Seminar Offers Solutions for Process Plant Modernisation Challenges

The challenge for aging plants worldwide is finding the best way to improve process unit utilisation (reduced shutdowns and slowdowns) and energy efficiency, reduce maintenance costs, and mitigate safety and environmental incidents. Meeting this challenge requires adding automation in areas where installing more cable often means a high risk of damaging the plant. Wireless communication is today’s low risk solution.

To help end users meet this challenge, the HART Communication Foundation (USA) is offering educational seminars free of charge for end users on WirelessHART technology (IEC 62591), the industry’s first international wireless communication standard. Seminars were recently held in Pattaya, Thailand, and in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, with more than 100 end users attending.

“Wireless changes how things are done around plants: how assets are maintained, how we look at energy consumption, how we operate in the field, and how we operate remote sites,” says Jonas Berge, director of applied technology, Emerson Process Management, Singapore. “To do all these things easily and well requires using a wireless technology that is simple, reliable and secure—specifically, WirelessHART technology.”

The WirelessHART seminars include live demonstrations of the technology’s interoperability, reliability and ease of use. Presentations include: understanding how WirelessHART technology was designed to meet user requirements; WirelessHART applications; planning and implementing a WirelessHART project; plus wired HART and the HART-IP backhaul protocol for Ethernet and Wi-Fi.

The seminars are sponsored by Foundation member companies: Cooper Bussman, Emerson Process Management, Endress+Hauser, MACTek, Meriam, Pepperl+Fuchs, Phoenix Contact, and ProComSol.

The HART Communication Foundation is an independent, not-for-profit membership organisation that provides global support for the application of HART technology. The Foundation is the technology owner, standards setting body and central authority on the HART Communication Protocol, establishing and controlling new technology developments and enhancements that support the needs of the process automation industry. Founded in 1993, Foundation membership includes more than 290 companies worldwide. HART Communication is the leading technology for smart process instruments with more than 40 million devices installed worldwide.