ABB 800xA Device Management and Fieldbus Overview

Introduction

In their quest to lower lifecycle costs while improving   productivity, companies have integrated intelligent field devices via fieldbus technologies into their process auto mation solutions. Compared to traditional 4..20mA tech nology, digital fieldbus solutions integrate and exploit   embedded new levels of field device information in order to streamline work processes, improve process and   product quality, and maximize availability. System 800xA seamlessly integrates intelligent field devices as well as electrical equipment and makes the resident information available in the right manner to the right people and in the right context. System 800xA’s power of integration makes information available not just within the control system itself, but throughout the plant. System 800xA supports users in managing their field devices.

System 800xA’s Device Management solutions result in im proved engineering efficiency, reduced time for repair, and op timized plant availability and performance, ultimately leading to continuous productivity improvements.

System 800xA provides:

–Seamless integration of fieldbuses, field devices and electrical equipment into the extended automation system environment.

–Integrated solution eliminates the need for separate gateways or PC hardware.

–A full range of products for the three major fieldbus proto cols: FOUNDATION Fieldbus, PROFIBUS, and HART is available. The integration is extended into the area of sub station equipment with IEC 61850 Connect1.

–Information availability: The right information at the right time and at the right place. All relevant device status, diag nostic, and process information is available wherever it is needed through the whole plant and across its whole life cycle.

–Preconfigured field device objects extended with aspects to access device data, asset information, and device spe cific documentation enhance productivity. A full range of System 800xA certified devices supported by the Device Libraries ensure interoperability.

–Fieldbus solutions to meet all plant requirements: System 800xA architecture supports flexible redundancy schemes and allows for installation of devices in all plant environments including explosion hazardous areas.

Fieldbus Solutions

The basis for field device manangement

800xA Device Management is based on well-defined fieldbus communication protocols FOUNDATION Fieldbus and PROFIBUS. The digital serial communication provides access to a wealth of information contained in modern field devices. Through the field bus components of System 800xA, this information is made available to be used in more efficient process control or asset optimization.

FOUNDATION Fieldbus and PROFIBUS cover a broad range of applications and are widely accepted in the market. Very often regional preferences or customer specific requirements deter mine, which fieldbus is used. ABB’s strength is to offer the free dom to choose what best fits the application needs.

Although HART is technically not a fieldbus, HART devices sup port additional information via digital communication layered on the standard 4..20mA process signals. The System 800xA I/O portfolio provides options to also take advantage of this data in Device Management for more efficient commissioning and main tenance. With the introduction of WirelessHART, data from HART devices can now also be retrieved and used in Device Manage ment independent from wiring and the 4..20mA signal.

High availability through redundancy

Fieldbus technology has extended the process control system   to the instrument level. As such, fieldbuses must meet the same fault tolerant standards expected of traditional process control systems. System 800xA fieldbus options maximize field device availability with scalable redundancy schemes reaching from full redundancy at all levels to options with media redundancy only.

High Ingegrity and Safety

For safety-related applications, ABB can supply SIL-rated I/O and instruments for temperature, pressure, and flow measurements, and control actuators. HART devices connected to SIL-analog input channels can also be handled in Device Management HART. Details about 800xA Safety solutions are described in the 800xA Safety Overview Document.

Intrinsic Safety

ABB offers a large portfolio of fieldbus components supporting installation of field devices and remote I/O in explosion hazardous areas. Intrinsically safe fieldbus components from ABB are proven in fieldbus projects and comply to the FISCO international standard. The FISCO model (Fieldbus Intrinsically Safe Concept) allows quick planning and implementation of intrinsically safe fieldbus segments. Through the use of the FISCO model, PROFIBUS PA or FOUNDATION Fieldbus-H1 networks can be easily designed, deployed and operated in hazardous areas.

Integrated system environment 

 Configuration and commissioning

Integrated fieldbus management tools Fieldbus Builder, the integrated fieldbus management tool, supports engineers throughout the planning phase of a project. Selecting device objects from a comprehensive Device Library provides for easy configuration of network structures without the difficulty of manually integrating and testing 3rd party   devices. Navigating through the fieldbus topologies in System 800xA’s Plant Explorer supports effective engineering. with all functions for topology design, device configuration, and diagnostics just a mouse click away in a context menu. Integration with System 800xA Bulk Data Manager enables creating fieldbus topologies efficiently out of project databases, device lists, or signal lists. Existing configurations can easily be duplicated and reused. Device specific graphical user inter faces, powered by Device Type Managers (DTMs) or (enhanced) Electronic Device   Descriptions (EDDs), make device parameterization simple and intuitive. The configuration features of the 800xA fieldbus management tools are available in both on-line and off-line modes, so that configuration and basic parameter settings can be done before the physical devices become available.