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Manufacturing · head to head

ABB 800xA vs Simplify3D

ABB 800xA logo

ABB 800xA

Manufacturing

Distributed control system and process automation platform for continuous and hybrid process plants

From
On request
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
Simplify3D logo

Simplify3D

Manufacturing

Paid 3D printing slicer sold as a one-time licence in a market where rivals are free

From
$199/one-time
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite

The short version

  • Each has a real cost: ABB 800xA licensing is by I/O count, controller count and workplace clients, and none of it is published, so two plants of similar size can be quoted very differently with no external benchmark to argue against.; Simplify3D every serious competitor is free, so the $199 has to be justified against Cura, PrusaSlicer, OrcaSlicer and Bambu Studio on support and consistency alone, not on capability.
  • They diverge on capability: ABB 800xA covers Extended Automation, Simplify3D covers Process-based slicing.
  • Prices and features above were last checked on 1 September 2026.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which ABB 800xA and Simplify3D actually diverge.

Attributes where ABB 800xA and Simplify3D differ
AttributeABB 800xASimplify3D
Starting priceOn request$199/one-time
Pricing modelquoteOne-time purchase
PlatformsWindowsWindows, macOS, Linux

Identical on both: free tier (No), user rating (Not yet rated), category (Manufacturing).

What each one covers

Drawn from each product's published feature list. An absence here means we hold no record of it - not that the product lacks it.

Only in ABB 800xA

  • Extended Automation
  • AC 800M controllers
  • Connectivity servers
  • Safety integration
  • IEC 61850 electrical
  • Batch management
  • Information management
  • Asset optimisation

Only in Simplify3D

  • Process-based slicing
  • Support generation
  • Layer preview
  • Floating licences
  • Offline licensing
  • Wide printer profiles

What people use each for

The jobs each tool is most often brought in to do.

ABB 800xA

  • A refinery replacing operator consoles and control room infrastructure while keeping working field controllers in placenot Simplify3D
  • A pulp and paper mill consolidating process, electrical and safety monitoring into a single operator workplacenot Simplify3D
  • A mining operation that needs SIL 3 safety functions on the same network as process control rather than a separate safety systemnot Simplify3D
  • A marine or offshore platform where ABB already supplies the electrical distribution and IEC 61850 integration removes a second systemnot Simplify3D

Simplify3D

  • A print farm running machines from four manufacturers that wants one slicer and one set of profiles rather than fournot ABB 800xA
  • An engineering department on an air-gapped network that cannot use a slicer requiring online activationnot ABB 800xA
  • A team standardising support and infill settings across operators so prints are reproducible between shiftsnot ABB 800xA
  • A shop printing tall parts that need different settings at different heights in a single jobnot ABB 800xA

Where each one falls short

Documented limitations, not opinions. Every one is a constraint you would hit in normal use.

ABB 800xA

  • Licensing is by I/O count, controller count and workplace clients, and none of it is published, so two plants of similar size can be quoted very differently with no external benchmark to argue against.
  • Engineering and commissioning typically cost more than the software and controller hardware together, and that share is not visible in the initial ABB quotation, which prices the system rather than the project.
  • It is Windows only for servers and workplaces, so the operating system lifecycle drives forced upgrade cycles that have nothing to do with your process.
  • Once configured, the aspect object model and the specific integrator conventions used make handing the system to a different service provider expensive; ABB service contracts are effectively sticky.
  • Software maintenance is an annual contract on top of the licence and lapsing it means you cannot take version upgrades, so the system quietly ages out of security support if the plant skips renewals to save money.

