You will maximize your uptime with the security of our fault-
tolerant design. Our open software approach with the FDT standard allows you to plug in the best of breed engineering and maintenance software, with complete diagnostic access through the Control Processor and the FOUNDATION fieldbus linking device. Industry-leading Foxboro know-how will help boost your process efficiency, and let you take full advantage of our intuitive and productive automation software.
Reduced Capital Expenditures
Today's modern fieldbus-based systems have smaller footprints. Network technologies, such as FOUNDATION fieldbus, reduce wiring costs. But wiring cost savings from FOUNDATION fieldbus alone can be limited, due to added costs for H1 power conditioning and spur protection. With the latest I/A Series system, you can achieve far greater space and wiring savings than conventional FOUNDATION fieldbus solutions.
- With the ability to withstand extreme temperatures, plus ratings for Zone 2 and Division 2 areas, the Foxboro FCP270 controller can be distributed to field-mounted locations, which dramatically reduces the length of I/O wiring runs.
- While FOUNDATION fieldbus can multi-drop a handful of instruments on each bus, the 100 Mbps remote I/O bus of the high performance ZCP270 serves as the home run network for thousands of instruments and I/O points, Foxboro delivering far greater savings than FOUNDATION fieldbus H1 alone.
- Space savings are achieved by the compact design of our DIN rail-mounted Fieldbus Modules (FBMs). Remote mounting, made possible by Zone 2 and Division 2 ratings along with the ability to withstand temperature extremes, enables dramatically reduced I/O wiring runs.
- Compared to systems having H1 linking devices with only one or two ports, our four-port FOUNDATION fieldbus interface modules deliver extra space savings.
Redundant FOUNDATION fieldbus FBMs provide maximum protection against any fault that could halt host communications. Simply plug two modules side by side with an adapter for the termination cable, and the modules automatically configure themselves for fault-tolerant operation. Should the module running the H1 Link Active Scheduler fail, the remaining module takes over as Backup Link Active Scheduler.
Redundant and on-line replaceable power conditioner solutions for each H1 bus ensure the uptime of fault-tolerant power to the field devices.
To enable superior predictive and proactive maintenance, I/A Series control processors and FOUNDATION fieldbus FBMs give complete access to all parameter data within the devices. Internal device diagnostic tests are used to proactively notify the I/A Series system users of device degradation prior to actual device failure. Control processors cache dynamic data from FOUNDATION fieldbus device view requests, and make that data available to all function blocks and applications throughout the I/A Series system. Even custom device data is accessible, in control processor blocks that use device descriptors to determine links to the custom data, and in user views provided through the Diagnostic Management Suite.
Engineering and Maintenance
The I/A Series Configuration Component (IACC) provides a highly intuitive user-friendly interface that organizes and unifies engineering and maintenance software into a common framework. A network view provides access organized by controller and field device names, while a plant view provides access organized by plant area names. Seamlessly combining configuration of FOUNDATION fieldbus device function blocks with the world-renown I/A Series control processor function blocks on common templates, IACC facilitates easy construction of single loop and advanced multi-loop control strategies to maximize plant yields and performance improvements. These breakthrough tools reduce engineering time from weeks to hours.
Asset Optimization
To ease your progress towards adoption of best practices for predictive and proactive maintenance, use Avantis.PRO™ with the Avantis.DMM™ add-on for dynamic maintenance management. Automatic feeds of FOUNDATION fieldbus device values, diagnostic, and status information lets you spot problems at the first sign of degradation. Combining data in its process context, and turning that data into knowledge about equipment and unit performance, allows problem correction before it impacts plant performance, and empowers plant personnel to make more informed decisions.
Measurements and Instruments
Foxboro field instrumentation provides Foundation Fieldbus solutions for a wide range of applications. Advanced, accurate, and reliable field equipment is available to measure temperature, pressure, flow rate, liquid level, and electrochemical variables. Also a complete line of intelligent valve positioners, compatible with a wide variety of control valves, is available to close the Foundation Fieldbus loop.
