K
Kathleen Martin
Guest
As industrial field devices, such as instruments, analysers and variable speed drives, become increasingly intelligent, users seeking to access information from them to implement advanced control require improved connectivity.
Every network requires physical layers, communication protocols, and information models to provide a complete solution. For industrial communications, Ethernet and fieldbuses are well-understood. “When an appropriate form of Ethernet is used in conjunction with a protocol like HART-IP and an information model like PA-DIM, users can obtain the required connectivity and fully unlock the capabilities of industrial communications,” said Paul Sereiko, director of marketing at the FieldComm Group.
Standard Ethernet transport media, both wired and wireless, is usable for some industrial applications, but it is not always ideal for delivering high reliability in challenging applications. “Two-wire Ethernet-APL is an industrialised form of Ethernet media, spanning greater distances and supplying sufficient operating power to simplify installations,” explained Sereiko. “In the future, we will see a combination of newer physical layers, including different variants of Ethernet, combined with traditional installations such as 4-20mA and fieldbus systems. But standards are needed for consistent data delivery from field devices to host systems.”
Although many industrial protocols exist, Sereiko believes that HART-IP is particularly compelling because it extends the HART protocol, a leading bi-directional digital information exchange method for smart process control field devices, with security and asset management capabilities. HART-IP is a simple-to-use, high-level application technology that operates independently of the underlying physical layer. Additionally, it flattens the industrial control network which means that a PLC- or DCS-based control system can use HART-IP to monitor, control, configure, and obtain diagnostics of intelligent field devices. “Additionally, or alternately, host systems, such as an asset management application, can also use HART-IP to integrate with the field devices directly and concurrently,” pointed out Sereiko.
The Process Automation Device Information Model (PA-DIM) is a specification for protocol-agnostic communication of common process automation instrument parameters, including semantic IDs as defined by IEC 61987, using OPC UA information modelling techniques. Originally developed collaboratively by OPC Foundation and FieldComm Group, today six additional organisations are planning to participate in the continued development of this important standard. These include ISA100 WCI, ODVA, NAMUR, Profibus International, VDMA, and ZVEI. “By eliminating vendor and protocol dependencies, and using a structured hierarchy, PA-DIM ensures parameters can be easily reused among multiple software tools and protocols. This also means that like parameters can be compared – regardless of media, protocol, or field device supplier – in a machine-readable form appropriate for analytics and other computing,” explained Sereiko.
Continue reading: https://www.controlengeurope.com/article/193061/Industrial-communications--the-next-big-thing-.aspx
Every network requires physical layers, communication protocols, and information models to provide a complete solution. For industrial communications, Ethernet and fieldbuses are well-understood. “When an appropriate form of Ethernet is used in conjunction with a protocol like HART-IP and an information model like PA-DIM, users can obtain the required connectivity and fully unlock the capabilities of industrial communications,” said Paul Sereiko, director of marketing at the FieldComm Group.
Standard Ethernet transport media, both wired and wireless, is usable for some industrial applications, but it is not always ideal for delivering high reliability in challenging applications. “Two-wire Ethernet-APL is an industrialised form of Ethernet media, spanning greater distances and supplying sufficient operating power to simplify installations,” explained Sereiko. “In the future, we will see a combination of newer physical layers, including different variants of Ethernet, combined with traditional installations such as 4-20mA and fieldbus systems. But standards are needed for consistent data delivery from field devices to host systems.”
Although many industrial protocols exist, Sereiko believes that HART-IP is particularly compelling because it extends the HART protocol, a leading bi-directional digital information exchange method for smart process control field devices, with security and asset management capabilities. HART-IP is a simple-to-use, high-level application technology that operates independently of the underlying physical layer. Additionally, it flattens the industrial control network which means that a PLC- or DCS-based control system can use HART-IP to monitor, control, configure, and obtain diagnostics of intelligent field devices. “Additionally, or alternately, host systems, such as an asset management application, can also use HART-IP to integrate with the field devices directly and concurrently,” pointed out Sereiko.
The Process Automation Device Information Model (PA-DIM) is a specification for protocol-agnostic communication of common process automation instrument parameters, including semantic IDs as defined by IEC 61987, using OPC UA information modelling techniques. Originally developed collaboratively by OPC Foundation and FieldComm Group, today six additional organisations are planning to participate in the continued development of this important standard. These include ISA100 WCI, ODVA, NAMUR, Profibus International, VDMA, and ZVEI. “By eliminating vendor and protocol dependencies, and using a structured hierarchy, PA-DIM ensures parameters can be easily reused among multiple software tools and protocols. This also means that like parameters can be compared – regardless of media, protocol, or field device supplier – in a machine-readable form appropriate for analytics and other computing,” explained Sereiko.
Continue reading: https://www.controlengeurope.com/article/193061/Industrial-communications--the-next-big-thing-.aspx
