New ARC Fieldbus Study Predicts Sustained Growth Driven by Emerging Markets

As mentioned in a previous post, ARC Advisory Group has released their Fieldbus Solutions in the Process Industries market size and forecast study.  ARC predicts significant growth in the fieldbus market for the process industries over the next five years, driven primarily by the number of large capital projects that continue to incorporate fielbus in the emerging markets of China, India, Southeast Asia, and Latin America.  You can read their whole press release here.

Fieldbus Solutions Market Sustained by, Driven by Emerging Markets

ARC Advisory Group Talks Control in the Field

ARC Advisory Group recently released their Fieldbus Solutions for the Process Industries market forecast report, and we can't wait to get our copy.  In the meantime, they have written an interesting article on the adoption of control in the field.  According to the article, there are numerous benefits to control in the field.  From our conversations with end users, control in the field doesn't get implemented in many cases simply because users aren't familiar with the technology or they perceive there to be some risks associated with the technology, but that simply isn't true.  For a great summary of the benefits of control in the field you can read this blog post by Emerson's Jim Cahill.  He does a great job consolidating a lot of good resources into one post.

New YouTube Videos Uploaded

We have uploaded a couple of videos to our YouTube channel that we have mentioned previously on the Fieldus Foundation blog.  Both of these videos were expertly shot by our friend Peter Welander over at Control Engineering magazine/CFE Media.  First is the Control in the Field split screen Skype interview with Andy Clegg of Scotland-based Andy Industrial Systems and Control -- an automation consulting company in Glasgow, Scotland. ISC has done quite a lot of research on the performance of control in the field using FOUNDATION fieldbus versus the performance of control done in the controller. In this video Andy shares some of the results of their research along with their future plans.

Secondly, we have a video of Larry O'Brien of Fieldbus Foundation giving a brief guided tour of our FOUNDATION for ROM demo unit at the media day held at Lee College. You can see the various WirelessHART and ISA 100.11a devices integrated with FOUNDATION for ROM devices, including controllers and remote I/O from Smar, APAT, and Stahl.

We have more YouTube on the way in the form of videos shot at our seminars last year. 

Split Screen Skype Interview with Peter Welander of Control Engineering and Andy Clegg of ISC

FOUNDATION for ROM Demo Unit Guided Tour with Larry O'Brien

Fieldbus Foundation To Hold 2012 General Assembly In São Paulo, Brazil

The Fieldbus Foundation has announced that its 2012 General Assembly will be held on March 6-8 in São Paulo, Brazil. Planned for the Sheraton São Paulo WTC Hotel, this key automation industry event will attract the world's leading suppliers and end users of FOUNDATION fieldbus.

The 2012 General Assembly, themed, “In a World of Choices, Foundation Brings it all Together,” will include a comprehensive, end user-oriented agenda consisting of fieldbus project case studies and tabletop exhibitions from leading automation vendors across the globe, as well as a demonstration of the new Foundation for Remote Operations Management technology.

The Fieldbus Foundation’s End User Advisory Council (EUAC) will meet Tuesday, March 6, to discuss and offer direction for FOUNDATION technology. Wednesday, March 7, will feature a keynote address by a prominent executive from the Brazilian industrial sector, FOUNDATION technology updates, and presentations by key process end users, followed by a networking reception. On Thursday, March 8, the Fieldbus Foundation will conduct its annual business meeting for members.

According to Fieldbus Foundation President and CEO Rich Timoney, São Paulo was selected as the site of this year's General Assembly due to its status as one of the world’s fastest growing industrial regions, and the overwhelming demand for Foundation technology within the area. He said, "Brazil has been experiencing rapid growth in automation projects utilizing FOUNDATION technology and is arguably the central hub of the process automation industry in all of Latin America. Petrobras, Brazil’s largest oil producer, has been integrating Foundation fieldbus into their plants for some time, and is in the midst of a large expansion project utilizing the technology.”

Timoney added, “The 2012 General Assembly program will highlight the advantages of Foundation fieldbus as a world-class solution for improving plant asset management, reliability and economic performance. FOUNDATION technology is advancing to meet the needs of the process industries, including developments such as FOUNDATION for Remote Operations Management, FOUNDATION for Safety Instrumented Functions (FF-SIF), control in the field, field diagnostics and wireless."

