Latest Registered FF Products!

Did you realize we release the latest list of registered FOUNDATION devices in our eNewsletters? It's a little known fact about our Fieldbus Flash Newsletter that can be quite beneficial to FOUNDATION  users all across the world. It is just yet another way we listen to user feedback here at the Fieldbus Foundation.

I was attending one of our great seminar roadshows a couple of years ago and was asked by a user how they can know when new versions of their favorite products have been registered. The simple answer was to encourage them to talk to their supplier directly, but upon further digging, I realized this was something not being well addressed by the process community at large. How are the users supposed to know when a new device is available? If they don't know they're a newer versions available how can they upgrade an old device that may not have the full capabilities they require in their demanding application?

The answer is to track and update our members and newsletter subscribers about the latest registered products and to direct them to their appropriate registration page for more information.

If you've ever wanted to keep up with learning when new products are available after official registration, be sure to sign up for our electronic newsletter "Fieldbus Flash". You can do so here: http://www.fieldbus.org/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=217&Itemid=387

For those of you who want to see the latest registered products as of our September newsletter you can view it through our Media Partners web hosted version of the table here: http://www.controlglobal.com/industrynews/2013/foundation-fieldbus-products/

October Fieldbus Flash Newsletter Screen Capture

Last Seminar of the Year next month being held in the Houston Area - Sign up today!

Next month (November 6-7th to be exact) will be the last seminar of the year in North America and we'll be in the Houston area. One of our prestigious certified training centers, Lee College in Baytown, TX has chosen to host us for our event. We look forward to this really great opportunity.

Lee College offers certified training courses of varying lengths and depths of study and is the only one in the Southern united states to offer this type of vendor-neutral excellent training.

Our day-long seminar on November 6th will focus on the applications side of FOUNDATION technology and how the technology unlocks more power for your process so you can spend more time at operational efficiency and less time in unexpected shutdown. In case you have not ever attended one of our seminars, you definitely don't want to miss it. Some of the best and brightest minds in FOUNDATION fieldbus are in attendance sharing their knowledge and experience. The best part of it too is that it's completely FREE for all attendees. You can find out more information as well as register on our website: http://www.fieldbus.org/index.php?option=com_content&task=blogcategory&id=136&Itemid=371

Typical seminar format

Following the end user oriented seminar, we have a Sales Force Training seminar on November 7th that is geared towards salespeople of FOUNDATION fieldbus. The class is a half day training session on the latest news of the technology and how it can be a major part of a customers next installation. The course gives market data and figures for FF as well as some great resource material to help guide you and your customer on every aspect of FOUNDATION technology. Learn how the latest FOUNDATION for Remote Operations Management can help your customers see further into their process by reaching out to remote assets and integrating them into their control systems and how they can integrate wired HART, WirelessHART and ISA100.11a into their existing FF infrastructure! Also come hear about our latest announcement on Project Gemstone and how FOUNDATION fieldbus is the only open system out there focusing squarely on making the user experience easier and more intuitive, including device replacement.

We understand how valuable salespeople's time is so we'll have everyone out of the training day before noon so you can still make customer calls and site visits. Sign up today to refresh yourself on the latest FOUNDATION fieldbus has to offer!
http://www.fieldbus.org/index.php?option=com_content&task=blogcategory&id=136&Itemid=371

Be sure to check out our Twitter page for announcements on the seminars @FieldbusEvents. You can also view videos from previous seminars on our YouTube channel http://www.youtube.com/user/FieldbusFoundation.

Interesting Post in Emerson Process Experts on Device Alarms & Alerts

Lots of diagnostic data is available from fieldbus devices, and we at the Fieldbus Foundation have put a lot of effort into making it easier for end users to prioritize diagnostic information and manage it effectively.  Everything from incorporating NAMUR NE 107 recommendations into our specification and other aspects of our FF 912 diagnostics specification is done with eye toward turning diagnostic data into useful information. You also have to consider the impact of standards such as the ISA18.2 standard for alarm management.  A true alarm, according to ISA18, is one that requires immediate operator intervention.  You don't want to confuse your device alerts and diagnostic messages with true alarms.  There is a great post from Jonas Berge on the Emerson Process Experts web site that discusses this issue, along with some more information on how utilize fieldbus diagnostic data effectively.

