INSTRUMENTATION/ MEASUREMENT
Sleek handling pays off
For smart transmitters, intelligence and cost efficiency go hand in hand
“Smart transmitters” are in a class of their own. With them, the use of the 4-20 mA output signal in process control can be exploited to the maximum. Alongside their intelligence, this new generation of instruments has the advantage of lean handling. This pays off.
Many industrial companies have now established powerful process control systems (PCS) to direct their complex processes. The PCS collects the data from hundreds upon hundreds of participants/instruments in the field and carries it to powerful processors, which then execute extensive control tasks. The communication between the control system and the end devices takes place on the basis of standardised protocols that alongside the core data such as measured values, provide increasingly more information − for example, instrument status and diagnostic information.
for smaller-size systems or autonomous elements of a large system in which either the complexity of the measurement and control tasks is not as extensive or the processes are less critical. In these cases, the implementation of a complex PCS, with respect to the cost/benefit ratio, is often not justified. With process control, along with the demands for increasing quality on the measurement technology to be used, cost efficiency also comes increasingly to the fore.
Against this background, it is clear that both system concepts must also be reflected in the sensor technology, in this case in the transmitters. All renowned manufacturers have suitable instruments for each type in their portfolios. Thus, at the upper end of the performance scale rank the BUS and HART® transmitters, smart transmitters in the middle and the analogue instruments at the lower end. The latter are losing more and more ground as technology progresses. They are mainly being replaced by their digital “colleagues” in the smart category.
The advantages of this change are obvious. Smart transmitters have similar features as the high-end devices mentioned above. However, despite the high quality of their measurement technology, their prices are not in the same league and are therefore far more attractive for less demanding applications.
Fig. 1: Temperature transmitter T15 (head and rail mounting version) Picture credit: Source: WIKA
For the management of data traffic in industrial processes, various fieldbus protocols have been on the rise for more than a decade. The widely used HART® protocol has by no means been outstripped by them − HART® itself continues to experience an increase in demand. Through the various integration tools for the protocols, configurations can be made directly from the PCS and information exchanged with the end devices. In addition to the DD (device description) and DTM (device type manager), ever more frequently these are also software components that are based on the new FDT (field device tool) technology.
In addition to the PCS, with increasing central intelligence and extensive levels of communication, the share of proven systems continues to grow, which work exclusively with the long-used 4-20 mA output signal and are clearly more straightforward when compared to a PCS. They offer an alternative
SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER 2017
The cost advantage is primarily achieved through their design, which doesn’t require complex firmware and consequently leads to a smaller and therefore lower-cost processor. For smart transmitters, as an example, manufacturer-specific protocols and the modems suited to them can be used. By using such non-standard protocols, the connection to the process control system, the associated integration tools and expensive certifications for a standard protocol are all dispensed with. Therefore, the communication element of the instruments can be sleeker and thus made more cost-effectively.
Without the connection to a PCS with the appropriate protocol, smart transmitters must be set to the respective sensor type and measuring range using separate tools and specific software. This step is often carried out prior to installation in the plant. It can also constitute a considerable cost factor: The more complicated and problematic such programming is, the more time a technician must spend on site.
To facilitate such a process, WIKA has developed a new configuration model. It is currently used in the new model T15 temperature transmitter. The instrument features a large clamping range, captive screws and a printed circuit diagram for rapid handling already during the probe connection. In parallel, the electrical connection and the programming of the T15 has been speeded up as much as possible.
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The mechanical part of the configuration is being advanced, mainly, by the magWIK magnetic quick connector, developed and patented by WIKA. With it, the transmitter can be connected to the modem via the loop terminals in seconds. This eliminates the time-consuming loosening and tightening of screws or the often very complicated opening of the interface cover. The quick connector supports the head mounting version of the T15. The rail mounting version can be connected, at the same speed , via two connectors accessible from the front.
The second pace-setter is new software (WIKAsoftTT). The program can run without a separate driver on all current versions of Windows. With its assistance, within a few seconds, the desired configuration can be intuitively selected and stored in the instrument. The software can be activated as an option – via a standard .exe file or via a drop-in version, for which no installation is necessary. By using the drop-in file, the users do not need to have any special IT knowledge, nor do they need to seek admin rights in advance.
Fig. 2: Configuration software WIKAsoft-TT (for digital temperature transmitters) Picture credit: Source: WIKA
The T15 counts as a smart transmitter, which offers users – as already known from the high-end devices – another economic advantage as a result of its digital features. These instruments can be combined with different sensors and can switch to the desired measuring range respectively. They contribute to the minimisation of variants and thus the optimisation of stockholding and order management.
Conclusion: It is obvious that the new generation of smart transmitters combines more and more of the benefits from the high-end devices with the cost efficiency of earlier analogue instruments. It is not purely about technology-driven developments. The user-friendliness is the decisive factor – keyword ‘usability’.
For more information please contact:
monika.adrian@
wika.com
www.wika.de
Enquiry No. 17
17
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