Digital network connectivity grows in level measurement

Digital networks transport an increasing share of continuous measurement information, according to a new Venture Development Corp. (VDC) market-study on the global process level measurement market. Forecast continuous pro-cess-level measuring-device shipments to North American market—network connectivity basis (% of $; and with and without digital): This trend is part of the ongoing shift...

By Staff January 1, 2006

Digital networks transport an increasing share of continuous measurement information, according to a new Venture Development Corp. (VDC) market-study on the global process level measurement market.

Forecast continuous pro-cess-level measuring-device shipments to North American market—network connectivity basis (% of $; and with and without digital):

This trend is part of the ongoing shift from hardwiring to digital networking of industrial operations. Benefits of digital networking of sensors and sensor systems includes enhanced signal integrity, less wiring, and two-way communications.

Worldwide, the most extensively used digital network is HART.

Forecast continuous process-level measuring-device shipment shares to North American markets with digital network connectivity (% of $ volumes):

The study found similar expectations for Latin America and the Middle East and African markets, where the FOUNDATION Fieldbus’ 2009 shares are expected to be about 13% and 16% respectively in 2000. In Europe, Profibus, and FOUNDATION fieldbus are expected to account for about 11% of shipments each in 2009.

The Asia-Pacific market is somewhat different, as large shipment shares of the two largest suppliers of these products, Yokogawa, and Yamatake, are with proprietary protocols. Combined these products are expected to account for about 37% of 2009’s shipments.

Even here, however, HART shipments are expected to still be larger in 2009 at over 43%. FOUNDATION fieldbus is expected to account for about 9% of this regional market in 2009.

Forecast shipment shares for wireless connectivity in 2009 ranged from being insignificant in the Asia-Pacific region up to 2.7% in North America.

For more information visit: https://www.vdc-corp.com

2004 Total $320 million

With: 63.2%
Without: 36.8%
2009 Total: $358.6 million
With: 68.2%
Without: 31.8%

2004 Total: $202.2 million

FOUNDATION fieldbus: 3.7%
DeviceNet: 3.8%
Profibus: 4.1%
Modbus: 8.8%
HART: 71.0%
Others: &4.0%
2009 Total: $244.6 Million
HART: 59.2%
Modbus: 8.4%
Profibus: 5.9%
DeviceNet: 4.2%
FOUNDATION fieldbus: 10.9%
Others: &4%