ABB automation system to control production of protein separation media at GE Healthcare

November 13, 2006
ABB
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Summary

ABB's 800xA Extended Automation system will provide control and monitoring of tanks and reactors, batch control plus control functions for automatic valves, stirrers and analog measurement signals for the process. The systems also include functions for the assembling and handling process, operational data management with functions for reporting and archiving.

Zurich, Switzerland , November 13, 2006 – ABB, the leading power and automation technology group, announced it has been awarded an order from GE Healthcare's Life Science division in Uppsala, Sweden, worth approximately $4 million, for automation systems to be used in the production of protein separation media. The automation systems are part of the development of a new production plant to meet the increasing demand for separation media based on agarose and dextran. The automation, using ABB's 800xA Extended Automation system, provides control and monitoring of tanks and reactors, batch control plus control functions for automatic valves, stirrers and analog measurement signals for the process. The systems also include functions for the assembling and handling process, operational data management with functions for reporting and archiving. This project will also take advantage of the ABB PCEquipment Library, a generic, re-usable software suite for batch applications that breaks new ground by distributing the control intelligence throughout the control hierarchy, thus enabling truly generic, pre-tested and re-usable library objects to be provided for units, equipment modules and phases. This makes specification, implementation and configuration of control systems less complex and less time consuming. It enables, in many cases, process engineers to change recipes rather than require configuration engineer specialists for the task. The systems comprise about 4000I/O signals, of which 75% will be handled by ABB's distributed I/O-channels S900 which will be mounted in Ex-classified areas along with local operator workplaces. The order is the third from GE Healthcare in Uppsala to ABB for automation equipment, including a System 800xA for different production purposes. Previous experience with System 800xA and ABB's project handling capability determined the selection of the systems. This also gives GE the flexibility of making it easier for the operators to work with the same operator interface for different plant areas. The system is scheduled to be in operation in late 2007. GE Healthcare Life Science is a unit of GE Healthcare, with headquarters in Great Britain , and revenues of $14 billion. It primarily manufactures chemicals and equipment used in the separation and cleaning of protein and peptides for different pharmaceutical industries and research within the biosciences areas. The plant in Uppsala has about 1,100 employees working in research, production and administration. ABB is a leader in power and automation technologies that enable utility and industry customers to improve performance while lowering environmental impact. The ABB Group of companies operates in around 100 countries and employs about 107,000 people. Learn More

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