Fieldbus conformance test kit update

The Fieldbus Foundation has announced release of its H1 CTK (Conformance Test Kit) 3.0. The kit provides enhanced capabilities for development and testing of Foundation fieldbus H1 (31.25 kbit/s) device communications stacks, and has been updated to support a current hardware platform, operating systems, and expanded test case functionality.

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The group says its H1 CTK is a complete testing solution enabling fieldbus device developers to ensure their H1 communication stack conforms to the Fieldbus Foundation’s test requirements. The stack is the messaging component of a field device, and is composed of the data link layer, the fieldbus access sub-layer, the fieldbus message specification, and system/network management agents. All stack conformance testing is performed by the Fraunhofer IOSB, a non-profit testing agency located in Karlsruhe, Germany, as a prerequisite for official registration.

The H1 CTK can help users troubleshoot and debug a wide range of fieldbus instrumentation by verifying that an H1 device is performing in accordance with specifications. The latest version includes a platform upgrade with support for current hardware such as PCI and PCMCIA NI-FBUS cards. The kit has also undergone a test engine code update to 32 bit. In addition, its enhanced user interface provides support for Windows XP/Vista operating systems.

The foundation considers the new update a major advance in testing functionality with each test case acting as a separate, modular application. Users can now compile and edit test cases according to their own development purposes. With the included Visual Studio 2008 solution, they can also take full advantage of the powerful MS Visual Studio debugging tools to track down any stack implementation bugs.

The H1 CTK 3.0 is available now to companies signing a new license agreement, and to current license holders wishing to obtain the updated kit at a special discounted price.

Visit the System Integration Channel

Also read: ISA100.11a compliance group releases conformance test kits

Edited by Peter Welander, pwelander@cfemedia.com 
Control Engineering

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