Softwr

Manufacturing · head to head

ABB 800xA vs Paperless Parts

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
Paperless Parts logo

Paperless Parts

Manufacturing

Quoting and estimating software for job shops, with geometry analysis and ITAR-aware handling

From
On request
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.; Paperless Parts no pricing is published at any tier, and the mandatory implementation and data migration are quoted on top of the subscription, so the first-year cost is materially higher than the recurring one.
  • They diverge on capability: ABB 800xA covers Extended Automation, Paperless Parts covers Geometry analysis.
  • Prices and features above were last checked on 1 September 2026.

Where they differ

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

Attributes where ABB 800xA and Paperless Parts differ
AttributeABB 800xAPaperless Parts
PlatformsWindowsWeb

Identical on both: starting price (On request), pricing model (quote), 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 Paperless Parts

  • Geometry analysis
  • Costing rules
  • Customer portal
  • Quote revisions
  • ITAR-aware handling
  • ERP hand-off

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 Paperless Parts
  • A pulp and paper mill consolidating process, electrical and safety monitoring into a single operator workplacenot Paperless Parts
  • A mining operation that needs SIL 3 safety functions on the same network as process control rather than a separate safety systemnot Paperless Parts
  • A marine or offshore platform where ABB already supplies the electrical distribution and IEC 61850 integration removes a second systemnot Paperless Parts

Paperless Parts

  • A CNC machine shop losing RFQs because quotes take three days to return by emailnot ABB 800xA
  • A defence supplier that must process controlled RFQ files without exposing them to a generic cloud toolnot ABB 800xA
  • A fabricator standardising estimating so quotes do not vary by which estimator picked them upnot ABB 800xA
  • A contract manufacturer giving customers a portal to submit parts and receive prices themselvesnot 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.

Paperless Parts

  • No pricing is published at any tier, and the mandatory implementation and data migration are quoted on top of the subscription, so the first-year cost is materially higher than the recurring one.
  • The quality of automated quotes depends on costing rules the shop must write, which takes an experienced estimator out of production for weeks before the system is useful.
  • ERP and shop system integration is gated to higher tiers, so a small shop on the entry plan is still retyping won quotes into its job system.
  • Geometry analysis handles prismatic machined and sheet metal parts well but struggles with complex organic surfaces, weldments and assemblies, which still need manual estimating.
  • Once costing logic and quote history live in the platform, moving to another system means rebuilding the rules from scratch, which is a strong practical lock-in beyond the contract term.

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

Paperless Parts

On request
  • Basic$undefined/year
    • Quoting and geometry analysis
    • Customer portal
    • For small job shops and contract manufacturers
  • Pro$undefined/year
    • Integrations with ERP and shop systems
    • Deeper costing configuration
    • For mid-sized manufacturers
  • Enterprise$undefined/year
    • Controlled data handling for defence and aerospace
    • Multi-site and multi-process support
    • Priority support and dedicated onboarding

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 Paperless Parts if

  • You need geometry analysis.
  • You also want costing rules.
Paperless Parts review

Questions people ask

Is ABB 800xA or Paperless Parts better?
Neither clearly leads. ABB 800xA starts at On request and Paperless Parts at On request, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, ABB 800xA or Paperless Parts?
ABB 800xA starts at On request and Paperless Parts at On request.
Does ABB 800xA or Paperless Parts run on more platforms?
ABB 800xA runs on Windows. Paperless Parts runs on Web.
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 Paperless Parts is typically brought in for.
What can ABB 800xA do that Paperless Parts cannot?
ABB 800xA covers Extended Automation, AC 800M controllers, Connectivity servers, Safety integration. Paperless Parts covers Geometry analysis, Costing rules, Customer portal, Quote revisions.

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.

Paperless Parts: How much does Paperless Parts cost?

It does not publish pricing. Expect a tiered annual subscription plus a separately quoted implementation and data migration.

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.

Paperless Parts: Does it quote automatically without setup?

No. It applies your costing rules to analysed geometry, and those rules have to be built with your estimator during implementation.

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.

Paperless Parts: Can it handle ITAR-controlled RFQs?

It markets controlled data handling for defence and aerospace work, which is a main reason regulated shops choose it over generic quoting tools.

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.

Paperless Parts: Will it integrate with my shop ERP?

Integrations exist but are gated to the higher tiers, so confirm your ERP is covered at the tier you are quoted.

Share

Related pages

More on ABB 800xA

More on Paperless Parts

Keep looking

Other head to heads