Friday, 13. May 2011 Superior diagnostic flexibility in FF H1 segments
Category: Product-News
Flexible physical layer diagnostic options
in FF H1 segments – R. STAHL includes
jitter among the monitored parameters
R. STAHL's fieldbus power supplies and diagnosis modules for FoundationTM fieldbus H1 segments provide users with scalable options including complete and continuous online plant monitoring. Equipped with line quality monitoring features, the ISbus modules offer comprehensive functions and maximum flexibility which ensure optimised plant availability – if required, by means of proactive measures. The units not only detect overload and short circuits, but also continuously register all quality-relevant physical parameters of the fieldbus: voltage and current on the trunk, communication level, noise level, asymmetries (shielding termination) and jitter on the segment and on the fieldbus device level. Other suppliers’ solutions in this device class provide a lower measuring accuracy, or cannot detect specific parameters, i.e. jitter parameters which the NAMUR recommendation NE123 specifically names as a measurable factor for quality evaluation.
The integrated diagnostic features of all fieldbus power supplies can be used during installation, but also during operation, e.g. for troubleshooting. The units are equipped with a serial interface at their front which allows any standard PC to read out the physical layer data – special driver software or DTMs are not required. The “Advanced” version of the modules additionally allows users to set individual alarm thresholds in order to detect deteriorating transfer quality on the bus. Error messages are signalled via a potential-free relay contact and via coloured traffic-light style LEDs according to NAMUR NE107. In order to provide a similar range of functions, other solutions require separate diagnosis modules and software tools which incur considerable additional costs.
A third access option from the ISbus program will probably be available from July 2011: an additional diagnosis communication module (DCM) for optional online monitoring. Since the module is connected to the fieldbus power supply, and has no direct physical connection to the H1 segment, the signal quality on the bus cannot be affected by the DCM in any way. With this module, physical layer information from up to eight FF H1 fieldbus segments with EDD support (function and transducer blocks as well as alarm events) can be transmitted to the host and to asset management systems. Since the DCM acts like a “normal” fieldbus device, integration into control systems and asset management tools is very easy.
Press Contact:
R. STAHL
Kerstin Wolf
Am Bahnhof 30
74638 Waldenburg
Germany
Phone: +49 7942 / 943 - 4300
Fax: +49 7942 / 943 - 404300
E-mail: presse@stahl.de
Web: www.stahl.de