Emerson Process Experts: Intelligent Field Device Diagnostic Alarm Management

NEW Brochure Released on the Basics of FOUNDATION Fieldbus

What is FOUNDATION fieldbus? How does it differ from 4-20mA? What are the advantages of our all-digital FOUNDATION fieldbus network? These are just a few great questions users find themselves looking to understand before retrofitting their existing plants. The Fieldbus Foundation has put together a new brochure addressing just these types of questions. The new literature is a 'back-to-basics' style brochure focusing on the core of what FOUNDATION fieldbus is at its roots. This guide provides a simple explanation to new users, potential users, marketing professionals etc looking to understand what value FOUNDATION delivers.

Get back to the basics with the new FOUNDATION fieldbus brochure

Click on the link above to download the brochure and understand how this real-time digital communication network designed specifically for process control can help you gain the competitive edge through reduced hardware footprint, reduced device count, faster commissioning, tighter control, better signal quality and advanced diagnostics.

The Fieldbus Foundation also has many alternative resources available to help understand the value of FOUNDATION technology on an ongoing daily basis. Below are a few;

Social Media/Forums

• YouTube - http://www.youtube.com/user/FieldbusFoundation
• LinkedIn - http://www.linkedin.com/groups/Fieldbus-Foundation
• Twitter - https://twitter.com/FOUNDATIONField
• Slideshare - http://www.slideshare.net/Fieldbus-Foundation
• Fieldbus Forums - http://forums.fieldbus.org

Official FOUNDATION Fieldbus News Outlets

• Fieldbus Flash (enewsletter)
• Fieldbus Reports
• Press Releases
• ControlGlobal FOUNDATION Knowledge Center

White Papers/Technical Guides/Design Tools

• Technical References

New Paper on Endress+Hauser Approach to Fieldbus Diagnostics

FOUNDATION fieldbus has a unique approach to management of device diagnostics. The publish/subscribe structure of FOUNDATION fieldbus means that diagnostic information is available immediately to a wide range of workers in the plant. The challenge is to organize that data in a way that turns it into useful information for the right people at the right time. That’s why the Fieldbus Foundation created the Fieldbus Diagnostic Profile addition to our specification. The Field Diagnostic Profile incorporates the NAMUR NE 107 recommendations, which state the diagnostic data should be presented in a standard manner, with standard coloring and symbology, so it is easily understandable by the different worker roles that must have access to the information.

As with all our technology specifications, Fieldbus Foundation provides a standard framework on how data should be handled and provided to those that need it. The suppliers in turn have the ability to add their own competitive advantage by providing ways to manage an even wider range of diagnostic information within our standard structure. This is what Endress+Hauser have done with their approach to FOUNDATION fieldbus standard diagnostics, and they are making this approach available to other automation suppliers as well.

Endress+Hauser is one of the world’s leading process automation suppliers. The company was one of the founding members of the Fieldbus Foundation, and has a long history of involvement standards making bodies and committees. The company’s new approach to categorizing fieldbus diagnostics has value not just because it can provide a wide range of diagnostic information about its devices, from electronics to sensing element to the process itself. The Endress+Hauser approach also gives the company the ability to form new diagnostic models based on the information from and relationships between multiple devices in the plant. This brings the diagnostic capability to the asset, unit, and plant level. Endress+Hauser also wants to make this diagnostic capability available to other vendors.  Read the rest at the link:


Taking Field Diagnostics to the Next Level: Endress+Hauser

Final Stats from General Assembly and More Presentations

We just got final attendance figures from our General Assembly in Shanghai the week of March 14th, and we are pleased to say that we had over 380 attendees registered for the event.  This truly was the largest fieldbus related event to be held in China for some time and we look forward to coming back again.  Shanghai is an amazing city and has changed so much in the seven years since I had last been there.  And thanks again to all the sponsors and volunteers that made it all happen.

On another General Assembly related note, Mr. Ye Yingmin, Leader Engineer from Shanghai SECCO gave an excellent presentation on the everyday use of FOUNDATION fieldbus diagnostics.  The Shanghai SECCO petrochemical complex is one of the largest in the world, and is also one of the largest fieldbus installations in the world with over 20,000 devices and extensive use of control in the field.  Mr. Ye's presentations goes into extensive detail about how SECCO was able to achieve a true return on investment with fiedlbus through intelligent management of diagnostic data for both devices and the physical layer. This presentation is worth a read for those that want to get the most out of their diagnostic information.

FOUNDATION Fieldbus Diagnosis and Maintenance

Putting NAMUR NE 107 to Work for You

One of the good things about FOUNDATION fieldbus being an open specification is that we can incorporate other standards and recommendations into our spec if they provide value to the end user.  This is the case with the NAMUR NE107 recommendations for device diagnostics.  For those of you that aren't aware, NAMUR is a user group comprised of many the world's major process automation end users.  The group publishes specific recommendations for areas of process automation that many times find their way into the world of process automation products and services.  The NE107 recommendations provide specific advice on how diagnostic information from intelligent devices should be presented to those that need it, from operators to maintenance technicians and engineers, in a standard format with standard colors and symbols.

