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?F-Line vs M-Line: What's the Difference?

The F-line and M-line are parallel product families designed for distinct applications —not replacements for each other.

• F-Line (AC700F/AC800F/AC900F) — Part of the Freelance DCS. Active and supported product line for essential process automation needs.
• M-Line (AC800M) — Part of the larger System 800xA DCS. A modular controller configurable with Compact Control Builder or 800xA Control Builder, offering flexibility and scalability for very large, complex enterprise-level automation.

Note: The AC800M did largely supersede the older AC450 controller range (Advant Master family) for new projects.

?AC700F vs AC800F vs AC900F

All three are controllers within the Freelance DCS family, differing in processing power, I/O capacity, and redundancy support:

• AC700F — Small applications (up to ~300 I/Os). No redundancy. Up to 8 direct I/O modules. Compact footprint, ideal for OEM offerings.
• AC800F — Medium to large applications (~1,000 I/Os). Optional controller and line redundancy. Modular fieldbus and Ethernet modules.
• AC900F — Large applications (up to ~1,500 I/Os). Optional redundancy. Up to 10 direct I/O modules. 4 Ethernet ports, 2 serial ports, up to 4 pluggable fieldbus modules.