Driven by national carbon-reduction goals and growing demand for smart manufacturing, industrial enterprises are undergoing a critical transformation from conventional maintenance approaches to digital, predictive operations. However, many factories still face long-standing issues such as aging low-voltage distribution equipment, difficulty detecting hidden risks, and a lack of visibility into energy usage and power quality.

To help enterprises overcome these challenges, ABB has launched a complete Low-Voltage Digital Upgrade Solution, supported by the PowerCare Worry-Free Operations Platform. This solution provides an end-to-end system that strengthens equipment protection, enhances operational visibility, and establishes a future-proof predictive maintenance ecosystem.

Traditional Maintenance Reaches Its Limits as Industrial Complexity Continues to Grow

In traditional facilities, maintenance heavily depends on manual inspections and scattered analog indicators. Without digital tools, operations teams often struggle to capture early warning signs of degradation, temperature abnormalities, or electrical instability. Locating a fault may require extensive manual troubleshooting, increasing downtime and maintenance labor costs.

Moreover, energy management remains a major blind spot for many companies. With no accurate, real-time measurement or consumption transparency, optimization becomes difficult. As energy prices continue rising globally, enterprises urgently need the ability to pinpoint inefficiencies and implement targeted efficiency strategies.

In this context, digital and intelligent maintenance has become a strategic necessity rather than an optional upgrade. ABB’s low-voltage digital upgrade solution directly responds to these industry-wide needs.

ABB’s Four Major Digital Upgrade Components: Modernizing Maintenance at Every Level

The upgrade solution focuses on the full operational lifecycle—from monitoring and protection to control and diagnostics. It is designed for flexible, low-disruption deployment across existing facilities.

1. Digital Trip Unit Upgrade: The First Step Toward Smart Protection

Legacy thermal-magnetic trip units often struggle to meet modern requirements for precision and response. ABB’s digital replacement provides advanced protection without altering the main circuit breaker structure.

Benefits include:

• Complete electrical data acquisition

• Advanced, adjustable protection curves

• Higher precision in tripping and fault analysis

• Improved reliability and reduced unplanned downtime

This upgrade modernizes existing equipment without expensive or time-consuming overhauls.

2. Critical Temperature Monitoring: Detecting Thermal Risks Before Failures Occur

Electrical faults are frequently preceded by abnormal temperature changes at key points such as busbars and cable terminations. ABB’s temperature monitoring solution uses sensors that collect real-time data around the clock.

It provides:

• Temperature trend tracking

• Automated alarms for overheating

• Early detection of insulation aging or loose connections

• Preventive intervention before equipment damage occurs

Continuous monitoring helps safeguard assets and extend equipment life.

3. Intelligent Feeder Management: Bringing Energy Transparency to the Forefront

The intelligent feeder drawer integrates seamlessly into existing switchgear structures and allows rapid, on-site replacement.

Upgraded users gain:

• 0.5-class metering accuracy

• Visibility of harmonics, imbalance, leakage current, and other power-quality indicators

• Real-time digital dashboards without manual measurement

• Strong data support for energy optimization

This empowers enterprises to identify inefficiencies and eliminate unnecessary energy costs.

4. Smart Motor Management: Comprehensive Monitoring and Protection in One Module

Motors are essential to industrial operations—and often the most prone to faults. ABB’s smart motor management unit combines real-time monitoring, advanced protection, and intelligent control.

Key functions include:

• 14 start-up types suitable for various industrial applications

• 12 independent protection mechanisms such as overload, locked rotor, phase loss, and unbalance

• Millisecond-level fault response

• Visualized operational insights for optimized maintenance strategy

This delivers greater production stability and significantly reduces motor-related downtime.

PowerCare: Building a Predictive, Data-Driven Operational Ecosystem

All four upgrade modules integrate with the ABB PowerCare Worry-Free Operations Platform, establishing a closed-loop ecosystem that improves reliability and reduces costs.

PowerCare offers:

• Real-time equipment monitoring

• Health scoring and diagnostics

• Predictive maintenance algorithms

• Energy efficiency analysis

• Dedicated service managers providing customized support

Enterprises can transition from reactive maintenance to a proactive and intelligent operational strategy, improving both safety and efficiency.

ABB Leads the Industry Toward Smarter and More Sustainable Operations

As a global leader in electrification and automation, ABB continues to invest in digital innovation and engineering excellence. The low-voltage digital upgrade solution represents ABB’s commitment to helping enterprises achieve intelligent operations, reduce energy consumption, and build long-term operational resilience.

As industrial systems evolve toward smart manufacturing, ABB’s comprehensive solutions will play an increasingly critical role in supporting sustainable, efficient, and future-ready operations across industries worldwide.