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ABB continues to expand its industrial automation portfolio with technologies aimed at increasing operational efficiency, reducing installation costs, and supporting the ongoing digitalization of manufacturing and process industries. The latest product introductions cover sensing, flow measurement, robotics, and distributed control systems, providing new options for operators seeking greater reliability and flexibility across industrial environments.

For companies modernizing existing automation infrastructure, ABB's extensive range of industrial control solutions can also be explored through Maxwell PLC's ABB Controllers & CPUs collection:
https://www.maxwellplc.com/collections/abb-controllers-cpus

One of the most significant announcements is the expansion of the NINVA family of non-invasive temperature sensors. Traditional temperature measurement often requires process shutdowns and mechanical modifications to install thermowells, resulting in increased maintenance costs and production interruptions. ABB's latest approach eliminates these challenges by allowing sensors to clamp directly onto the external surface of process piping while maintaining accurate temperature measurement.

The new portfolio includes three specialized models designed for different industrial environments. The NINVA Integrated targets the oil & gas and chemical sectors, supporting pipe diameters from DN15 to DN2500. The NINVA Remote addresses demanding high-temperature applications, operating at temperatures up to 400°C while maintaining stable performance under vibration, making it particularly suitable for steam systems and power generation facilities. Meanwhile, the NINVA Compact focuses on compact installations, marine applications, and mobile equipment where installation space is limited and higher vibration resistance is required.

All three sensor variants carry SIL2 certification, making them appropriate for safety-related process applications where reliable temperature monitoring plays a critical role in preventing hazardous operating conditions. By eliminating intrusive installation requirements, the sensors can significantly shorten maintenance windows while lowering total installation costs.

ABB has also expanded its electromagnetic flow measurement portfolio with the introduction of the ProcessMaster FER620, engineered specifically for low-flow water and wastewater applications. Accurate flow measurement at reduced flow rates remains a challenge for many treatment facilities, particularly during energy-saving operating modes when pump speeds are intentionally reduced.

The FER620 addresses this challenge through a reduced-bore sensor design that maintains high measurement accuracy across an extended turndown range. Its fully welded stainless-steel construction and hermetically sealed housing, combined with an IP68 protection rating, enable reliable operation even when permanently submerged, making the device well suited for demanding municipal and industrial environments.

The flowmeter also incorporates several intelligent diagnostic capabilities, including sensor coil diagnostics, electrode monitoring, ground verification, noise detection, and automated configuration functions. Combined with standard HART communication, these features simplify commissioning while supporting predictive maintenance strategies that minimize unexpected downtime.

Beyond instrumentation, ABB is strengthening its position in collaborative robotics through a new partnership with PSYONIC, a developer of advanced bionic prosthetic technology. The collaboration integrates the PSYONIC Ability Hand with ABB's GoFa collaborative robot, allowing robotic systems to benefit from motion intelligence derived from real-world human prosthetic applications.

Unlike conventional robotic grippers that rely solely on predefined programming sequences, the Ability Hand introduces significantly greater robotic dexterity, enabling more natural object manipulation and delicate handling tasks. This development has the potential to simplify deployment in assembly operations, laboratory automation, electronics manufacturing, quality inspection, and other precision manufacturing processes where flexible gripping remains a challenge.

The collaboration also highlights the increasing convergence between artificial intelligence, human-machine interaction, and collaborative robotics as manufacturers seek to automate increasingly complex manual operations without sacrificing precision.

On the software side, ABB continues advancing its flagship ABB Ability System 800xA by introducing new web-based extension packs that modernize operator access to distributed control systems. Instead of relying exclusively on dedicated HMI workstations, operators can securely monitor, analyze, and control industrial processes directly through modern web browsers.

This browser-based architecture reflects a broader industry trend toward web HMI, remote operations, and industrial digitalization, allowing organizations to deploy new capabilities more rapidly while reducing lifecycle management costs.

Rather than requiring large-scale software migrations, the extension pack model enables customers to selectively adopt new features over time. This modular upgrade strategy reduces implementation risks while allowing facilities to continuously improve cybersecurity, operational visibility, and decision-making without disrupting production.

Organizations operating or upgrading ABB DCS platforms may also be interested in System 800xA-related industrial automation components available through:
https://www.maxwellplc.com/collections/all/system-800xa

Taken together, ABB's latest announcements demonstrate a continued investment in technologies that combine smart instrumentation, digital process control, AI-enabled robotics, and modern software architecture. As manufacturers continue pursuing higher productivity, lower maintenance costs, and greater operational resilience, innovations such as non-invasive sensing, intelligent diagnostics, browser-based DCS operation, and adaptive robotic manipulation are expected to play an increasingly important role across energy, chemicals, water treatment, pharmaceuticals, mining, and advanced manufacturing industries.

Written by: Daniel Whitmore

Daniel Whitmore is an industrial automation journalist and control systems specialist with more than 15 years of experience covering PLCs, DCS platforms, industrial networking, robotics, instrumentation, and digital transformation technologies across global manufacturing and process industries.