Link to Press Release on Feildbus Foundation Web Site

Link to General Assembly Page at Fieldbus.org with Additional Info

Link to CVent Electronic Registration Form

Softing First to Qualify Under FOUNDATION DSP Program

Softing Industrial Automation GmbH, an independent and global provider of hardware and software for industrial automation and automotive electronics, is the first company to qualify under the Fieldbus Foundation’s FOUNDATION Development Services Provider (DSP) program. This program helps automation vendors get started with FOUNDATION product development by making it faster—and easier—to bring fieldbus equipment to market.

The Fieldbus Foundation launched the FOUNDATION DSP program to assist automation equipment suppliers preparing to design and manufacture products using FOUNDATION fieldbus technology. The program offers access to qualified development services providers with the know-how to make fieldbus solutions a reality. Qualified DSP participants have been evaluated to ensure they have the tools, training, and experience necessary to support a wide range of FOUNDATION fieldbus development projects. Services that can be qualified in the FOUNDATION DSP program include H1 and High Speed Ethernet fieldbus device development services, as well as host system services.

“A growing number of Fieldbus Foundation members want to enter the expanding FOUNDATION fieldbus technology market,” said Stephen Mitschke, Fieldbus Foundation Manager-Fieldbus Products. “However, some organizations may view fieldbus device development as a daunting task when they have little experience or knowledge of digital bus technology. Due to limited resources, they may be required to outsource a portion of the development process. This is where the FOUNDATION DSP solution steps in. From small developers looking for assistance on a few key components, to multi-million dollar companies seeking a partner to develop an entire FOUNDATION-ready device, FOUNDATION DSP can help streamline product R&D. Best of all, the program can ensure a strong ROI by reducing staffed man-hours and maximizing the efficiency of product development,” added Mitschke.

Dr. Ernst Flemming, business development manager, Softing Industrial Automation GmbH, noted that, “For Softing, as the leading provider of fieldbus-enabled products, it is key to be known to manufacturers who are interested in utilizing FOUNDATION technology. The Fieldbus Foundation’s development services provider program is an excellent platform to increase our visibility in this market. The stringent rules that apply to the program ensure that only high-quality technology providers participate in the program. We very much appreciate the recognition at such a high quality level and look forward to seeing the first results shortly.”

FOUNDATION DSP program participants and their development tools/services are featured in a special section of the Fieldbus Foundation’s website. Participants are also authorized to display the official FOUNDATION DSP logo in their marketing materials.

To learn more about the FOUNDATION DSP program, visit the Fieldbus Foundation website, or email Fieldbus Foundation Member Services with your inquiry.

Plant Services Article on FOUNDATION for ROM

Check out the latest edition of Plant Services for a fine article on FOUNDATION for ROM. 

Control systems just got more maintenance-friendly

ARC Writeup of FOUNDATION for ROM Media Day

ARC Advisory Group has done a nice little writeup of the FOUNDATION for ROM media day we held on December 1 as well as their overall take on the technology.  Herman Storey of Herman Storey Consulting LLC and myself will also be at the ARC Forum in Orlando, which runs from February 6-9 at the Renaissance Hotel at Sea World.  Herman will be doing a presentation on FOUNDATION for ROM and both Herman and I will be participating in a panel discussion.  You can get more information about the ARC Forum here. 

ARC Writeup: Fieldbus Foundation Extends into Remote Operations Management

New Video on Control in the Field from Control Engineering

Peter Welander of Control Engineering recently hosted a video interview with Andy Clegg of Industrial Systems and Control, and automation consulting company in Glasgow, Scotland.  ISC has done quite a lot of research on the performance of control in the field using FOUNDATION fieldbus versus the performance of control done in the controller.  When I was at ARC, we actually did a white paper that described the results of ISC's research that you can download here.  In this video Andy shares some of the results of their research along with their future plans. 

Control Engineering Video: Peter Welander Talk to Andy Clegg of ISC About Performance of Control in the Field Using FOUNDATION Fieldbus