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
Issues affecting the world of FOUNDATION Fieldbus technology
Friday, September 13, 2013
Tuesday, September 10, 2013
STC Brielle: Our Certified Trainer for EMEA
I have written here before before about our FOUNDATION Certified Training Program (FCTP), and it's time to highlight our certified partner for training in Europe, the Middle East, and Africa -- STC Brielle. I was recently in Amsterdam and had some time to take a trip to Rotterdam to see the STC campus, which is right in the port of Rotterdam. In Rotterdam, the focus of STC is primarily on shipboard operations and training for crane and gantry operators and other technical training related to the maritime, shipping, and transportation industries.
We then took a drive over to the Brielle campus, which is where the process automation training is done. Brielle also serves as the location of the pilot plant, which is comprised of many different units and incorporates a huge amount of FOUNDATION fieldbus devices, as well as devices compatible with other protocols. STC Brielle also has portable training kits for on site training. Fieldbus training courses are for end users, design engineers, electrical engineers and operators, and cater to specific skill and knowledge levels. The Foundation Fieldbus training courses can be combined with elements of the process control and automation courses.
The Port of Rotterdam area is very important to the Fieldbus Foundation. Some of our most high profile installations are there, including the Shell Pernis refinery and Shin Etsu refining, which avoided at least two unplanned shutdowns because of their use of FOUNDATION fieldbus control in the field capabilities.
You can link to the STC Brielle Section of our FCTP web site here for more information.
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| STC Brielle Portable Training Kit |
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| View from the Control Room of the Pilot Plant |
We then took a drive over to the Brielle campus, which is where the process automation training is done. Brielle also serves as the location of the pilot plant, which is comprised of many different units and incorporates a huge amount of FOUNDATION fieldbus devices, as well as devices compatible with other protocols. STC Brielle also has portable training kits for on site training. Fieldbus training courses are for end users, design engineers, electrical engineers and operators, and cater to specific skill and knowledge levels. The Foundation Fieldbus training courses can be combined with elements of the process control and automation courses.
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| Pilot Plant |
You can link to the STC Brielle Section of our FCTP web site here for more information.
New White Paper on Realizing Lifecycle Cost Benefits of Fieldbus
Fieldbus has some pretty powerful lifecycle cost benefits. Significant cost reductions can be realized throughout the plant lifecycle, from engineering and design to operations and maintenance. More importantly, fieldbus is a great way to manage risk. At the Foundation we have numerous case studies of plant shutdowns and failures that have been avoided because of the diagnostic capabilities of FOUNDATION fieldbus and our ability to do control in the field device or actuator/positioner.
Our latest white paper explains some of the more advanced functions of FOUNDATION fieldbus and how they can translate to dollars for your business. As a way to illustrate how these benefits can be achieved we examine some of the more advanced application and service offerings from Yokogawa, which is one of the largest FOUNDATION fieldbus suppliers and supporters. Much of what we discuss, however, is available from a wide range of FOUNDATION fieldbus suppliers and all their registered hosts and products can be found on our web site.
Some of the topics we discuss include integrated plant asset management systems, device management applications, bulk downloading capabilities, how fieldbus engineering and design can actually save you money, and more.
Reducing Lifecycle Costs with the Power of Fieldbus
Our latest white paper explains some of the more advanced functions of FOUNDATION fieldbus and how they can translate to dollars for your business. As a way to illustrate how these benefits can be achieved we examine some of the more advanced application and service offerings from Yokogawa, which is one of the largest FOUNDATION fieldbus suppliers and supporters. Much of what we discuss, however, is available from a wide range of FOUNDATION fieldbus suppliers and all their registered hosts and products can be found on our web site.
Some of the topics we discuss include integrated plant asset management systems, device management applications, bulk downloading capabilities, how fieldbus engineering and design can actually save you money, and more.
Reducing Lifecycle Costs with the Power of Fieldbus
Tuesday, September 3, 2013
Emerson wins Asia Manufacturing Awards for Fieldbus H1 Card
Emerson Process Management has won an Asia Manufacturing Award for its H1 FOUNDATION fieldbus interface card. Organised by the Manufacturing Group of publications at Contineo Media, the Awards recognize companies that "enable regional manufacturers to reach and sustain the required levels of world-class performance."
From the article:
“...This company’s Foundation fieldbus network card comes with integrated power conditioning, which eliminates the need not only for separate power modules but also for an intermediate marshalling cabinet, thus providing significant savings in system footprint as well as simplified installation and commissioning.”Asian Manufacturing Awards 2013
Monday, August 26, 2013
Advantages of FOUNDATION in FPSOs
I came across an interesting article on the use of FOUNDATION fieldbus in a Floating Production Storage and Offloading project. I originally posted it to our LinkedIn group but I thought it was a good piece to also share with everyone on our blog.