Simplify3D

  • Every serious competitor is free, so the $199 has to be justified against Cura, PrusaSlicer, OrcaSlicer and Bambu Studio on support and consistency alone, not on capability.
  • Major version upgrades are chargeable, so the perpetual licence covers a version rather than the product and the cost recurs every few years anyway.
  • Development cadence is slower than the open source slicers, and features such as newer tree support algorithms and multi-material handling appear there first.
  • Printer profiles for very new machines lag behind the manufacturer's own bundled slicer, so buyers of a brand new printer may get better results from the free tool that shipped with it.
  • Standard licences require an internet connection to activate, and the offline option is a separate purchase negotiated with sales rather than a checkbox at checkout.

Pricing, plan by plan

ABB 800xA

On request
  • ABB Ability System 800xA$undefined/year
    • Licensed by I/O count, controller count and workplace clients
    • Sold as a project through ABB or a certified partner
    • Annual software maintenance contract priced separately

Simplify3D

$199/one-time
  • Standard licence$199/one-time
    • One user, perpetual for that version
    • Internet activation required
    • Two week money-back guarantee
  • Floating licence$undefined/one-time
    • Shared activation pool for teams
    • Priced on request
    • Volume discounts available
  • Offline licence$undefined/one-time
    • Activation without internet access
    • For secure or air-gapped networks
    • Priced on request

Which should you pick?

Choose ABB 800xA if

  • You need extended automation.
  • You work on Windows.
  • You also want ac 800m controllers.
ABB 800xA review

Choose Simplify3D if

  • You need process-based slicing.
  • You work on Windows, macOS, Linux.
  • You also want support generation.
Simplify3D review

Questions people ask

Is ABB 800xA or Simplify3D better?
Neither clearly leads. ABB 800xA starts at On request and Simplify3D at $199/one-time, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, ABB 800xA or Simplify3D?
ABB 800xA starts at On request and Simplify3D at $199/one-time.
Does ABB 800xA or Simplify3D run on more platforms?
ABB 800xA runs on Windows. Simplify3D runs on Windows, macOS, Linux.
What is ABB 800xA best used for?
ABB 800xA is most often used for a refinery replacing operator consoles and control room infrastructure while keeping working field controllers in place, a pulp and paper mill consolidating process, electrical and safety monitoring into a single operator workplace, a mining operation that needs sil 3 safety functions on the same network as process control rather than a separate safety system, a marine or offshore platform where abb already supplies the electrical distribution and iec 61850 integration removes a second system. Of those, a refinery replacing operator consoles and control room infrastructure while keeping working field controllers in place and a pulp and paper mill consolidating process, electrical and safety monitoring into a single operator workplace are not what Simplify3D is typically brought in for.
What can ABB 800xA do that Simplify3D cannot?
ABB 800xA covers Extended Automation, AC 800M controllers, Connectivity servers, Safety integration. Simplify3D covers Process-based slicing, Support generation, Layer preview, Floating licences.

Answered from the vendors’ own pages

ABB 800xA: Is 800xA sold as a perpetual licence?

Yes, the system licence is perpetual, but a separate annual software maintenance agreement is required to receive updates and version upgrades.

Simplify3D: Is Simplify3D a subscription?

No. It is a one-time purchase of $199 per user, but upgrades to future major versions cost extra.

ABB 800xA: Can 800xA control non-ABB field hardware?

Yes. Connectivity servers front third-party PLC and DCS systems and legacy ABB families, which is the main reason it wins brownfield projects.

Simplify3D: Why pay when PrusaSlicer and Cura are free?

For a mixed fleet you get one interface and one profile library across brands, plus a supplier to call. If you run one printer from one vendor, the free slicer is usually the better choice.

ABB 800xA: Does it replace a separate electrical SCADA?

It can. IEC 61850 substation integration is native, so many plants drop a separate electrical monitoring system.

Simplify3D: Can I install it on more than one computer?

A standard licence is per user with online activation. Teams needing shared or concurrent use buy floating licences, priced on request.

ABB 800xA: What is the realistic implementation timeline?

A full plant migration is measured in years, not months; phased cutovers of one unit at a time are the norm.

Simplify3D: Can I try it first?

There is a two week money-back guarantee rather than a free trial download.

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