Company Profile

Siemens Magnetic Flow Meters and ABB Flow Meters: Industry Leaders in Process Control

Quick Answer: Siemens and ABB set the benchmark for magnetic flow meters in water, wastewater, and chemical process control. Silver Automation Instruments offers compatible electromagnetic flow meters with DN15 to DN2000 sizes, rubber or PTFE liners, and 4-20 mA HART output. Send your pipe size, flow range, and medium to get a quote within one working day.

Where Siemens and ABB Fit in the Field

Siemens magnetic flow meters appear across municipal water plants, food plants, and mining sites in Southeast Asia and the Middle East. The MAG 5100 W model is common on raw water and treated water lines from DN25 to DN2000. ABB flow meters, especially the ProcessMaster FEP300 series, cover a DN3 to DN2000 range. Both vendors offer accuracy near 0.2 percent, PTFE or PFA liners, and HART or PROFIBUS communication. Engineers trust these brands because spare parts and local service partners are available in many countries.

But the installed base tells only part of the story. A water utility in Vietnam ran a DN400 Siemens MAG 5100 W on a raw water intake for seven years without major issues. A chemical plant in Saudi Arabia uses ABB ProcessMaster meters on brine lines with Hastelloy C electrodes. These field cases show why both brands became reference points in process control.

Technical Details That Matter on Site

Magnetic flow meters need the right liner and electrode combination. Siemens and ABB offer liners like PTFE, PFA, and ebonite. Electrode options include 316L stainless steel, Hastelloy C, and titanium. For seawater or desalination service, titanium electrodes and PTFE liners handle chloride levels above 20,000 mg/L. For food and beverage lines, ABB HygienicMaster uses FDA compliant PFA liners. Siemens SITRANS FM MAG 3100 with a MAG 6000 transmitter works well on aggressive chemicals at temperatures up to 180 degrees Celsius.

In practice, most engineers skip the data sheet details and ask three questions. What is the process pressure? What is the conductivity? What is the pipe size? Magnetic flow meters require a minimum conductivity around 5 microsiemens per centimeter for standard models. For demineralized water or solvents, a Coriolis mass flow meter from Silver Instruments is often a better fit. For high viscosity fluids above 100 cP, an oval gear flow meter may offer better accuracy at low flow.

Grounding rings matter on coated or non-conductive pipe. Siemens and ABB both offer grounding electrodes or rings. Silver Instruments includes a grounding ring as standard on PTFE lined meters. For cathodic protection areas, use a meter with isolated grounding. Send your pipe material when you ask for a quote.

Silver Instruments as a Practical Alternative

Silver Instruments supplies electromagnetic flow meters for the same process loops where Siemens and ABB models are specified. Our EMAG series covers DN15 to DN2000. Liner options include natural rubber, PTFE, and ebonite. Electrode options include 316L, Hastelloy C, titanium, and tantalum. Accuracy is 0.5 percent for standard models and 0.2 percent for premium models with 4-20 mA HART output. This covers most water, wastewater, and chemical transfer applications.

We have seen many cases where a plant needs a meter within three weeks but the Siemens or ABB distributor quotes eight to ten weeks. Last year a customer in the Philippines needed a DN150 electromagnetic flow meter for a cooling water line. Their OEM package required a Siemens compatible signal output. We supplied a Silver Instruments EMAG with HART and a calibration certificate in 14 days. Installation was direct. No adapter changes were needed.

Empty pipe detection is a useful feature on pump discharge lines. Some plants run pumps dry for short periods. Silver Instruments EMAG models can include empty pipe detection and bidirect