ABB Expands Industrial Automation with New Electrical Infrastructure and Hazardous-Environment Monit
Time:2026-09-21 Browse: 0
ABB Expands Its Industrial Technology Portfolio in September 2026
ABB has announced several developments in September 2026 that highlight the growing convergence between industrial automation, electrification, monitoring and digital technologies.
Two recent developments are particularly relevant to industrial automation professionals.
On September 16, ABB launched the PFM 20 Ex dust monitoring solution for hazardous and harsh industrial environments. The device is designed for continuous dust detection and carries ATEX Zone 22 certification.
A few days later, on September 17, ABB published a new whitepaper focused on power orchestration and the changing role of electrical infrastructure in industrial operations. The company argues that industrial electrical systems are moving from connected infrastructure toward more dynamically coordinated systems.
Together, these developments illustrate how industrial automation is expanding beyond traditional PLC control.
Modern factories and process plants increasingly need automation systems that can monitor environmental conditions, manage electrical assets and coordinate energy consumption while maintaining reliable production.
ABB Launches PFM 20 Ex for Hazardous Environments
The PFM 20 Ex is a new dust monitoring device designed for hazardous and harsh industrial environments.
ABB says the product provides continuous dust detection with a measurement range down to 7.5 mg/m³ and meets ATEX Zone 22 certification requirements.
Dust monitoring can be important in industrial facilities where airborne particles may affect equipment, production quality or workplace safety.
Certain industrial processes can generate significant quantities of dust.
Examples can include cement production, mineral processing, chemical manufacturing, grain handling and other industries where dry materials are processed.
In hazardous environments, monitoring equipment must be designed to meet appropriate protection requirements.
The ATEX certification is therefore an important part of the product's intended application.
Why Continuous Dust Monitoring Matters
Traditional industrial monitoring often relies on periodic inspection.
An operator may manually check equipment or collect samples at specific intervals.
Continuous monitoring provides a different approach.
A monitoring device can collect measurements while the production process is operating.
If dust levels change, the information can potentially be integrated into a broader industrial monitoring or control architecture.
This is especially relevant in automated factories.
Sensors are increasingly connected to PLCs, DCS platforms, SCADA systems and industrial data networks.
The purpose is not simply to collect more data.
The objective is to make environmental and process information available to the systems and people responsible for operating the plant.
Connecting Sensors to Industrial Automation
A modern industrial monitoring device can become part of a larger automation system.
For example, a sensor may provide a measurement to a PLC.
The PLC can then compare the measurement against configured limits and trigger an alarm or control action.
The information can also be displayed through an HMI or SCADA system.
At a higher level, the data may be stored in a historian or industrial analytics platform.
This architecture allows environmental measurements to become part of normal plant operations.
For system integrators, this creates demand for reliable communication interfaces and appropriate signal-processing equipment.
Industrial automation is increasingly built around networks of sensors rather than isolated control loops.
ABB Connects Monitoring with a Wider Industrial Portfolio
ABB says the PFM 20 Ex extends its industrial emission measurement portfolio.
The company describes the wider portfolio as including continuous emission monitoring, dust and gas flow measurement and portable hydrocarbon detection.
This approach reflects an important trend in industrial automation.
Manufacturers increasingly prefer integrated technology portfolios rather than purchasing every measurement function separately.
When multiple instruments can be managed within a common industrial architecture, system engineering can become more standardized.
It may also simplify maintenance and spare-parts management.
For large industrial plants, standardization can be particularly valuable because hundreds or thousands of measurement devices may be installed throughout the facility.
Electrical Infrastructure Becomes a Strategic Automation Asset
ABB's September 17 whitepaper addresses another major issue facing industrial facilities: electrical infrastructure.
ABB says rising energy costs, grid constraints and the economic impact of unplanned downtime are forcing companies to rethink how electrical infrastructure is managed.
Historically, electrical systems were often treated primarily as infrastructure supporting production.
The automation system controlled the manufacturing process, while the electrical system supplied power.
The distinction is becoming less clear.
Modern industrial facilities depend heavily on electrical equipment.
Motors, drives, compressors, pumps, heating systems, robotics and production machinery all require reliable electrical power.
If power quality deteriorates or an electrical asset fails, production can be interrupted.
This means electrical infrastructure is increasingly connected to production reliability.
From Connected Infrastructure to Power Orchestration
ABB describes a transition from connected electrical infrastructure toward what it calls orchestrated infrastructure.
The concept involves coordinating electrical assets, energy flows and operational information dynamically.
This is closely related to industrial automation.
A factory may have multiple energy sources and consumers.
