FCI’s mass flow instruments add HART, Ethernet, Profibus, Modbus, AS-i
San Marcos, Calif. - To combine flow measurement accuracy with increased communication versatility, Fluid Components International (FCI) announced Mar. 8 that it has added five popular communication buses to its mass flow instrument product lines. These buses include HART, Ethernet, Profibus, Modbus and AS-i.
San Marcos, Calif. – To combine flow measurement accuracy with increased communication versatility, Fluid Components International (FCI) announced Mar. 8 that it has added five popular communication buses to its mass flow instrument product lines. These buses include HART, Ethernet, Profibus, Modbus and AS-i.
FCI states that adding the five communication buses to its mass flow instruments will give process and plant engineers several important advantages. They include improved plant operational efficiency achieved through increased information derived from both the process and the mass flow instruments; reduced wiring costs facilitated by multi-drop capability; and enhanced diagnostics and preventative maintenance.
Communication buses added to specific FCI products include:
HART (highway addressable remote transducer) superimposes a digital signal on top of the standard 4-20mA analog signal, offering expanded intelligence. FCI’s ST98 and CMF flowmeters now feature built-in HART capabilities with full two-way digital communication. HART also is available as a separate optional module for FCI’s FLT, ST95/96, GF and MT flow switch and flowmeter product lines.
Ethernet communications offer exceptional speed, flexibility and web accessibility for computer-based automation. FCI’s ST, GF and MT flowmeters can be specified with an optional Ethernet module featuring full two-way digital communication. The Ethernet transport layer for FCI’s products is TCP/IP or UPC.
Profibus is a digital, bi-directional, multi-drop, serial communications bus network. FCI’s FLT, ST, GF and MT flowmeter product lines are now offered with a separate module that supports Profibus communications. FCI offers Profibus in its DP and ASCII formats.
Modbus is the simplest of the higher level communication protocols, acording to FCI, and it has a long record of excellent field service across many applications. FCI’s Modbus is offered through a module that supports the Modbus RTU protocol. FCI’s FLT, ST, GF and MT flow instruments are available with an optional Modbus module.
Actuator Sensor Interface (AS-i) is a master-slave configuration that communicates directly or together with fieldbus systems from a control level PLC or PC via field level protocols, such as CAN, DeviceNet, FIP, Interbus, and Profibus, to field level sensors and actuators. FCI’s FLT Switch is available with an optional ASI module featuring one-way communications.
Control Engineering Daily News DeskJim Montague, news editor jmontague@cahners.com
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