FDT Communication Supports Profibus Technology Enhancements

As engineers and technicians upgrade their plant and machinery, they are finding out that many field devices are not equipped with a fieldbus connection. They are faced with waiting for such a device to be developed, or looking for a way to continue using a trusted device already in service at their facility. Many of the new production modules and process skids are supplied with Profibus-DP or Profibus-PA device networks. In many cases, their existing application already has a 4-20 mA field device that is also HART-capable, but customers are not able to find a similar device with Profibus connectivity from the original supplier. Or for that matter, anywhere else in the market place. The same is true for a Modbus RTU device with a serial RS-485 connection. “It would be great to continue using this device in my upgrade”. So how do they connect HART or MODBUS RTU devices in a Profibus network? 

Phoenix Contact recently introduced a pair of HART, and a pair of MODBUS/RTU Protocol Converters that allow field devices to be integrated into Profibus-DP or Profibus-PA networks. These protocol converters allows easy configuration using a Device Type Manager (DTM) in a FDT/FRAME communication interface. The Device Type Manager contains all of the relevant configuration data and parameters needed to quickly connect the field device to a Profibus network. The DTM is used to set-up, configure, monitor and diagnose device behavior.

Even simple analog and digital I/O signals are as important as a smarter field device. Phoenix Contact was approached by a global continuous process customer in 2017 with the need for I/O to be connected into their Profibus-PA network. The control and instrumentation engineers wanted to connect the I/O using their existing Profibus-PA cables – each I/O signal would have required a wire pair all the way from the field back to the control room. This cable installation would have been expensive and time consuming – requiring a plant shutdown and res

ulting in loss of production revenue. The installers needed to deploy the systems as quickly as possible.​ In addition, the installation required the monitoring of certain specialized digital inputs (Namur or supervised inputs), as well as relay outputs to drive larger loads in the field. The provided solution was a combination of a modular head station that had a Profibus-PA address and I/O expansion modules that are available for Digital I/O, Analog I/O and Relay outputs. Once assembled and powered on the DIN-rail, the integration occurred easily via the Device Type Manager and FDT-enabled system. One benefit of the DTM is that the installation was commissioned easily and quickly on a weekend, allowing the plant to be back in operation the week thereafter. Products that can be commissioned using a DTM offer a competitive advantage due to the ease and speed of integration.

For more information on the Protocol Converter visit the Phoenix Contact website at www.phoenixcontact.com and enter the webcode “#1793” for more product information. The Profibus PA I/O Gateway can be found using the webcode “#1792”.

Article contributed by Phoenix Contact