Solar generation, grid power, battery storage, motors, HVAC systems, production equipment and data-center loads can all interact with the same electrical infrastructure.
An automation system can potentially use information about these assets to optimize how energy is consumed.
This becomes particularly important as industrial facilities face higher electricity demand.
The Growth of Electrification and Automation
Electrification and automation are increasingly connected.
Consider an automated production line.
A PLC may control the production sequence.
Servo drives control motors.
Variable frequency drives regulate pumps and fans.
Robots perform manufacturing operations.
Sensors monitor production conditions.
All of these systems consume electrical power.
If the facility can monitor the electrical condition of these assets, maintenance teams can gain additional information about machine health and energy consumption.
This creates a connection between automation data and electrical data.
For example, abnormal motor current may provide an indication of mechanical problems.
Energy consumption can also be monitored against production output.
This can help manufacturers understand the energy intensity of different processes.
The Role of Drives and Motor Control
Motor-driven equipment represents an important part of industrial electricity consumption.
Pumps, fans, compressors, conveyors and machine tools frequently use motors.
Variable frequency drives can regulate motor speed and adapt energy consumption to process requirements.
Modern drives can also provide operational information.
Voltage, current, temperature, speed and fault information can potentially be transmitted to a control system.
This creates another layer of data that can be used for predictive maintenance and energy management.
For PLC and automation engineers, the integration of drives into industrial networks is therefore becoming increasingly important.
A modern control architecture may involve PLCs, remote I/O, drives, motors, sensors and energy-management systems operating together.
Automation in Hazardous Industrial Environments
ABB's PFM 20 Ex also highlights the special requirements of hazardous environments.
Automation equipment installed in hazardous areas cannot be selected solely according to measurement performance.
Engineers must also consider certification, enclosure protection, temperature conditions, installation requirements and the classification of the hazardous area.
ATEX Zone 22 applications involve areas where combustible dust atmospheres are not normally present continuously but may occur under certain conditions.
Equipment designed for these environments therefore needs appropriate certification.
This is particularly relevant to process industries where dust can be generated during material handling or production.
Data Integration Is Becoming More Important
Industrial sensors generate valuable data, but the data becomes more useful when it can be integrated into plant systems.
A standalone monitoring device may provide information to a local display.
A connected industrial sensor can potentially send information to a PLC, DCS, SCADA or cloud-based platform.
This creates opportunities for centralized monitoring.
Plant operators can see information from multiple production areas.
Maintenance teams can receive alerts when conditions change.
Engineering teams can analyze historical trends.
Management can examine broader energy and production indicators.
This is one of the foundations of modern Industry 4.0 architectures.
ABB's Broader Automation Direction
ABB's recent announcements show how industrial technology is becoming increasingly interconnected.
Automation is no longer limited to PLCs and control panels.
It includes sensors, measurement systems, electrical equipment, robotics, drives, industrial software and energy management.
ABB also continues to expand its automation portfolio through acquisitions and technology development.
Earlier in September, ABB completed its acquisition of Høglund, a marine automation specialist. The company said the acquisition would expand its marine automation portfolio and combine Høglund's automation capabilities with ABB's global reach and service network.
This is another example of how automation is expanding across different industrial sectors.
What This Means for Industrial Automation Engineers
For PLC, DCS and SCADA professionals, ABB's latest developments highlight several areas worth watching.
First, industrial measurement is becoming more connected.
Second, environmental monitoring is increasingly integrated with automation systems.
Third, electrical infrastructure is becoming more closely connected to production management.
Fourth, energy management is becoming part of industrial automation rather than a completely separate function.
These changes create new requirements for automation engineers.
A control engineer may increasingly need to understand electrical monitoring, industrial networking and energy-management systems in addition to PLC programming.
The Future of Industrial Automation
The industrial automation industry is moving toward increasingly connected systems.
Sensors provide real-time information.
PLCs and DCS platforms control processes.
Drives manage motors.
Electrical systems provide power.
SCADA platforms provide visibility.
Industrial software analyzes operational data.
AI can provide additional analytical capabilities.
The value comes from connecting these components.
ABB's latest September developments provide practical examples of this direction.
The PFM 20 Ex expands automated monitoring into hazardous industrial environments, while ABB's power-orchestration work highlights the growing importance of intelligent electrical infrastructure.
For manufacturers, the long-term objective is not simply to install more automation equipment.
It is to build industrial systems where production, energy, environmental conditions and equipment health can be monitored and coordinated as part of one connected operational architecture.
That direction is likely to remain an important part of industrial automation development as factories become more electrified, connected and data-driven.
