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Live from ABB Customer World 2017

March 8, 2017
The editors of Control, Control Design and Smart Industry are on site at ABB Customer World 2017, which aims to deliver an innovative look at new ideas, trends and technologies over the course of this four-day event.
Headlines from Tuesday, March 14

Embrace the fourth industrial revolution

“Digitalization can bring a quantum leap in utilization, where a few percent can make you a hero," says ABB CEO and keynote speaker Ulrich Spiesshofer, of the next wave of technological innovation. Read more.

 

Select I/O streamlines project execution

ABB took a significant step forward with the release of its redundant, Ethernet-based single channel input/output (I/O) system, designed to further streamline the execution of its customers’ automation projects. Read more.

ABB Ability gives users tools to write digital future

ABB Ability encompasses the secure, digital deployment of the company’s decades of proven know-how in automation, electrification and many other technical disciplines to unlock efficiency and productivity in each user's applications and facilities. Read more.

 

How BASF advocates for cybersecurity

While the need for continuously monitored and updated cybersecurity is increasingly urgent, convincing some organizations to pay for it can be difficult. Keith Dicharry, director of process control and automation for BAS Read more. F in North America, made the case for investment. Read more.

Choose the robot service offerings you need

Regarding its offerings for robotic reliability and optimization, ABB’s next directive is to help customers get increased productivity, increased mean time between failure and reduced mean time to repair, says David Quevedo. Read more.

Compliance just a gateway app for the FDA-regulated

The food and beverage industries are “fairly far behind from a digitalization perspective,” but growth is accelerating, ABB’s Matthias Erhardt said. Companies that digitize data stand to gain much more than easier compliance. Read more.

Headlines from Wednesday, March 15

Take operational excellence to the next level

“Wireless systems and training are required to take advantage of new ways of doing things,” says Ricardo Rizo Patron of UNACEM, on the innovative cement-maker’s willingness to embrace new technologies. Read more.

Microsoft and ABB partnership creates cloud synergy

Microsoft’s Avijit Sinha discusses the company’s investment in its Azure platform and how its partnership with ABB will advance the two companies' mutual customer interests. Read more.

Turn CAD files into product in fewer steps

ABB’s Mark Oxlade on the advantages of additive manufacturing using direct energy deposition with arc plasma and how it will reduce manufacturing sequence steps and compress manufacturing lead times. Read more.

Alcoa Canada eliminates the middleman

Alcoa Baie-Comeau’s Patrice Dubé discusses the company's need for an additional rectifier system to increase potline current and provide additional redundancy, and the $1-2 million savings as a result of its partnership with ABB. Read more.

A digital foundation for the chemical, oil and gas industry

Experts from Microsoft and ABB described how their partnership is benefiting process control users in these industries and how digital architecture builds on a foundation that is pillared and secure. Read more.

Condition monitoring takes flight with wireless sensors

Diego Pareschi, global product manager at ABB, discusses advancements in wireless sensors, including compact, rugged sensors that can be deployed on motors, pumps, fans and other equipment. Read more.

Headlines from Thursday, March 16

Regs, renewables, and users reshaping electrical landscape

“We focus on safety, reliability, environmental impact and sustainability. How do you deliver a clean portfolio at a price customers can afford?” Maureen Borkowski leads Ameren's response to unprecedented change. Read more.

 

Operational excellence hinges on digital discontent

"Manufacturing executives see digital as critical, but only 10% rate themselves highly on this capability. How can we improve this?" ABB's Greg Scheu led a panel exploration of the ways in which industry might boost its digital mojo. Read more.
 

Diverse industries feel the impact of technology

"When we develop something new today, it comes out of the factory with a digital twin." BP's Ahmed Hashmi and other chief innovation officers discussed how they they evaluate and adopt new digital technologies. Read more.
 

Bright O&G future relies on innovation, efficiency

Chevron CTO Greg Leveille together with Trond Unneland, senior upstream advisor for Chevron, discussed  the innovation-aided future of the oil and gas industry during a panel discussion this morning at ABB Customer World. Read more.

Utility CEO clears leadership path for women

"The fewer answers they have for you, the more it allows you to design your own success." CPS Energy's Paula Gold-Williams advises women in industry to say 'yes' to opportunity, even when the path ahead is less than clear. Read more.

Living on the edge: Consumers driving power grid dynamics

"Technology is going to do more than we realize, and faster. But there will still be customer mismatches." Duke Energy's Rob Caldwell foresees electric vehicles, distributed wind and solar reshaping power grids from the edge in. Read more.