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Foundation Fieldbus is slowly gaining momentum in the process control industry. Its big advantage over older analog methods is the reduction in control wiring. The Fieldbus Standard specifies several physical layers, one of which is the "low-power voltage-mode." This physical layer operates at 31.25 kbits/second and provides direct connection to fundamental process devices using twisted pair cable.

The physical layer specification indicates several types of cable and suggests some limits on network construction based on the cable types. The purpose of these limits is to prevent too much attenuation or distortion of signals. Using the Visual FieldBus Tool, you can find out whether a proposed network satisfies the construction limits or might be marginal. The Tool also calculates DC voltages to tell you whether any device is underpowered (doesn't have 9 VDC at terminals). You can download the Visual FieldBus Tool by clicking here.

The Visual FieldBus Tool is a Visio [1] application. It works with Visio 5.0 (or later) and Windows Win9X or Windows NT. The download file, "vfb.zip", must be unzipped before you can use it. After unzipping you should have a single file called "VisualFieldBus.vsd". To use the Tool, start Visio and then load VisualFieldBus.vsd.

Using the Visual FieldBus Tool, you "build" your network on the screen, starting with the trunk cable. You specify the length of the trunk and its cable type. Then you add items, such as spur (drop) cables, Field Instruments, controllers, power supplies, etc., until the proposed network is complete. You don't have to know the cable or device characteristics. You just enter the vendors' model numbers. To take advantage of recently added vendors, download the most recent version of vfb.zip.

ATTENTION FIELDBUS VENDORS: Would you like your device included in the Visual FieldBus Tool database? Send us an e-mail stating your company name, the type of device, its model number. If it is a 2-wire network-powered device, include its current consumption. We can't guarantee anything, but we will try to include it.

For more information on how Analog Services, Inc. can help solve your circuit/system problems, call or e-mail us today.