PACE Article: Investment in Skills Required to Support FOUNDATION Fieldbus Systems

Australian automation publication PACE Process Control & Engineering has a good article by Kevin Gomez on the investment in training and skills development that is required to support FOUNDATION fieldbus systems.  The article quotes Rafael Koenig, head of the Process Control & Automation Division and PI Competence Centre at Tyco Flow Control. Koenig presented a white paper at the Ninth International Alumina Quality Workshop in Perth. Koenig highlights the need for better training in the process industries in general.  To achieve the true operational and maintenance cost benefits of fieldbus, users must implement a predictive maintenance strategy.

From the article:

“Industry must look at broader benefits, such as enabling sophisticated tools like predictive maintenance for intelligent asset management,” Koenig said.

A lack of training, experience and support were holding back the technology, he added.

“We need to overcome a shortage of skilled engineering resources in process control and automation,” Koenig said."

We at the Foundation couldn't agree more.  Without the investment in training and skilled people, users will have a difficult time getting the biggest benefits out of FOUNDATION fieldbus -- the implementation of a true predictive and proactive maintenance strategy.

PACE Process Investment in Skills Required to Support Fieldbus Systems