The amount of diagnostic information available from today's field devices is staggering.  With a complex device on FOUNDATION fieldbus, such as a valve positioner or Coriolis flowmeter, you can have literally hundreds of diagnostic parameters.  Some of these parameters are going to provide information that is critical to the process, others may simply indicate the need for future maintenance.  NE107 provides a simple way to contextualize all of these parameters.

NAMUR NE107 Status Signals

The Fieldbus Foundation made NAMUR NE107 part of our specification, and all the devices that get tested and registered under our new Interoperability Test Kit version 6 must conform to the NE 107 spec.  The same goes for all our new host DCS systems tested under our new host profile registration process.

Emerson Process Management recently published a good white paper “Configuring FF912 Alarms in a DeltaV System”.  The Emerson DeltaV system is tested under our most recent host profile called "61b", which supports NE107.

The Fieldbus Foundation registered devNice site already has approximately 34 devices with NE107, and E107 compliant systems can already benefit from these devices. The number of devices supporting NE 107 is growing rapidly.  This means that new plants can now start benefiting from NE107 straight away. Existing plants can benefit from NE107 devices by upgrading system software to latest version supporting NE107. No hardware changes are required to enjoy NE107. 

NE107 compliant FOUNDATION fieldbus products are available From 21 different suppliers:

• AUMA
• Cameron
• DREHMO
• Emerson
•  Endress + Hauser
• FCI
• Heinrichs Messtechnik
•  Honeywell
• Invensys
• Magnetrol
• Metso
• Mettler-Toledo
• Micro Motion
•  Pepperl+Fuchs
•  Rosemount Analytical
• Stahl
•  TOKYO KEISO
• TopWorx
• VEGA
• Westlock
• Yokogawa
• Young Tech

Devices are available in 16 different categories:

• Bus diagnostics
• Conductivity Transmitter
• Coriolis Mass Flowmeter
• Displacement Level Transmitter
• Electric Actuator
• Field display
• Guided Wave Radar Level Transmitter
• Host System
• Nuclear Density and Level transmitter
• Nuclear Level Transmitter
• Nuclear Mass Flow Transmitter
• On/off valve
• Oxygen, Chlorine, and Ozone Transmitter
• pH, ORP, Redox Transmitter
• Pressure Transmitter
• Safety Valve Controller
• Thermal Mass Flow Transmitter
• Valve Positioner

Control Engineering Video on ISA108

Peter Welander of Control Engineering magazine interviewed Herman Storey and myself about ISA108 after our face to face meeting at the ARC Orlando Forum the week of February 11.  We talk about some of the reasoning behind ISA 108, particularly the need for some coherent and easily shared work processes that can help end users take advantage of the diagnostic data coming from the huge installed base of intelligent field devices.  Remember, you cannot get the full lifecycle benefit out of intelligent devices unless you implement the right work processes!

Peter Welander Interview with Herman Storey and Larry O'Brien on ISA108

ISA Charters New Committee on Intelligent Device Management

FOUNDATION Technology Study Day – London, 26 February, 2013

London, UK – 15 January, 2013 - The Fieldbus Foundation UK Marketing Committee (FFUKMC) has announced the first of its 2013 schedule of end user events – a FOUNDATIONTechnology Study Day to be held in London on Tuesday 26 February, 2013.

With a morning session focused on an introduction to FOUNDATION technology, a lunch break with tabletop displays and additional presentations, and an afternoon session offering a more advanced programme, delegates will be able to tailor the day to suit their own requirements. Delegates may choose to attend either the morning or afternoon session or they are welcome to attend both. There is no charge to attend and the lunch and lunchtime sessions are open to all delegates.

Following registration and coffee, the morning session, from 10.00-12.00, will include an introduction to FOUNDATION technology and solutions, and an insight into the lifecycle economics of the system.

The afternoon session, from 14.00-16.00, will present a more in-depth programme of presentations and practical workshops with a focus on supporting a FOUNDATION installation through asset management; device replacement; calibration and recommended maintenance practices.

All registered attendees are invited to the complimentary lunch during which Fieldbus Foundation member companies will be available to discuss and demonstrate their Foundation products and services.

Also available during the lunch break are update presentations on Foundationfor Remote Operations Management (F-ROM) and Foundationfor Safety Instrumented Functions (FF-SIF).

