Emerson launches field communicator for HART, FOUNDATION fieldbus devices

Staff -- Control Engineering, 7/1/2003

Austin, TX—Emerson Process Management has introduced its 375 Field Communicator, which supports all devices using HART or FOUNDATION fieldbus digital communication protocols. The 375 allows users to configure and maintain instruments and valves with one intrinsically safe, ATEX-compliant handheld communicator in the field and/or on the bench.

Using the 375 Field Communicator's "Easy Upgrade" feature, users can update the communicator on-site as new HART and FOUNDATION fieldbus devices become available. With more than 600 HART and FOUNDATION fieldbus devices from over 100 vendors currently available, and new HART and FOUNDATION fieldbus devices being introduced quarterly, a simple process for updates provides a significant benefit to users. No longer is it necessary to send a communicator anywhere to add new devices. Also, with the 375 Field Communicator, fieldbus users gain a portable intrinsically safe field tool to configure and maintain their fieldbus instruments and valves as the installed base of FOUNDATION fieldbus devices continues to grow.

In addition, Emerson recently announced that it and Trebing & Himstedt Prozessautomation GmbH & Co. KG (T&H, Schwerin, Germany) have jointly developed the ability to communicate with HART devices over a Profibus network. This makes the functionality of Emerson's AMS predictive maintenance software available to more applications. The company adds that users of HART instruments and valves with remote I/O systems on their Profibus networks now have the ability to use diagnostics from the HART communication protocol and AMS software to configure, calibrate, and diagnose faults for improved plant availability and performance.

These intelligent field devices are connected to a remote I/O system, which communicates with T&H's software interface via the Profibus network and Profibus Gateway hardware. Intelligence from the HART devices is transmitted to AMS through this hardware and software. Also, T&H's Profibus Scope allows customers to configure the Profibus network, and can be accessed directly from within AMS. AMS offers remote access through OPC and AMS Web, a Microsoft Internet Explorer-based application. AMS can interface to CMMS and ERP solutions, using Web services or OPC, enabling users to take advantage of field device information in management decision-making processes.