Several major process automation manufacturers joined the HART Communication Foundation at the CIA2011 exhibition in Singapore (22-25 Nov 2011) to display a range of interoperable WirelessHart products—a move that demonstrates the breadth of manufacturer support for the Hart Communication protocol and the IEC 62591 WirelessHart standard.
"Users worldwide are sending a clear message for industry suppliers to address their critical need for reliable, robust and secure wireless communication in real world industrial plant applications," says Ron Helson, HCF executive director. "Suppliers are responding by manufacturing and shipping an ever-increasing range of WirelessHart products and solutions that meet user requirements."
IEC 62591 WirelessHart builds on the foundation of Hart technology, which is used in more than 32 million installed devices worldwide, according to Helson. It enables users to gain the benefits of wireless technology while maintaining compatibility with existing Hart devices, tools and systems. Plants around the world are already relying on WirelessHart transmitters in applications such as annulus pressure monitoring, filter/strainer plugging, heat exchanger efficiency, pump health monitoring, safety shower/eye wash monitoring, tank farm inventory and leaks, temperature profiling, turbine performance, and others.
The HART booth at CIA2011 displayed WirelessHART products and solutions from ABB, Emerson, Endress+Hauser, MACTek, Pepperl+Fuchs, Phoenix Contact, ProComSol, Rohrback Cosasco Systems (RCS), R. Stahl, and Siemens. Live demonstrations showed the interoperability between transmitters, gateways and wireless adapters from multiple manufacturers.
"WirelessHART transmitters are able to support a full multi-hop mesh topology networking which eliminates the need for multiple backbone routers, and the cost and risk to run power and wired networking in the field," says Helson. "This means wireless can be deployed even in a running plant. A self-organizing mesh topology establishes multiple paths between devices and is therefore very reliable without single points of failure."
