AC 800F – The Field Controller

The ABB DCS AC 800F controller distributes process and diagnostic data from four fieldbus gateways. If required, it can also work with various fieldbus types – and this is, of course, in addition to the usual tasks of a "conventional" controller. Thanks to its compact and sturdy design, the AC 800F is suitable both for installation in the control room and for use in junction boxes directly in the field.

Economical and reliable into the future
AC 800F offers new possibilities, combining "easy engineering" with an open and modern system architecture:

Availability: Redundancy at all levels

Freedom of Choice: PROFIBUS, FOUNDATION Fieldbus or HART; or combinations of those protocols

Efficient Engineering: Support for FDT/DTM

Only one tool for engineering, commissioning and diagnositics

Asset Optimization and batch processing

System engineering covers fieldbus and device configuration

On-board web server for remote diagnostics

AC800F Ordering information

The ABB DCS AC 800F hardware
The ABB AC 800F has a modular structure. The AC 800F CPU is designed as a backplane to which various modules – power supply units, Ethernet or fieldbus modules – can be attached in line with the application. On the fieldbus side, modules for PROFIBUS-DPV1, FOUNDATION Fieldbus HSE, MODBUS (master/slave, RTU or ASCII), IEC 608 0-5-101 and CAN for Freelance Rack I/O are available. The fieldbus line and the connected PROFIBUS slaves are entirely configured and parameterized using the Control Builder F engineering tool. No further external tools are needed for configuration. PROFIBUS slaves can be integrated into the system using a GSD) file or FDT/DTM). In the case of FOUNDATION Fieldbus, configuration takes place using CFF or DD files. This allows fieldbus parameterization even without connected field devices.
Also Freelance Rack I/O can be connected to the ABB AC 800F, in which case a CAN module is used. This allows you to operate five I/O racks, with a total of around 1000 I/Os, for each AC 800F. The I/O racks are equipped with a link module and up to nine I/O modules and can be mounted separately at a distance of up to 400 m from the AC 800F.

AC 800F Fieldbus modules
The ABB AC 800F uses the fieldbus modules to collect and process real-time and diagnostic data. Up to four fieldbus modules can be mounted into one AC 800F.

The fieldbus modules have the following tasks and
characteristics:
? Electrical isolation between the process and system
? Status LEDs for the module status
? Independent fault detection and fault signaling
? Connection of the fieldbus lines

Ethernet modules
Process stations and the operator and engineering level in the Freelance system communicate with each other via Ethernet.

ABB AC 800F Engineering

ABB AC 800F control applications can be created in any of the five IEC 61131-3 dialects by using Control Builder F.
see Engineering Tool Control Builder F

ABB AC 800F functional range

The ABB AC 800F scope of functions provided by the Freelance system corresponds to the basic supply defined in IEC 61131-3, in addition to numerous other high performance, industry-proven functions and function blocks. They are accommodated in a function block library and can be supplemented by user-specific function blocks. While designing the station and during configuration, the processing capacity and speed of the process station can be easily adapted to the demands of the automation task. Program execution in the process station is based on a task-oriented, real-time multitasking operating system, leading to a flexible strategy for processing programs.
Different modes are available for task execution:

Cyclical processing with cycle times from 5 ms upward

Fastest-possible processing (PLC mode)

Along with the user tasks, system tasks – in which functions can also be processed – are automatically made available. These tasks are executed once in case of the following events:

RUN

STOP

COLD START

WARM START (voltage restored)

REDUNDANCY TOGGLE

ERROR

Up to eight cyclic user tasks and one PLC mode task can be configured in a process station.

Intelligent linking devices
As the AC 800F possesses the high-speed connection of both PROFIBUS (PROFIBUS DP) and FOUNDATION Fieldbus (FF-HSE), the slower buses of the two fieldbus technologies (PROFIBUS PA and FF-H1) can be connected using intelligent linking devices.
These devices allow to connect several slow buses to one fast bus, with the advantage that a lot more field devices can be connected to an ABB DCS AC 800F station than when the slow fieldbuses are connected directly.

Maximum Security
In order to achieve safe operation and high plant availability, the ABB DCS AC 800F supports redundancy on all levels. This increases security and avoids production downtime! Redundancy is available for the:

System bus (Standard Ethernet Solution)

Controller

Input/output modules

Fieldbus master

Fieldbus lines

Linking devices

HSI communication

High Flexibility
Digital communication has changed automation technology to the better. Fieldbus technology is nowadays proven and well accepted by the users to perform the tasks of transmitting process- as well as diagnostic data. This is an enabling technology for new applications such as asset optimization

ABB AC 800F collects and processes signals and diagnostic data from up to four fieldbus lines. If required, it can also simultaneously work with various fieldbus types – and this is, of course, in addition to the usual tasks of a “conventional” process station. Furthermore, the ABB DCS AC 800F has a compact and modular design which makes it a universal electronic component for virtually all types of applications. It is suitable for both: simple installation in the switch room and for direct use in the field. Take the advantage provided by this technology:

The ABB DCS AC 800F allows you to use the fieldbus type(s) which best meets your requirements:

PROFIBUS

Foundation Fieldbus

MODBUS protocol

Interbus

IEC 870-5 telecontrol protocol

CAN-Bus for connecting Input/Output modules

HART with PROFIBUS remote I/O

Efficient Engineering
For consistent configuration, commissioning and diagnosis – from graphics to the field device – you only need one engineering tool. This tool supports fieldbus-specific
configuration in the familiar way by means of its consistent, system-wide database. This includes:

Configuration and parmeter setting of field devices and remote I/Os via GSD/GSE files or FDT/DTM

Integrated diagnostics for controller and device checks with automatic alarms

Automatic generation of displays for operation

Bus topology and parameters such as transmission rates and addre