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JACKIE
EDITOR
COX,ASSOCIATE
FIELDBUS:
A revolution in the
INDUSTRY
I
the
conformance
test.
has
t been demonstrated at trade passed
Interoperability testing will begin in August
shows and discussed in profes
sional publications. It's been de- and we plan to announce the availability of
scribed as the next generation of industrial a number of field devices by late August."
instrument communication standards, and its
development has seemingly moved at a BEYOND BETA
For the pulp and paper industry, the
snail's pace.
It's Foundation fieldbus, the ability to promise of fieldbus became a reality on
build a process control system in the field June S, 1997, when DaishowaAmerica Co.
composed of devices from multiple vendors Ltd.'s Port Angeles, Wash., mill installed an
on a single twisted pair of wires that are fully "unofficial" fieldbus system in its refiner
inter-operable with one another.
bleaching operations. It was "unofficial" beAnd now the wait for commercially avail- cause the equipment had not yet passed the
able fieldbus products is over. In late July, Fieldbus Foundation's conformance and
John A. Pittman, president of the Austin, interoperability tests.
Texas-based
Fieldbus Foundation, told Papermaker, "We
are at a key turning point in the
development of
Foundation
fieldbus technology. We have
completed the
specifications.
The
Foundation's physical
layer is compliant with both the
Instrument SociYee Tak Ngan, left, and Jason Mangano, process control engineers at
ety for Measure- Daishowa America's Port Angeles mill, show the wiring in the junction box
ment and Control connected to the fieldbus.
(ISA) and the International Electrotechnical Commission
Pittman explained that the Foundation
(lEC) specifications. Our data link layer and will not register any devices until they conapplication layer comply with proposed ISA form to all Foundation fieldbus specifispecifications and both layers are now out cations as evidenced by successfully passfor vote by the national committees of the ing both the conformance
and
lEC. Communications software (the 'stack')
interoperability tests. A device with a comis under test by the Fraunhofer Institute in munication stack that has passed the conKarlsruhe, Germany, and we expect to an- formance test and is registered with the
nounce by August 31 that several stacks have Foundation will then be submitted for
SEPTEMBER 1997 60
PIMA'S PAPERMAKER
PROCESS CONTROL
The transmitters
1997
61
PIMA'S
PAPERMAKER
PROCESS CONTROL
and (as in the case of Daishowa) in areas that are low risk to the overall manufacturing process."
Some mills have raised the concern
about fieldbus' single twisted pair of
wires, or, under adverse conditions, the single point of failure.
Where this is a concern, Walton
suggests putting in redundant
wires as a backup or running a
conduit protected cable just as
mills would with conventional
wiring.
Another
issue that mills
should be aware of is product reliability. As Dumdie says, "If devices don't have the Fieldbus
Foundation's registration mark
confirming that they have passed
all testing, then mills should thoroughly test the equipment before
installing it."
Ochsner brings up the fact that,
as more experience is gained with
fieldbus devices, more bugs will be
discovered and specifications may
change. "Be sure that your equipment vendor will support you
through the whole fieldbus growing process."
SEPTEMBER
1997
62
PIMA'S
PAPERMAKER