June 17, 2014 – The Fieldbus Foundation announced updates to its open, non-proprietary FOUNDATION fieldbus technical specifications. The specification updates (Version 2014.1) will further enhance FOUNDATION for Remote Operations Management (ROM) and the usability of FOUNDATION technology. The FOUNDATION for ROM specification-related updates, along with an update to the Common File Format (CFF) specification, have improved coverage of ROM communication profiles under existing specifications in preparation for the first official ROM device registrations. Additionally, there is expanded specifications support for complex, mixed conventional I/O points.
The first development of its kind, FOUNDATION for ROM integrates remote input/output (I/O), ISA 100.11a, WirelessHART®, wired HART, and FOUNDATION fieldbus H1 protocols into a single, open-standard data management environment. With Modbus incorporation under development, FOUNDATION for ROM allows full integration of field connected assets into the FOUNDATION fieldbus infrastructure. These enhancements further extend the capabilities of FOUNDATION fieldbus to wired and wireless devices installed in some of the world's harshest and most remote locations. This open, non-proprietary solution provides a unified digital infrastructure for asset management in applications ranging from tank farms and terminals to pipelines, offshore platforms, and even original equipment manufacturer (OEM) skids.
As part of this new technical specifications release, a fixed set of Device Description (DD) Symbol IDs was added to technical note 16 in order to improve interoperability between backwards-compatible devices and host systems. This provides a more reliable way for a host to properly take advantage of the backwards compatibility of a device. In 2013, the foundation created a continuous improvement process initiative with the ultimate goal of making the end users' experience with FOUNDATION technology easier than with conventional analog control systems. Since then, the Usability Initiative has resulted in four immediate objectives toward this common goal: backwards compatibility, pre-defined device templates, automated device replacement, and process value (PV) interchangeability.
Backwards compatibility simplifies device replacement.
About the Fieldbus Foundation
The Fieldbus Foundation is a global not-for-profit corporation consisting of leading process end users and automation companies. Within the Fieldbus Foundation, end users, manufacturers, universities and research organizations work together to develop an automation infrastructure that allows you to view your process in high definition; manage information effectively; and optimize people, processes and technology.
