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Manufacturing · head to head

ABB 800xA vs Prodsmart

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
Prodsmart logo

Prodsmart

Manufacturing

Mobile manufacturing execution for small plants, acquired by Autodesk and folded into Fusion Operations

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.; Prodsmart the product has been absorbed into the Autodesk Fusion family, so the standalone brand, pricing page and channel that earlier reviews describe no longer reflect how it is bought, and buyers must evaluate the current Autodesk packaging instead.
  • They diverge on capability: ABB 800xA covers Extended Automation, Prodsmart covers Mobile shop floor declarations.
  • Prices and features above were last checked on 1 September 2026.

Where they differ

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

Attributes where ABB 800xA and Prodsmart differ
AttributeABB 800xAProdsmart
PlatformsWindowsWeb, iOS, Android

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 Prodsmart

  • Mobile shop floor declarations
  • No controller integration required
  • Traceability
  • Live production status
  • Basic OEE
  • Maintenance records

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

Prodsmart

  • A small manufacturer with older machines that cannot be connected to any network without a costly retrofitnot ABB 800xA
  • A plant that needs lot traceability for a customer or regulatory audit and currently keeps it on papernot ABB 800xA
  • A shop wanting live work order status without installing terminals and cabling on the floornot ABB 800xA
  • An Autodesk Fusion user looking for an operations layer from the same vendor as its CAD and CAMnot 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.

Prodsmart

  • The product has been absorbed into the Autodesk Fusion family, so the standalone brand, pricing page and channel that earlier reviews describe no longer reflect how it is bought, and buyers must evaluate the current Autodesk packaging instead.
  • All data originates from operator declarations, so accuracy depends entirely on shop floor discipline, and a plant that cannot enforce scanning gets confident charts built on incomplete input.
  • Because it reads nothing from machines, it cannot detect a stoppage the operator does not report, which means downtime analysis captures what people admit to rather than what happened.
  • Scheduling and planning are shallow compared with a full MES or ERP, so most customers still plan elsewhere and use Prodsmart for execution only.
  • Support and account management now run through a very large software vendor, and small manufacturers frequently report longer response paths than they had with the original company.

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

Prodsmart

On request
  • Prodsmart (Autodesk Fusion Operations)$undefined/year
    • Mobile shop floor execution
    • Traceability and production reporting
    • Sold within the Autodesk Fusion product family

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 Prodsmart if

  • You need mobile shop floor declarations.
  • You work on Web, iOS, Android.
  • You also want no controller integration required.
Prodsmart review

Questions people ask

Is ABB 800xA or Prodsmart better?
Neither clearly leads. ABB 800xA starts at On request and Prodsmart at On request, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, ABB 800xA or Prodsmart?
ABB 800xA starts at On request and Prodsmart at On request.
Does ABB 800xA or Prodsmart run on more platforms?
ABB 800xA runs on Windows. Prodsmart runs on Web, iOS, Android.
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 Prodsmart is typically brought in for.
What can ABB 800xA do that Prodsmart cannot?
ABB 800xA covers Extended Automation, AC 800M controllers, Connectivity servers, Safety integration. Prodsmart covers Mobile shop floor declarations, No controller integration required, Traceability, Live production status.

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.

Prodsmart: Who owns Prodsmart?

Autodesk acquired it in 2022 and has integrated it into the Fusion product family as its operations offering.

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.

Prodsmart: Does it need my machines to be connected?

No. That is the central design decision. Operators declare production on mobile devices.

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.

Prodsmart: Is it a full MES?

It covers execution, traceability and basic OEE. Detailed scheduling, quality workflows and controller level data are not its scope.

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.

Prodsmart: Can I still buy it as a standalone product?

It is sold through Autodesk. Confirm the current packaging and pricing with Autodesk rather than relying on pre acquisition material.

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