FOUNDATION Fieldbus ARCHITECTURE
About FOUNDATION Technology
FOUNDATION
fieldbus is an all-digital, serial, two-way communications system that
serves as a Local Area Network (LAN) for factory/plant instrumentation
and control devices. The fieldbus environment is the base level group of
the digital networks in the hierarchy of plant networks. FOUNDATION
fieldbus is used in both process and manufacturing automation
applications and has a built-in capability to distribute the control
application across the network.
Unlike proprietary network protocols, FOUNDATION
fieldbus is neither owned by an individual company, or regulated by a
single nation or standards body. The technology is controlled by the
Fieldbus Foundation, a not-for-profit organisation consisting of more
than 100 of the world's leading controls and instrumentation suppliers
and end users.
While FOUNDATION fieldbus retains many of the
desirable features of the 4-20 mA analogue system, such as a
standardised physical interface to the wire, bus-powered devices on a
single wire, and intrinsic safety options, it offers a host of
additional benefits to users.
BENEFITS
Device Interoperability
With interoperability, one fieldbus device can be
replaced by a similar device with added functionality from a different
supplier on the same fieldbus network while maintaining specified
operations. This permits users to "mix and match" field
devices and host systems from various suppliers. Individual fieldbus
devices can also transmit and receive multivariable information, and
communicate directly with each other over a common fieldbus, allowing
new devices to be added to the fieldbus without disrupting active
control.
Enhanced Process Data
With FOUNDATION fieldbus, multiple variables from
each device can be brought into the plant control system for archival,
trend analysis, process optimisation studies, and report generation.
This access to accurate, high resolution data enables processes to be
fine-tuned for better manufacturing throughput and reduced plant
downtime. These efficiencies add up to higher plant performance and
profitability.
Expanded View of the Process
Modern fieldbus devices, with powerful,
microprocessor-based communications capabilities, permit process errors
to be recognised faster, and with greater certainty. As a result, plant
operators are notified of abnormal conditions or the need for preventive
maintenance, and can make better production decisions. Problems that
detract from operating efficiency are more quickly corrected, enabling
yields to go up while raw material costs and regulatory problems
decrease.
Improved Plant Safety
Fieldbus technology will help manufacturing
plants keep up with increasingly stringent safety requirements. By
providing operators with earlier notification and warning of pending and
current hazardous conditions, fieldbus allows for corrective action
before an unplanned shutdown. Enhanced plant diagnostic capabilities
also reduce the need for frequent access to hazardous areas, thus
minimising the risks to field personnel.
Easier Predictive Maintenance
Enhanced device diagnostics capabilities make it
possible to monitor and record such conditions as valve wear and
transmitter fouling. Plant personnel are able to perform predictive
maintenance without waiting for a scheduled shutdown, thus avoiding or
reducing downtime.
Reduced Wiring and Maintenance Costs
FOUNDATION fieldbus' use of existing wiring and
multi-drop connections provides significant savings in network
installation costs. This includes reductions in intrinsic safety barrier
termination and cable costs, particularly in areas where wiring is
already in place.
Additional cost savings can be achieved
through the decreased time required for construction and start-up, as
well as simplified programming of control and logic functions using
software control blocks built into fieldbus devices.
Smar's Foundation Fieldbus control system
("SYSTEM302") is exactly that, a Foundation Fieldbus control
system This might sound strange but it is not a PLC with a Foundation
Fieldbus card, nor is it a DCS with proprietary elements and a
Foundation Fieldbus interface. SYSTEM302 is purely a Foundation Fieldbus
control system and is named after our manufacturers code given to us by
the Fieldbus Foundation "302".
For our range of Foundation Fieldbus systems and
products see the technology section of the main smar website www.smar.com/products/technology.asp#Foundation
For more information on Foundation Fieldbus see the
FOUNDATION Fieldbus website http://www.fieldbus.org