ABB is reinforcing its position in the £60m market for utility and industrial flow meters in the UK with the creation of a consistent and easy-to-specify product range. Called FlowMaster, the range consists of five key flow meter groups, with users able to easily choose the best meters for their application.
ABB is currently one of the market leaders for electromagnetic flow meters within the UK. FlowMaster harmonises the flow meter ranges previously offered by ABB heritage companies Fischer & Porter and Kent Taylor into a single ABB range featuring consistent design and a shared technology platform.
Users can now choose industry-specific options for chemicals, oil and gas, water, food, power, pharmaceutical, metals and mining, as well as pulp and paper applications. Using shared electronics technology across the range, plus a common interface featuring ABB’s new HMI, it is also now easier for users to set up and operate any ABB flow meter, saving vital commissioning and running time.
The FlowMaster family boasts a number of 'world firsts', such as the inclusion of new diagnostic technology based on the NAMUR NE107 structure, making it easier for operators to quickly identify potential problems. The NAMUR structure introduces a unified framework for diagnostic detection and alarming which will feature extensively in forthcoming industry products.
“The FlowMaster family stands for much more than just products,” said Tony Hoyle, UK Flow Products Manager. “It’s also about making it as easy as possible for our customers to deal with ABB and to get the most from their flow meters. In this way, we will reinforce our position as the supplier of choice for flow measurement in utility and process applications.”
For the utility market, the first new product from the FlowMaster family to be released into the UK will be ABB’s range of WaterMaster meters, which includes a revolutionary octagonal flow sensor design. This sensor is aimed at minimising the effect of flow disturbances on measurement accuracy.
WaterMaster also sees the inclusion of the world’s first onboard verification capability. Called VeriMaster, it assures operators of the accuracy of the meter through constant self-checking. This will be joined by new AquaMaster GSM/SMS meters, providing water company leakage managers with instant access to flow and pressure information.
This will be joined by the ProcessMaster and HygienicMaster meters for process, food and beverage, and pharmaceutical industry applications, which offer a range of advanced features designed to simplify installation, operation and maintenance.
“With 70% UK market share, ABB continues to invest in its flow meter R&D and production facilities to the tune of over £4 million per year,” said Chris Anthony, general manager for ABB instrumentation in the UK. “This is based on feedback from our customers and aims to help them reduce network leakage, lower distribution costs and therefore minimise carbon footprint.”