Tuesday, November 6, 2012

Rockwell Automation PlantPAx Process Automation System Registered as FOUNDATION Fieldbus Host

In conjunction with Rockwell Process Solution User Group meeting and Automation Fair, we are happy to announce that the company is the latest process automation system supplier to announce that its PlantPAx process automation system is now registered as a FOUNDATION Fieldbus integrated host system. The PlantPAx system passed tests for the “61b” integrated host profile, the Fieldbus Foundation’s latest and most demanding host profile.


“This distinction further solidifies the status of Rockwell Automation as a leader in FOUNDATION Fieldbus technology,” said Steve Pulsifer, director of Process Market Development, Rockwell Automation. “Meeting the Fieldbus Foundation’s interoperability standards demonstrates the ability of the PlantPAx process automation system to help manufacturers address production issues with real-time, plantwide intelligence.”

Within the Fieldbus Foundation's automation infrastructure, interoperability is possible because devices and software must all conform to the same standard and they are tested and registered to that standard. Products bearing the FOUNDATION Product Registration symbol have undergone a series of common tests administered by the Fieldbus Foundation. End users can select the best device for a specific measurement or control task, regardless of the manufacturer.  

The 61b hosts also support advanced diagnostic functions, such as NAMUR NE 107 recommendations for presenting diagnostic data in a standard format. Using the NE 107 recommendations for field diagnostics, the Fieldbus Foundation developed a profile specification enhancing the organization, integration and presentation of device diagnostics within fieldbus systems. The diagnostic profile includes a standard and open interface for reporting all device alarm conditions, and provides a means of categorizing alert conditions by severity. 


Fieldbus Foundation at Rockwell Automation PSUG Meeting

The Fieldbus Foundation will be at Rockwell Automation's Process Solutions User Group meeting (PSUG) this week.  PSUG has grown considerably over the past several years as Rockwell Automation has grown its process automation business.  With Rockwell's commitment to FOUNDATION fieldbus and its recent registration of its DCS host under the latest 61b profiles, it only makes sense for us to be there at the show.

Fieldbus Foundation Booth at PSUG
One thing that also distinguishes Rockwell Automation from other fieldbus suppliers is its relationship with leading field device supplier Endress+Hauser.  The two companies formed a special relationship in 2004 to provide a premier level of integration between the PlantPAX process automation system from Rockwell Automation and Endress+Hauser field devices.  The two companies have also collaborated in the Plant Asset Management system space.

Rockwell Automation also offers many other FOUNDATION fieldbus products through its network of ENCOMPASS partners, which you can see here.  Partner companies include names like Pepperl+Fuchs, Phoenix Contact, GE Energy, Metso Automation, many others.

So if you are in Philadelphia this week come stop by and see us at Rockwell Automation PSUG!

Friday, November 2, 2012

FOUNDATION Fieldbus at Jemima 2012 Osaka

We just spent three days at the Jemima Measurement and Control show in Osaka Japan, which is the biggest process automation trade show in Japan.  Thanks to the efforts of our Japanese marketing committee, Fieldbus Foundation had quite a large booth at the show this year, which consisted of FOUNDATION for ROM technology and overall FOUNDATION fieldbus technology, including a wide range of products from all the leading suppliers.  Automation trade shows may be a thing of the past in North America, but in places like Japan they are still thriving.  Jemima had an estimated 10,000 attendees this year and booth traffic was quite brisk all the way through Friday afternoon.

Jemima 2012 Fieldbus Foundation Booth
Fieldbus Foundation also held a press conference on Tuesday afternoon to officially announce FOUNDATION for ROM technology to the Japanese market.  Jemima also held a technical seminar where we provided an additional update on FOUNDATION for ROM technology, FDI, and an update of the overall fieldbus market.  

Our thanks go out to the many people that made our presence at the show possible, including our many supplier sponsors.  Sponsoring companies included ABB, azbil, Emerson Process Management, Endress+Hauser, Fuji Electric, MooreHawke, MTL, Pepperl+Fuchs, Stahl, Turck, and Yokogawa.  Representatives from our Japanese FOUNDATION Certified Training Program partner Waseda University were also on hand.  

