I am interested in finding out what people know about ABB's recent announcement on the availability of their BRC100 controller cards that work with the ABB Infi90 DCS (Bailey DCS). I got a message last week from a ABB rep in Australia and it is very worrying. I would like to know if other ABB Bailey users have been informed of this, and if they have when they received the information.

Here is a quote from the message:

"The BRC100 controllers have ceased production unexpectedly as the supply for the chips on the motherboard have become unavailable unexpectedly. ABB have swung into action and brought forward the release of the BRC300 ( part number PHCBRC30000000) controllers which where planned for early next year. A new redundancy link cable will be used for redundant BRC300 pairs. The redundancy cable used with the BRC100 will not be applicable. BRC's used in one-for-one redundant pairs must be of the same BRC type. In other words, no mixed pairs of BRC300 and BRC100 are permissible. A redundant pair of BRC's must either be 2X BRC300 or 2X BRC100. These new BRC300 controllers otherwise have same form and fit as the BRC100 and the good news is that we can supply these for the same price, Delivery is mid December. Alternatively the MFP12 is still available and not subject to the same component obsolescence as the BRC100 but it cannot be used with the S800 I/O modules."

Any info would be greatly appreciated.

--
Chris Jennings
E/I Engineer
Australian Paper Maryvale

 

I am writing this e-mail to clarify the situation mentioned in my previous e-mail. It mentioned that I had been given a quote by ABB for replacement of BRC100 cards with BRC300 cards because of the issue regarding them now being obsolete. Unfortunately I quoted the e-mail verbatim and forgot to remove the specific pricing details that were included in the e-mail.

The price quoted in the e-mail was a special one off price for our existing BRC100 cards and was part of a $2 million project to update a Pine Kraft continuous digester process control system. It was unfortunately included in my request to this distribution list by accident and I take full responsibility for making this mistake. Please if you still have copies of the original message could you destroy the copies and do not forward the information to third parties. The pricing details are entirely limited to
our installation and not indicative of standard price for a BRC300 controller.

It was not my intention to divulge the pricing of BRC300 cards to this distribution list. My original enquiry was simply directed at other fellow ABB Infi90 users that have the same problem with BRC100 cards. I am still interested in finding out any information other list members may have
regarding this matter.

Once again I apologise to ABB Australia and all those concerned.

Chris Jennings