higher purchase price. But this money can often be recouped many times over as can be highlighted by the savings that automatic data logging can have on a site’s labour cost. For example, a controller that can carry out regular automatic data logging, may cost 500€ more than a controller that cannot offer this functionality. A site that wishes to data log every hour will need an engineer to undertake this work manually, if an automatic facility is not available. If each data log check takes 15 mins to complete, this means that in a 16 hour day, 4 hours will be required to make the relevant checks. This means the automatic data logging device’s additional purchase cost has already been recovered in just one single week’s use.


The same can be said of aspects like intelligent communications platforms such as HART and MODBUS that facilitate enhanced two-way communication between the device and the control system. This type of functionality has many potential benefits like assisting with planned maintenance activities, allowing operators to schedule maintenance to save money and improve time efficiency, as well as ensure maximum equipment uptime. This can also be achieved without the need for additional cabling. Considering that cabling is the single biggest cost for any site, this is attractive indeed. XNX Universal Transmitter provides all industry standard outputs including HART, allowing for remote diagnostics and configuration.


An aspect like HART also means that field time can be reduced. Devices that have been inhibited for maintenance don’t need to be manually re-instated by a second employee working in a control room - they


can be set to automatically go online. This functionality also limits the occurrence of nuisance false alarms that can adversely impact on a plant’s production.


Intelligent design and its impact on your bottom line


Intelligent product design can dramatically help sites reduce the spares required (which is typically 2-5% of a product order). No site wants to have money tied up in spares, so any reduction that can still allow for product to be available when needed, is advantageous. For example, Sensepoint XCD utilises a common design across its three transmitter model variants; if a site is monitoring for a variety of hazards, including toxic, flammable and Oxygen depletion with 300 points in total (based on 100 of each type with 2 sets of sensors per transmitter), the typical spares required using this type of device would be 15 transmitters, and 10 of each sensor variant. For argument’s sake, if the transmitter cost was 500€ and each sensor cost 30€, the spares value would represent 8,400€. Conversely, if the same site was using an uncommon transmitter design, they would require 45 transmitters in total (15 per variant) and 90 sensors (to cover 2 spares per variant device). Using the same example pricing, the spares stock value suddenly increases to 25,200€. This highlights the massive savings that common design can yield; equating to a 66.6% saving in spares alone.


These savings can be taken one stage further when using XNX Universal Transmitter; this device provides one single transmitter solution to all on-site gas detection. Using the


same example of 300 varied flammable, toxic and Oxygen depletion, only 6 spare transmitters (based on 2% of total volume for spares) would be needed compared with 15 (providing a saving of 4,500€, based on each transmitter costing 500€).


MicroDock II uses a modular design approach which delivers a flexible solution for a whole portable fleet. The device works with all of BW Technologies by Honeywell’s range of portable gas detectors, and the docking station can be expanded to contain up to 10 docked units. This provides a flexible platform that can evolve as a site’s portable philosophy changes.


Maintenance: Prevention costs less than reaction


Ongoing equipment maintenance has been talked about throughout this article, but a special mention should be made to the positive impact that adopting the right maintenance philosophy can have. Preventative maintenance is preferable to reactive and a big factor in facilitating preventative maintenance is the implementation of solutions that can self diagnose, warn of potential issues and feedback various status indicators to control; a device that has no undetected failure modes (also known as a fail-to- safety device), offers not only enhanced protection but also large potential cash savings via its ability to forewarn of a developing issue.


It is also important to consider how any servicing activity will be supported; such as in-house resource or using a third party service provider. A company like Honeywell Analytics is able to offer excellent flexibility around the provision of service via its Expert Solutions; customers can pick and choose options with this fully customisable service and create a package ideally suited to their own unique needs.


An Open Path optical device such as Searchline Excel from Honeywell Analytics operates with no undetected failure modes. This type of device uses a transmitter and receiver set-up where a beam of IR light is sent over a range. Hydrocarbon gases absorb IR light at different wavelengths (depending on the gas itself), so a difference in signal


Page 6 | GasDetector | Winter 2011 Call: +41 (0) 44 943 4300 or visit: www.honeywellanalytics.com


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