Professional Documents
Culture Documents
1.6 Configuring Intelligent Devices: J. Berge
1.6 Configuring Intelligent Devices: J. Berge
DESIGN FEATURE RECOMMENDATIONS Together, the universal and common-practice commands cover
most functions needed in a device. This enables a host to per-
Use permanently connected communications infra- form most device functions without access to the DD. Essen-
structure. tially, all devices also have a number of specific commands to
For the HART Field Communications Protocol, use access unique functionality. Either a DD or a special driver is
a handheld with large, user-friendly screen. required to communicate the special commands.
Use device configuration templates. For FOUNDATION fieldbus device configuration parameters
Use a fieldbus tool that requires no proprietary files are arranged in a resource block and in transducer blocks.
from the host manufacturer. There are also function blocks, but these are used for control
Be mindful of revisions when configuring fieldbus strategy building rather than device configuration. This distinc-
devices. tion makes it easy to draw the line between device and strategy
configuration. The block parameters are accessed using sophis-
ticated communication services. A host needs to be loaded with
COSTS the DD to be able to communicate with a device. In addition,
to allow configuration of the device off-line, in advance, the
A HART handheld, such as Smar Internationals HPC301, capabilities file (CF) is required.
costs approximately U.S. $1000. Range setting is perhaps the most important setting of a
A FOUNDATION fieldbus host, such as the SYSTEM302, device based on a 4- to 20-mA signal such as used by a HART
starts at U.S. $4000. instrument. Range sets the scale for the 4- to 20-mA signal.
Because FOUNDATION fieldbus devices communicate in floating-
point mode and engineering units, there usually is no need to
INTRODUCTION set a range. Calibration shall not be confused with range set-
ting, since they are in fact different operations. For example,
Intelligent devices include smart instruments that have both for a transmitter range setting means configuring the measured
an analog 4- to 20-mA signal with simultaneous digital com- values at which the output shall be 4 and 20 mA, respectively.
munication, such as HART (Volume 3, Section 4.11), and field- Calibration, on the other hand, means adjusting the reading
bus devices that are completely digital, such as FOUNDATION from the sensor to match the correct value from a standard
fieldbus (Volume 3, Section 4.12). Intelligence in these devices, (Section 1.8). Range setting does not correct the sensor read-
along with networking and the right tools, can also be put to ing; it only affects the output scale.
good use to improve maintenance practices. To calibrate a transmitter, you must always apply a known
Both FOUNDATION fieldbus and HART protocols are specif- input. Therefore, calibration cannot be done remotely. The
ically designed for the configuration of field instruments and expression remote calibration is often used erroneously to
are therefore the most commonly used in the process industries. mean remote range setting. Some confusion exists in the mar-
They both have special parameters for the specific purpose of ketplace as to what calibration is. This is a legacy from the
device configuration, and both use the concept of device era of analog devices in which calibration and range setting
description (DD) files to inform a host device how to commu- was done at the same time using the same set of potentiom-
nicate these parameters with the device. This is a unique char- eters. For the HART protocol, calibration is usually called
acteristic of these protocols that makes them highly suitable for trim to distinguish it from range setting. FOUNDATION fieldbus
instrumentation and control. avoids this confusion by calling range setting scaling. Still
In the HART protocol, device parameter configuration is it is quite common in HART devices to change the range
based on commands for reading and writing. There are three instead of calibrating the device when the sensor reading is
classes of commands: universal, common-practice, and spe- wrong. The result is a correct 4- to 20-mA output, but any
cific. All HART devices support the universal commands, and digital reading in the display or host will be wrong, which
most also support several common-practice commands. may lead to confusion.
93
2003 by Bla Liptk
94 General Considerations
Power Handheld
Supply Al Resistor
Terminal
FIG. 1.6d
FOUNDATION fieldbus linking device. (Courtesy of Smar Interna-
FIG. 1.6a
tional.)
HART handheld connection.
IDENTIFICATION
FIG. 1.6l
Pressure transmitter materials of construction.
FIG. 1.6n
Loop current calibration.
Fieldbus devices such as pressure transmitters usually pro-
vide additional information about the materials of construction
for the parts wetted by the process, e.g., the sensor isolating comparing the actual output against a standard. The actual
diaphragm, O-ring, flange and remote seal parts, and so on reading is entered into the device that makes the necessary
(see Figure 1.6l). correction. Control valve positioners usually calibrate their
If any changes are ever made to the device parts, it is position-sensing sensor themselves by automatically stroking
important to update this information. the valve over its entire travel.