Thursday, October 25, 2012

University of Miskolc Becomes FOUNDATION Certified Training Partner


The Fieldbus Foundation held a press conference yesterday at the University of Miskolc, Hungary, to announce that the university has been successful in the rigorous certification process required to become a Foundation Certified Training Program (FCTP) training site. This program establishes uniform standards for fieldbus educational curriculum around the globe, and defines acceptable levels of learning for students of the technology.


The University of Miskolc is now the preferred site for certified FOUNDATION fieldbus training in the Central & Eastern Europe region.  There are rigorous procedures that educational institutions must follow to gain certified training site status, and for certifying course instructors and curriculum. Certified training centers are required to maintain multiple hosts and devices onsite in order to demonstrate competence with FOUNDATION fieldbus technology. They are also audited to ensure their course material adheres to set instructional standards covering fieldbus segment limits; device replacements; commands, icons, menus and screen designs of different software packages; and communication, scheduling and function block assignments enabling configuration.

For many years, the University of Miskolc, Research Institute of Applied Earth Sciences - Department of Research Instrumentation and Informatics, has been actively involved with several research projects to use, develop, and teach industrial communication systems.

Fieldbus Training Laboratory at University of Miskolc

Three instructors at the University of Miskolc have been certified to conduct FCTP courses. József Subert, Viktor Füvesi and Ildikó Bölkény are all members of the Research Institute of Applied Earth Sciences - Department of Research Instrumentation and Informatics and, in addition to their teaching and research roles, are key members of the program and organizing committees of the annual Distributed Control Systems (DCS) meeting, a key event in Hungary for control engineers.  The press conference was given in conjunction with the DCS event this week.

The University of Miskolc will be offering the Foundation Certified Support Specialist course.

Dr. Károly Jónap, Head of Department of Research Instrumentation and Informatics, commented, “Certification is important for the University of Miskolc because we are formally recognized by the foundation as a high quality training center. This will give our customers a guarantee that the content of our courses, the course materials and the knowledge of our trainers are up to date.” He added “we are looking forward to a mutually beneficial partnership with the Fieldbus Foundation”.

Jürgen George, Chairman of the Fieldbus Foundation Central & Eastern Europe Marketing Committee (FFCEEMC), is delighted that the University of Miskolc has gained its accreditation. “One of the key objectives of the FFCEEMC is to provide technical training, support and information about FOUNDATION technology and its applications to users and potential users throughout the CEE region at a local venue and, where possible, in a local language”. He continued, “To have a certified training center here in Hungary that can support the CEE region’s technical training needs is a great achievement for all those involved.”

Around the world, institutions currently certified under the FCTP program include: Fieldbus Center at Lee College, United States; Trine University, United States; SAIT Polytechnic, Canada; STC Group - Brielle, The Netherlands, University of Miskolc, Hungary; Waseda University, Japan; and King Mongkut’s Institute of Technology, Thailand. Other training centers participating in the program include: Sinopec Yanshan, China and LEAD in Brazil.

FCTP Program

Unversity of Miskolc Industrial Communication R&D and Training Laboratory



Wednesday, October 24, 2012

Updated FOUNDATION for SIF Spec Includes Support of Dual Mode Devices


The Fieldbus Foundation recently announced the release of an updated version of our FOUNDATION for Safety Instrumented Functions (SIF) technical specifications. The specifications now include support for FOUNDATION fieldbus H1 (31.25 bit/s) dual-mode devices employing powerful field diagnostics capabilities, which greatly simplifies the process of developing field instrumentation employing the SIF protocol.

With the dual-mode H1 device capability, instrumentation manufacturers can bring new safety products to market without having to design two entirely different devices. Developers can implement H1 devices with SIF features activated or de-activated. More importantly, this means that plants will only have to stock one type of device that can be used as either a process device or a safety device.

