ABB has launched the PFM 20 Ex dust monitoring device for hazardous and harsh industrial environments, extending its industrial emissions measurement offer. The unit can detect dust concentrations down to 7.5 mg/m³ and meets ATEX Zone 22 requirements. Its arrival brings continuous emissions monitoring, dust and gas flow measurement, and portable hydrocarbon detection into a single ABB portfolio. The launch also builds on measurement capabilities added through the company’s 2024 acquisition of Födisch Group.
Monitoring Dust In Hazardous Areas
The PFM 20 Ex has been designed for settings where reliable, low-range dust measurement and robust equipment are required. By meeting ATEX Zone 22 certification requirements, the device is intended to support operators working in hazardous environments where combustible dust may be present.
Dust measurement is a practical component of emissions oversight in industrial facilities, particularly where operators need visibility of particulate levels as part of day-to-day operations. The 7.5 mg/m³ certified detection range positions the PFM 20 Ex as a high-sensitivity option within ABB’s particulate analyser range.
Jean-Rene Roy, Global Business Line Manager at ABB’s Measurement & Analytics division, said:
“The PFM 20 Ex is an important product launch in its own right, giving customers high-sensitivity dust monitoring for hazardous environments,”
A Broader Measurement Offer
ABB describes the PFM 20 Ex launch as completing its industrial emission measurement portfolio. The combined offer spans continuous emission monitoring systems, particulate and gas flow analysers, and portable instruments for hydrocarbon detection, enabling facilities to obtain a broader set of measurement technologies from one supplier.
The portfolio includes the ACF5000 and MCA 10 continuous emission monitoring systems, alongside the PFM 20, PFM 13 and OPM 19 ED dust analysers. Gas flow measurement is represented by the FMD 09, while portable Flame Ionization Detectors provide on-site, real-time hydrocarbon detection.
Bringing these technologies together could simplify supplier coordination for operators managing multiple measurement needs across a facility. ABB also provides remote and on-site service support, as well as flexible care agreements, covering the selection, deployment and ongoing support of the equipment.
Jean-Rene Roy, Global Business Line Manager at ABB’s Measurement & Analytics division, stated:
“This also represents a significant addition to our highly capable industrial emission measurement portfolio enabling us to support a broader range of customer needs, from continuous gas analysis to dust, gas flow and portable measurement.”
Födisch Group Capabilities
The expanded portfolio reflects ABB’s acquisition of Födisch Group in 2024. The German manufacturer brought advanced measurement and analytical solutions into ABB’s offer, expanding the group’s capabilities in dust and gas flow measurement and portable hydrocarbon detection.
The acquisition has given ABB a wider base of instruments across several areas of industrial emissions monitoring. The PFM 20 Ex is the latest product launch to emerge within that broadened measurement capability, with a focus on environments that need certified equipment alongside sensitive particulate detection.
For industrial operators, the availability of continuous monitoring, dust analysis, gas flow measurement and portable hydrocarbon detection within one offer provides a more consistent route to assembling site-specific measurement arrangements. It also creates a clearer connection between the hardware used in the field and the service support available around it.
Digital Support For Operators
Beyond the measurement devices themselves, ABB’s My Measurement Assistant+ platform supports operations with device health status, reports and documentation. The platform also provides AI-powered device-specific knowledge and solutions, giving users a digital resource alongside remote and on-site support.
This service layer is relevant for facilities operating a varied set of analytical equipment, where access to condition information and documentation can assist the management of installed devices. In combination with flexible care agreements, the offer is designed to support equipment throughout its operational use.
ABB’s Automation business applies automation, electrification and digitalisation technologies to industrial operations involved in supplying energy, water and materials, producing goods and transporting them to market. The PFM 20 Ex adds a focused emissions measurement tool to that wider industrial technology proposition.
Supporting More Consistent Measurement
With the PFM 20 Ex, ABB has added hazardous-area dust monitoring to an emissions measurement range that now covers continuous gas analysis, particulate measurement, gas flow analysis and portable hydrocarbon detection. The product’s ATEX Zone 22 certification and 7.5 mg/m³ detection capability address a defined operational need in harsh industrial settings.
The launch is a constructive development for operators seeking to consolidate emissions measurement technologies and related support. Combining specialised instruments with digital device information and service provision, ABB’s expanded offer gives industrial sites a broader selection of tools for monitoring dust, gases and hydrocarbons across their operations.