Richard Barnes, chairman of the FFUKMC is looking forward to welcoming current or potential end users, system integrators, EPCs, and all personnel with an interest in FOUNDATION fieldbus systems or a need to gain an understanding of the technology. “The FFUKMC is trying a new approach to its end user seminars – we understand the need for differing levels of information to suit individuals in differing roles within the process automation enterprise. The study day format allows everyone to gain high quality information whether it’s at an introductory level or an advanced level.” He continued, “There will also be several opportunities throughout the day for networking with other users and potential users, as well as industry experts and suppliers of the systems, devices and components that make up a FOUNDATION system.”

The event will be held at the Emerson Process Management office, Accurist House, 44 Baker Street, London, W1U 7AL. Delegates are invited to register their names, company, email address and session preferences with the UK Committee, email: uk_info@fieldbus.org.

Additional FOUNDATION Technology Study Days are scheduled to be held at locations in Aberdeen, Scotland, the Scottish and central belt and the north of England.

About the Fieldbus Foundation UK Marketing Committee

The FFUKMC was formally established in 1999 to promote an increased awareness and adoption of FOUNDATION™ technology throughout the United Kingdom and Ireland through a range of end user focused activities including technology seminars and roadshows, technical demonstrations and support, and trade show and conference participation.

The FFUKMC membership now includes: ABB, Beamex, Beka Associates, Emerson Process Management, Endress+Hauser, Honeywell, MTL –Cooper Crouse-Hinds, Moore Industries, Pepperl+Fuchs, Rockwell Automation, Rotork, R.Stahl, Smar, Turck, Vega and Yokogawa.

For more information about the Fieldbus Foundation UK Marketing Committee and its activities in the UK and Ireland, visit the FFUKMC webpages of the Fieldbus Foundation’s website www.fieldbus.org, or email uk_info@fieldbus.org

New Series of YouTube Videos

Thanks to the cooperation of CFE Media and Control Engineering we have a series of new YouTube videos on various fieldbus topics.  Shot at our certified training center at Lee College in Baytown Texas, these videos feature Lee College Chief Instructor Chuck Carter and our own Talon Petty discussing various fieldbus topics, including control in the field, signing up tags in the host and troubleshooting device addressing, and out of scale readings (overpressure) with FOUNDATION fieldbus.  You also get a really nice look at the Lee College Fieldbus Center lab, which has a lot of nice equipment and resources!

FOUNDATION Fieldbus Videos at Control Engineering Web Site

YouTube: Control in the Field Demo Part I

YouTube: Control in the Field Demo Part II

YouTube: Signing up Tags in the Host and Troubleshooting Device Addressing

YouTube: Out of Scale Readings (Overpressure) With FOUNDATION Fieldbus

Fieldbus Foundation Participates in ARC/NAMUR/ZVEI Panel Discussions

At last month's Achema show I got the chance to participate in a series of panel discussions held jointly by ARC Advisory Group; end user organization NAMUR; and ZVEI. I participated in the Operational Excellence track, where we discussed the definition of Operational Excellence in today's plants and what it takes to achieve OpX.  Of course my side of the conversation focused on the diagnostic data and information available from fieldbus devices and how users can most effectively manage that information, both through technology and through revamping their old, traditional work processes. There is a nice blog post at ARC that sums up the discussion.

Operational Excellence as a Journey to Continuous Improvement

New Article on NE 107 Diagnostics at PlantServices.com

We recently had an article published in PlantServices about the value of the NAMUR NE 107 diagnostic recommendations and how we embedded these into the FOUNDATION fieldbus specification.  For those of you not familiar with NAMUR, they are an end user driven organization in  that focuses entirely on process automation.  One of the things NAMUR does is to write recommendations documents for various areas of process automation.  NAMUR NE 107 covers recommendations for presenting diagnostic data from intelligent field devices so they can be viewed by operators in technicians in context.  In other words, the diagnostic information is relevant and easy understand.  The operator or technician sees only the data they need to see when they need to see it, and that data is easily understandable.  We at the Foundation have built these NE 107 recommendations into our specification.  With the latest version of our interoperability test kit and host profile registration process, we also make sure that all new devices and hosts that we test conform to the new specification.  You can read the full article here.

Embedding the NAMUR NE 107 diagnostic specifications is one advantage of having a truly open standard like FOUNDATION fieldbus.  It allows us to adopt new technologies as they come along, just as we did with Ethernet and HSE.  We are also doing the same with FOUNDATION for Remote Operations Management (ROM), integrating WirelessHART and ISA 100.11a protocols into the FOUNDATION fieldbus infrastructure.