Description
ABB PFEA113-20 3BSE028144R0020 Tension Electronics
Key Technical Specifications
| Parameter | Specification |
|---|---|
| Manufacturer | ABB |
| Model | PFEA113-20 |
| Original Part Number | 3BSE028144R0020 |
| Product Type | Tension electronics |
| Load Cell Inputs | 4 |
| Analog Outputs | 6, selectable voltage/current |
| Digital Outputs | 4 |
| Digital Input | 1 |
| Analog Inputs | 2 |
| Display Functions | Sum, difference and individual values |
| Communication | PROFIBUS-DP |
| Protection | IP20 |
| Typical Application | Web tension measurement and control |
ABB’s product documentation places the PFEA113-20 within Measurement and Analytics → Force Measurement → Web Tension Measurement and specifically lists compatibility with PFC300, PFT300, PFR100, and PFT100 tension-measurement product families.
Product Introduction
The ABB PFEA113-20 3BSE028144R0020 is a dedicated tension electronics unit for web-processing machinery. It receives measurement signals from load cells, processes the tension information, and provides analog, digital, and PROFIBUS-DP interfaces for machine-control systems. The unit can display individual load-cell values as well as calculated sum and difference values.
Typical installations include paper, film, printing, coating, converting, textile, and other continuous-web processes where stable material tension is required. The important engineering distinction is that PFEA113-20 is a force/tension measurement device, not a general-purpose PLC CPU.
PFEA113-20 3BSE028144R0020
Application Scenarios & Field Pitfalls — The Engineer’s Perspective
Engineering Pain Point
Web tension faults rarely stay confined to the measurement device. A problem with load-cell wiring, excitation, mechanical loading, filtering, grounding, or PLC communication can appear as unstable tension even when the PFEA113-20 itself is functioning correctly.
That makes this unit a poor candidate for blind substitution. The measurement chain should be checked from load cell → tension electronics → analog/PROFIBUS interface → drive or controller.
Typical Applications
- Paper and film web-processing machines
- Printing and converting lines
- Coating and laminating equipment
- Textile and continuous-material processing
- Roll-to-roll tension control systems
Technical Pitfalls
1. Do not mistake it for an AC 800M CPU.
Several reseller pages incorrectlyfy as a processor or AC 800M controller. ABB’s own product data identifies it as Tension Electronics under force measurement.
2. Load-cell compatibility matters.
The platform is designed for web-tension measurement using compatible ABB load-cell families. Verify the installed sensor type and wiring before replacing the electronics. ABB’s product classification specifically connects the unit with PFT/PFR/PFC tension-measurement families.
3. Check the output configuration.
ABB specifies six analog outputs with selectable voltage/current configuration. The actual machine application may use only a subset, so the PLC and drive-side scaling should be checked before commissioning a replacement.
4. PROFIBUS-DP configuration must be preserved.
If the existing machine uses PROFIBUS-DP, replacing the hardware without documenting the station configuration, PLC mapping and parameter settings can create a communication fault even when the replacement electronics are electrically correct.
5. Filtering affects control behavior.
Secondary technical references describe adjustable filtering and tension-signal response characteristics for the family. Filter settings should be copied from the existing machine configuration rather than reset arbitrarily; excessive filtering can make the tension loop slow, while insufficient filtering can expose roll eccentricity and mechanical vibration.
6. Verify the replacement part number carefully.
ABB’s current product record lists 3BSE050092R20 as the replacement product ID for the older 3BSE028144R20. Do not assume that a replacement is a direct drop-in without checking the machine documentation and connector/configuration requirements.
Related Products
- ABB PFEA111 — Related tension electronics for web-tension measurement.
- ABB PFEA112 — Related tension electronics variant.
- — Four-load-cell tension electronics with multiple analog/digital interfaces.
- ABB PFEA114 — Related PFEA-series tension electronics.
- ABB PFCL 301E — Compatible family of web-tension load cells.
- ABB PFTL 301E — Web-tension load-cell family.
- ABB PFRL 101 — Related force/tension measurement load cell.
- ABB PFTL 101 — Related tension load-cell family.
- ABB PFXC 141 — Junction-box hardware used within tension-measurement systems.
Procurement Note
For 3BSE028144R0020, verify four items before purchasing: exact part number/revision, installed load-cell type, PROFIBUS-DP configuration, and analog I/O configuration.
There is significant misinformation around this part online, including descriptions as a CPU, power supply, and pulse-encoder interface. Those classifications conflict with ABB’s product documentation. The defensible classification is BB tension electronics for web tension measurement.
For a legacy machine, also record the existing parameter settings and load-cell calibration information before replacement. The newer 3BSE050092R20 should be evaluated as a replacement product rather than assumed to be an identical part solely because ABB lists it against the older product ID.
