Systems
Complete ABB Freelance DCS systems
A distributed control system with the engineering, batch and recipe tools of a large DCS, at a scale and price that suits a single plant. We deliver it complete: specified, engineered, built, tested, commissioned and supported.
What Freelance is, and who it is for
ABB Freelance is a compact distributed control system. It combines controllers, I/O, operator workstations and a single engineering environment, so control logic, graphics, alarms and history are configured once and stay consistent with each other.
It fits the gap many food and beverage producers fall into: too complex for stand-alone PLCs, too small to justify a full enterprise DCS. Typical Freelance plants have one site, several interconnected process units, recipes that change often and batch records that someone has to produce.
Rule of thumb. A single machine with one operator and one HMI is usually PLC territory. A plant where receiving, processing, CIP and utilities must work together, with recipes and batch records, is where Freelance earns its keep. ABB's 800xA for Freelance connectivity can provide a common operator environment and additional 800xA functions for compatible Freelance installations; the required versions, licenses and migration scope must be assessed.
A compact DCS, not a PLC with extra screens
Freelance sits between separate machine controllers and a large enterprise DCS. It is a full DCS, with one engineering environment for control, screens, alarms and history, sized for a single plant.
Choosing between that and separate PLCs comes down to recipes, records, coordination and how often the process changes. Separate PLCs or a compact DCS? A decision guide →
What a complete system includes
- Controllers and I/O. Freelance process controllers with local or remote I/O, plus fieldbus and Ethernet connections to drives, instruments, analysers and packaged equipment.
- Operator stations. Consistent graphics, faceplates, alarm handling and trends, built from the same engineering database as the control logic.
- Batch and recipe management. Recipe parameter management and reporting using Freelance Formulation, or a separately engineered batch-management integration where the application requires it. Product selection, licensing and capabilities are confirmed for the specified software versions. Learn about ISA-88 →
- History and reporting. Process history, batch reports and audit trails that support quality investigations and, where required, 21 CFR Part 11 compliance.
- Engineering workstation. One project for logic, graphics and configuration, with change tracking. Your team can maintain the system after handover.
- Control panels. Designed and built in our UL 508A industrial control panel shop in Brookfield, Wisconsin, with washdown-rated enclosures wherever the process area needs them.
- Network and security. A segmented control network designed along ISA/IEC 62443 principles, with defined remote-access paths.
How a project runs
| Phase | What happens | What you get |
|---|---|---|
| 1. Assessment | We walk the process with your operations, QA and maintenance teams, and review P&IDs, existing controls and pain points. | A written scope, a right-sizing recommendation (PLC, Freelance or larger) and a budget estimate |
| 2. Functional specification | Process units, sequences, recipes, alarms, reports and interfaces are defined in plain language. | A signed functional specification that becomes the test plan |
| 3. Engineering & build | Control logic, graphics, batch procedures and panels are built in parallel. | Configured system and built panels |
| 4. Factory acceptance test | The system is tested against the specification with simulated I/O before it ships. | FAT records and a punch list closed before installation |
| 5. Installation & commissioning | Loop checks, water runs and first production batches, scheduled around your production. | Site acceptance test and trained operators |
| 6. Support | Spares, software maintenance, security updates and engineering help when you change the process. | A long-term partner who knows your system |
Why Gross Automation
- The number-one Freelance integrator in the world, after ABB itself. Freelance is our core process-automation platform, not a side line.
- Food and life-science process knowledge. Hygienic design, CIP, batch records and validation are part of how we specify a system, not afterthoughts. See our knowledge library →
- Honest sizing. We also supply PLC-based control. If a PLC is the better answer for your process, we'll say so.
- Local and reachable. Engineering, a UL 508A panel shop and support in one Wisconsin facility, serving plants across the Midwest and beyond.