Since HART devices rely on 4 to 20 mA, this current loop
can also be calibrated. However, it is rarely done because,
being totally electronic, this part of the device rarely experi-
CALIBRATION ences any drift at all. For a HART transmitter, this means that
a fixed output current is generated. The technician checks the
When the sensor reading differs from the actual applied input, current against a standard and keys it into a device that makes
the sensor has to be calibrated. The correct reading is entered the necessary correction (see Figure 1.6n). For HART output
from the maintenance tool, and the device then performs the devices, a signal is injected, and the device is informed of the
necessary adjustment. A special case of sensor calibration is true current.
zeroing, which by definition is done with a zero value applied. Sensor or actuation calibration for FOUNDATION fieldbus
This is accomplished, for example, by venting in the case of devices is done from the associated transducer block. The
a pressure transmitter; hence, no value has to be entered (see standard transducer block also includes several parameters for
Figure 1.6.m). storing information about the last calibration. This includes
Nonzero calibration is usually done with a precision source two parameters for keeping the values of the two calibration
applied. Calibration is usually done in two points, known as points. This is useful when determining if a device has been
the low and high calibration points, respectively. For most calibrated at points that are suitable for the operating range.
transmitters, calibration of these two points is noninteractive. Additional information that can be stored includes calibration
There is a limit to how close the two calibration points can be, date, location, the method used, and who performed the cali-
and the distance is referred to as the minimum span. Output bration. It is good practice to update this information at each
converters also need to be calibrated. This is usually done by calibration and to display it along with useful sensor limit
first forcing an output at one end of the scale and then information (Figure 1.6o).
FIG. 1.6q
Using loop test to simulate process variable from a handheld.
FIG. 1.6o
Calibration-related information.
FIG. 1.6r
Basic HART diagnostics.
FIG. 1.6p
input (see Figure 1.6q). Generally, the handheld allows the
Monitoring of dynamic transmitter variables from a HART tool.
current to be set slightly above and below the 4- to 20-mA
range to simulate fault conditions.
Simulation is primarily used to test the control strategy.
MONITORING
Therefore, simulation for FOUNDATION fieldbus devices is
done from the input and output function blocks.
Configuration tools for HART and FOUNDATION fieldbus sys-
tems are generally designed in different ways, not only in terms
of the way they look, but also the way they work. In HART DIAGNOSTICS
tools, menus are usually arranged according to the function
performed, whereas device configuration in fieldbus tools is Many device diagnostics can be performed from a configu-
arranged according to the resource and transducer blocks. Thus, ration tool, but only if communication is established. If there
in a HART device, there generally is a screen on which the is no functional communication, troubleshooting has to rely
transmitter variables can be monitored on line (see Figure 1.6p). on traditional means. When it comes to diagnostics, one of
the major differences in the application of HART and FOUN-
DATION fieldbus becomes most evident. While fieldbus devices
SIMULATION are constantly communicating, making it possible to monitor
device conditions continuously and instantly detect faults,
At the time of commissioning, it is common to check that communication with HART devices is typically carried out
all indicators, recorders, and computer screens show the cor- to confirm a problem only after the failure has already been
rect values, that alarm trips are working properly, and so on. detected. Although applications with continuous HART com-
This is particularly important for HART devices, because munications do exist, they are rare. To fully benefit from
there is a chance that the range set in the device does not intelligence in field devices, the engineering tool should con-
match that set in the central controller, and any difference tinuously communicate with the instruments.
would result in operational problems. To verify that all ranges Generic diagnostic information is communicated in every
are consistent, it is helpful to use the simulation function exchanged HART message, giving the device the opportunity
found in HART and fieldbus devices. to inform the user of any failure. Such error message includes
When performing simulation in a HART transmitter, the general malfunction, exceeded limits, and a message that
output current is manipulated independently of the applied more detailed status report is available (see Figure 1.6r).
FIG. 1.6t
Abnormal status and actual mode are useful for tracing problems.
FIG. 1.6s
Advanced diagnostic self-test.
For some devices, a more thorough diagnostic self-test Diagnostic information for sensors and actuators is kept
routine can be invoked (see Figure 1.6s). in their respective transducer blocks. The primary source for
Every FOUNDATION block, including function blocks, con- this information is the transducer error parameter that dis-
tains a block error parameter with some basic condition for plays a single error at the time. Transducer blocks are always
the block itself, including configuration errors, I/O or memory customized and typically contain extensive manufacturer-
failure, and others. In addition, the block mode parameter is specific parameters related to diagnostics.
useful for spotting problems, which often results in the actual
mode being different from the target mode. Yet another good
source of diagnostic information is the status associated with Reference
the function block inputs and outputs, and also with some of
the parameters contained in transducer blocks and function 1. Berge, J., Fieldbuses for Process Control Engineering, Operation and
blocks (see Figure 1.6t). Maintenance, ISA, Research Triangle Park, NC, 2002.