When SIF mode is selected, the device will behave as specified by the SIF specifications; otherwise, it will function as a normal H1 instrument. To ensure conformance to safety standards, the two modes cannot run concurrently in the same device.

The latest Foundation for SIF specifications release includes a number of updates to the System Architecture, Application Model, Protocol, Function Block and Device ITK Profile specifications to make this all possible. It also includes a new application note on macro cycle calculation.

FOUNDATION for SIF has the potential to greatly improve plant and process safety through superior advanced diagnostics at both the device and network level.  FOUNDATION for Safety Instrumented Functions was approved by TÜV Anlagentechnik GmbH to meet the requirements of IEC 61508 up to, and including, Safety Integrity Level (SIL) 3. Process automation end users have clearly stated their desire for FOUNDATION for SIF technology because of its reduced footprint, reduced installed cost, and advanced diagnostics capabilities. Most of the failures related to safety systems do not happen within the logic solver, but can be traced to failures at the field device or control valve. FOUNDATION for SIF provides the most sophisticated diagnostics for safety devices and a truly digital path for safety devices.

Multiple Foundation for SIF pilot projects are taking place at locations around the world with different end users. These companies, along with other major end users, are encouraging the automation equipment industry to develop safety-approved products for their initial installations.

For more information about the Foundation for SIF Technical Specifications, please visit the Fieldbus Foundation's Specification page or e-mail sales@fieldbus.org.

Thursday, October 18, 2012

Plant Engineering Article: Making Fieldbus Projects As Painless As Possible

I recently contributed an article to Plant Engineering magazine on some of the critical steps toward making your fieldbus project as trouble free as possible.  Regardless of the size and scope of your project, there are some universal rules of thumb and best practices.   Many people don't know that the Fieldbus Foundation offers free resources like the recently revised AG 181 System Engineering Guide, our YouTube videos,and our DesignMate segment design tool.

Plant Engineering: Making Fieldbus Projects As Painless As Possible

New Version of AG 181 System Engineering Guide

I am pleased to announce that the Fieldbus Foundation recently released a major revision to our AG-181 System Engineering Guidelines. AG-181 is a comprehensive guide that includes best practices and recommendations for a complete Foundation fieldbus installation, from engineering and design through commissioning, startup, operations, and maintenance. The guide includes recommendations on topics from selecting cable to wiring installation, grounding, implementing plant asset management systems, and best practices for project management.

The new edition of AG-181 has been reformatted and reorganized to make it easier to read and access information. Some content has been rewritten to include more up-to-date information. This includes sections covering the Fieldbus Intrinsically Safe Concept (FISCO) fieldbus design rules, cable length, surge protection and segment scheduling. A section on the use of existing wiring has also been added.

AG 181 is one of the automation industry’s best-kept secrets that belongs in the library of almost every process control engineer. It is a highly valuable resource for the growing number of end users, system integrators and engineering firms involved in the implementation of Foundation fieldbus.

One of the things we try to do at the Fieldbus Foundation is put information into the hands of those who need it around the world. We want people to become proficient in the use of our technology, from engineering and design to installation, maintenance, and operations. Our System Engineering Guidelines document contains the distilled wisdom of many of the world's leading fieldbus technology experts, from those in the engineering and construction world to end users, systems integrators, educators, and suppliers. It offers many good pointers on how to do your fieldbus project right the first time, and is an essential part of the toolbox of any Foundation fieldbus professional. If you already have the older version, the latest update will look more streamlined and contains several new sections, as well as rewrites of old sections.

The Foundation fieldbus System Engineering Guidelines is separated into 11 sections, each covering different aspects of the fieldbus project lifecycle. Specific topics include: General Considerations, Fieldbus Definitions, Fieldbus Project Requirements, Host System Requirements, Software Configuration, Field Device Requirements, Segment Components, Network/Segment Design Guidelines, Site Installation Guidelines, Acceptance Testing, and Documentation Requirements.

AG 181 System Engineering Guidelines