in Distributed Control Systems
ABB has led the global DCS market for 26 consecutive years, with 35,000 systems installed in over 100 countries. Driving progress with dependable solutions, ABB is the partner you can count on for control systems now and in the years ahead.
Explore the Process Automation System vision
Understand the foundation behind Automation Extended and see how the strategy translates into practice.
Transforming industries
Power generation, Oil and gas, Chemical, Life sciences, Water, Food and beverage, Metals, Mining, Cement, Pulp and paper
Contact us
Contact ABB to learn how Automation Extended can help you achieve innovation with continuity - where everything is under control.
Ready to outperform today and transform tomorrow?