Gothenburg, Sweden – June 2026 – Volvo Cars has announced a 70% reduction in unplanned production downtime and 25% higher assembly line efficiency after deploying the ABB DO880 3BSE028602R digital output module at its Torslanda manufacturing plant. The upgrade, completed in Q2 2026, addressed critical reliability gaps in the plant’s legacy output modules—where outdated components struggled to handle high-load actuators and frequent voltage fluctuations, costing the automaker €410,000 annually in lost production.
The Challenge: High-Load Failures and Slow Response in Automotive Assembly
Prior to adopting the ABB DO880 3BSE028602R, Volvo’s Torslanda plant faced three core operational hurdles in its electric vehicle (EV) seat assembly line:
- Insufficient Load Capacity: Legacy modules could only handle 1A per channel, but the plant’s new robotic welders and hydraulic actuators required 2A continuous output. This caused 3–4 module failures per month, each halting the line for 4 hours.
- Delayed Actuator Response: Old modules had a 50ms signal latency, leading to misalignment in seat frame welding (1.2% of seats were rejected due to poor joint quality).
- Voltage Fluctuation Vulnerability: Without surge protection, grid fluctuations often corrupted control signals, triggering false shutdowns (8–10 per month) during peak production hours.
“EV assembly demands precision and reliability—our legacy modules were becoming a bottleneck,” said Anna Larsson, Volvo’s Plant Operations Director. “We needed a robust output module that could handle high loads, respond instantly, and withstand industrial electrical variability.”
ABB DO880 3BSE028602R: The High-Performance Output Solution for Automotive
After testing competitors from Siemens and Rockwell Automation, Volvo selected the ABB DO880 3BSE028602R for its industry-leading load capacity, speed, and seamless integration with the plant’s existing ABB 800xA DCS:
- 2A Per Channel Load Capacity: Supports high-power actuators, robotic welders, and hydraulic systems without overheating—eliminating load-related failures.
- 1ms Signal Latency: Delivers near-instantaneous signal transmission, ensuring actuator alignment within ±0.5mm for precision welding and assembly.
- 6kV Surge Protection & Galvanic Isolation: 2.5kVrms isolation between channels and power supply prevents voltage spikes from causing false shutdowns.
- Hot-Swappable Design: Allows module replacement in 20 minutes without line shutdowns, reducing maintenance downtime by 80%.
- Profinet/Modbus Compatibility: Integrates with Volvo’s existing control network, requiring no rewiring or software overhauls.
Results: Downtime Plummets, Efficiency Soars
Six months post-deployment, Volvo’s Torslanda plant achieved transformative results:
| Metric |
Before ABB DO880 3BSE028602R |
After ABB DO880 3BSE028602R |
Improvement |
| Unplanned Downtime |
16 hrs/Month |
4.8 hrs/Month |
70% Reduction |
| Seat Rejection Rate |
1.2% |
0.3% |
75% Reduction |
| False Shutdowns |
8–10/Month |
1–2/Month |
88% Reduction |
| Assembly Line Efficiency |
76% |
95% |
25% Increase |
| Annual Cost Savings |
— |
€328,000 |
Direct ROI |
“The DO880 3BSE028602R has been a game-changer for our EV production,” Larsson said. “We no longer worry about module failures derailing shifts, and the precision has cut waste dramatically. It’s a reliable workhorse that delivers on its promises.”
Anders Nilsson, ABB’s Global Product Manager for Industrial Output Modules, emphasized the module’s automotive focus: “Automakers need output modules that can keep up with high-speed, high-load assembly lines. The DO880 3BSE028602R is engineered for that—combining power, speed, and durability to maximize uptime.”
Volvo plans to deploy the ABB DO880 3BSE028602R across 4 more EV manufacturing plants in Europe and Asia by 2027, targeting a group-wide 65% reduction in assembly line downtime.