The article, by Suresh P. Nair, was featured in a web exclusive by InTech.
The article explains all the benefits of having a "plug and play" technology that allows for quick modular connections of instrumentation in a very confined space. As we all know, space on a sea-bearing vessel comes at a premium so the smaller the footprint of your equipment, the more room for raw product. More raw product is the bottom line.
In the LinkedIn group posting I linked above, Jonas Berge talks about what this type of installation means beyond just FPSOs. The overarching benefit here is with regards to the ability to modular construct FOUNDATION fieldbus projects. While the immediate benefits for this type of application on an FPSO is space savings, weight savings, diagnostics, cabling savings, ease of commissioning etc (you all know the extensive list of benefits of FOUNDATION fieldbus by now), the true benefits are something bigger.
With the ability to modularly construct projects, easier project implementation on site greatly increases. Jonas points out that the ability to modularly construct a project allows the user to "reduce labor at the isolated site where resources are scarce, using manpower in the yard where resources are plenty." There is a powerful message to be learned in that statement. I agree with Jonas that we're not too far off from major mammoth projects being built offsite and shipped modularly for connection. We already see this type of thing happening across other industrial projects like major roadway/bridges and building construction. In fact, many of our regular homes are being built offsite these days with entire walls being pre-fabricated and delivered to site.
Be sure to read the full article on InTech's website here: Advantages of FOUNDATION for FPSOs
Also, be sure to read all of Jonas Berge's insights on the project on our LinkedIn group here: FOUNDATION Fieldbus LinkedIn Group - FPSO
As a side note I can't help but be reminded of the story of a hotel just south of us in San Antonio that is sitting along the riverwalk that was build in a modular fashion for the Texas World Fair in 1968. It took only 46 days to "build" 496 rooms on the 21 story hotel.
The article, by Suresh P. Nair, was featured in a web exclusive by InTech.
The article explains all the benefits of having a "plug and play" technology that allows for quick modular connections of instrumentation in a very confined space. As we all know, space on a sea-bearing vessel comes at a premium so the smaller the footprint of your equipment, the more room for raw product. More raw product is the bottom line.
In the LinkedIn group posting I linked above, Jonas Berge talks about what this type of installation means beyond just FPSOs. The overarching benefit here is with regards to the ability to modular construct FOUNDATION fieldbus projects. While the immediate benefits for this type of application on an FPSO is space savings, weight savings, diagnostics, cabling savings, ease of commissioning etc (you all know the extensive list of benefits of FOUNDATION fieldbus by now), the true benefits are something bigger.
With the ability to modularly construct projects, easier project implementation on site greatly increases. Jonas points out that the ability to modularly construct a project allows the user to "reduce labor at the isolated site where resources are scarce, using manpower in the yard where resources are plenty." There is a powerful message to be learned in that statement. I agree with Jonas that we're not too far off from major mammoth projects being built offsite and shipped modularly for connection. We already see this type of thing happening across other industrial projects like major roadway/bridges and building construction. In fact, many of our regular homes are being built offsite these days with entire walls being pre-fabricated and delivered to site.
Be sure to read the full article on InTech's website here: Advantages of FOUNDATION for FPSOs
Also, be sure to read all of Jonas Berge's insights on the project on our LinkedIn group here: FOUNDATION Fieldbus LinkedIn Group - FPSO
As a side note I can't help but be reminded of the story of a hotel just south of us in San Antonio that is sitting along the riverwalk that was build in a modular fashion for the Texas World Fair in 1968. It took only 46 days to "build" 496 rooms on the 21 story hotel.
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| Click Image to Read about the Modular Construction of the San Antonio Hotel |
Friday, August 23, 2013
InTech Case Study on Fieldbus for Steam Drain Control
There is an interesting case study in this month's InTech about using FOUNDATION fieldbus that discusses using a mixed environment of conventional devices and fieldbus devices in a steam drain control application. the case study also talks about extensive use of fieldbus function blocks and was a collaborative effort between John Petzen of GE and Fieldbus Foundation.
From the article:
From the article:
"Fieldbus-enabled valves are available that have extended capability, including the capability to interrogate external switches. While these were intended for use with external limit switches for valve position, these valve capabilities provide an interesting solution to the drain-valve control problem laid out above. The level switches can be wired to the valve controller, and switch position can be reported back to the control system using discrete input blocks. While this allows the wiring reduction typically associated with digital device installation, it avoids the higher device and installation cost of level transmitters. "Fieldbus for steam-drain control: Combining simple devices and fieldbus devices in a common system
Tuesday, August 20, 2013
YouTube Presentation from Vietnam Seminar
Here is an interesting YouTube video of a presentation by Pham Duc Hai of Emerson Process Management at our seminar in Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam. We also have some pictures and a report from the seminar forthcoming. Thanks to all who organized and participated in the seminar!
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