The Fieldbus Foundation today announced the latest updates to its open, non-proprietary FOUNDATION™ fieldbus technical specifications. The new features will enhance the usability of FOUNDATION technology, with the ultimate goal of making the digital fieldbus automation experience easier than conventional analog control systems.

The updated version of the FOUNDATION specification includes additional advanced support for fieldbus device replacement and backwards compatibility, Device Description (DD) templates, field diagnostics and alarm/alert integration. The ability to utilize these enhanced features is included in the foundation's new Host Profile C, which will be available for registration in early 2014.

Fieldbus Foundation Director-Fieldbus Products Stephen Mitschke commented, "The usability features in our updated technical specification will make it easier for both automation suppliers and end users to realize the full value of FOUNDATION technology. They are aimed at simplifying fieldbus implementation, operation and maintenance.

"As an end user-driven organization, we are listening to our fieldbus user community, suppliers and engineering partners, and employing their feedback in a continuous improvement process to make FOUNDATION technology easier to use in a wide range of applications," Mitschke said.

The latest features in the FOUNDATION technical specification enable host and device suppliers to offer backwards compatibility to their users in order to further simplify device replacement. The incorporation of DD templates also provides an interoperable way for instrumentation companies to offer a variety of application settings for devices. Suppliers can embed the templates in their DDs from the factory floor. This will make it quicker and easier for end users to access a correct offline configuration. They also gain the freedom to utilize a newer device with an existing device configuration without the need for new DDs.

With the new device diagnostics alarm management feature, hosts tested under Host Profile C must integrate field diagnostics into alarm management systems, rather than just provide access to the information in a device view.

Application time support is also mandatory under Host Profile C. This feature requires a time stamp capability in the host system, which will start on an actual calendar date and time. Additionally, a new standard dictionary update feature requires that fieldbus end users have the ability to install a new dictionary update on their host system to support the latest DDs. This will further improve the simplicity of device replacement.

Amplicon has introduced the new EBW H100 3G cellular router, a cost effective and safe method for remote access and data transfer.  Designed for reliable, remote access and secure routing, the EBW H100 features an industrial-grade design, integrated firewall and VPN functionality to ensure access to your data is both dependable and protected. The fast mobile wireless EBW H100 router uses both HSPA (3G) and GPRS roll-back for data transfer.

The device has an integrated 2-port switch for direct interfacing with an application or network. For installation into demanding environments, the EBW H100 has a built in DIN Rail mounting bracket, a wide ranging DC power input of 10 to 48 VDC via terminal block and a wide operating temperature range of -30 to 55°C.

The EBW H100 router provides a reliable and economic solution for remote access and data transfer applications, such as remote access to control devices (PLC’s HMI’s etc.) or networks for OEM’s and System Integrators, video monitoring in security systems for asset protection on rail or road, distributed power generation, SCADA/RTU systems, water and wastewater utilities, agriculture for the monitoring of feed and water, and many other industrial projects.

EBW H100 3G cellular

The OnCell G3111/G3151-HSPA are cellular IP gateways that can conveniently and transparently connect your existing Ethernet and serial devices to a 3G cellular network. With the integrated GuaranLink feature, you can be confident that your device will always stay connected or recovered from any unexpected interference. With Moxa's industrial design, higher EMS level are tested to ensure the highest reliability for any harsh environment. The G3111/G3151-HSPA cellular IP gateways are the most compact, simple and robust industrial 3G solution.

Wireless technologies can provide convenient and flexible network communication for hard-to-wire locations. Choosing the right type of wireless technology for your application is just as important as knowing which factors in your wireless landscape can compromise your wireless network reliability. Access Moxa’s 54-page Industrial Wireless Guidebook for information on optimizing your industrial wireless network and how industrial-grade wireless devices can ensure network reliability.

Features and Benefits:

• Universal Band Suppor

• Five-band UMTS/HSPA 850/800, 900, 1900, 2100 MHz

• Quad-band GSM/GPRS/EDGE 850/900/1800/1900 MHz

• Ethernet/serial/cellular co-existance for simple and flexible communication

• OnCell Central Management for private IP communication and centralized management

• Industrial-grade design for high device realibility

• GuaranLink for reliable cellular connnectivity

Product Webpage

The Allen-Bradley Stratix 5900 services router is the first in the Rockwell Automation network product portfolio to deliver virtual private network (VPN) and firewall capabilities simultaneously. These capabilities make the router well-suited for securing cell/area zones, as well as connecting to a cell/area zone from a remote location over an untrusted network.

The Stratix 5900 services router expands a portfolio of jointly developed industrial products from Rockwell Automation and Cisco that are helping manufacturers build a unified, secure environment from the enterprise to end devices in an industrial automation control system. With VPN and firewall capabilities, the router restricts and regulates communication to help ensure a security perimeter is maintained and information exchange crossing the security boundary is not tampered with or interrupted. VPNs can also create a secure tunnel for server-machine communications to help protect cell/area zones from other machines in the facility. Firewall capabilities can monitor and block an input or an output that does not meet the firewall’s configured policy. When combined, VPN and firewalling create a more robust, more secure network.

“Rockwell Automation is helping industrial control system customers address both IT and industrial automation security challenges by collaborating with Cisco and other industry leaders to drive network infrastructure convergence and help integrate technical and business systems,” said Doug Wylie, CISSP, director, Product Security Risk Management, Rockwell Automation. “Through their collaboration, manufacturers have products – like the Stratix 5900 services router, along with the educational resources and global services they need to bridge the technical and cultural gaps between plant-floor equipment and IT systems.”

The router also enables manufacturing locations to connect to and communicate with remote locations and substations. For example, a remote machine – whether 100 feet or 1,000 miles away – can connect to a plant-based machine using the services router. This is a common application for the oil and gas and water wastewater industries where equipment dispersed across vast distances needs to communicate with each other to operate a common process.

The ruggedized Stratix 5900 services router runs on Cisco IOS, and includes a wide area network (WAN) port and four Fast Ethernet-ports. The hardware includes embedded features such as: Network Address Translation (NAT), NBAR protocol filtering, Access Control Lists (ACL) and Quality of Service (QoS) for prioritization. It has extended shock and vibration capability, comes with a DIN rail mount, and operates in a temperature range of minus 25 C to 60 C making it suitable for industrial applications.

Stratix 5900 services router