ABB and Boliden have completed an installation of Ethernet-APL instrumentation at Boliden’s Kokkola zinc plant in Finland, connecting next-generation field devices with the existing ABB Ability System 800xA distributed control system. The project is among the first installations of its kind in Finland and will allow the plant to assess the technology under operating conditions.
Ethernet-APL, or Advanced Physical Layer, extends Ethernet communication to field-level instruments used in process industries. It enables access to more detailed information from field devices, supporting maintenance, troubleshooting and operational decision-making without requiring a complete replacement of existing automation infrastructure.
Industrial facilities increasingly need more information from instruments and process equipment to identify developing problems, improve maintenance planning and maintain production availability. The Kokkola installation provides a way to introduce this connectivity gradually while retaining established systems and equipment.
The project builds on the automation partnership between ABB and Boliden Kokkola, which began in 2014 with the deployment of System 800xA at a new silver recovery plant. Since then, the platform has been extended across the zinc production facility to support changing operational requirements and the adoption of digital technologies.
System 800xA supports multiple communication protocols, including PROFIBUS and PROFINET, as well as third-party systems. This allows existing instrumentation and newer technologies to operate within the same automation environment.
Matti Karjula, Automation Specialist at Boliden Kokkola, said the collaboration with ABB had enabled the company to develop its automation platform while maintaining compatibility with existing systems. He said the Ethernet-APL installation would help the plant evaluate the technology and examine how additional field-device information could support maintenance and diagnostics.
The project was delivered in collaboration with Pepperl+Fuchs, an industrial automation specialist in electronic sensors, intrinsic safety and explosion protection. The system architecture allows Ethernet-APL devices to operate alongside existing PROFIBUS PA instrumentation, giving the plant flexibility to introduce new equipment progressively.
The implementation also includes a pilot of ABB Ability Field Information Manager (FIM). The software provides centralised monitoring, configuration and diagnostics for field devices across multiple networks. Integrated with Ethernet-APL and System 800xA, it offers a unified view of devices connected through both existing and newer communication technologies.
Petri Vuolukka, Industry Segment Manager for Battery, Metals and Mining in ABB’s Process Industries division in Finland, said Ethernet-APL offered process operators a way to increase access to field-level information without replacing equipment that continued to perform effectively. He said the Kokkola project would allow Boliden to evaluate the technology in a live production environment while preserving compatibility with its existing infrastructure.
ABB operates in electrification and automation, serving industries involved in energy, water, materials, manufacturing and transportation. Its Automation business provides technologies and services for process, hybrid and maritime industries, supporting industrial operations through automation, digitalisation and lifecycle management.
