Hart Appguide PDF

2005 HART Communication Foundation
Copyright 1999-2005 HART Communication Foundation. All rights reserved.

HART is a registered trademark of the HART Communication Foundation. Any use of the word HART hereafter in this
document implies the registered trademark. All other trademarks used in this document are acknowledged to be trademarks of their
respective companies.
For additional information contact:

HART Communication Foundation
9390 Research Boulevard
Suite I-350
Austin, Texas 78759 USA
Tel: 512-794-0369
Fax: 512-794-3904
HART APPLICATION GUIDE
Preface
In todays competitive environment, all companies seek to reduce operation
costs, deliver products rapidly, and improve product quality. The HART
(highway addressable remote transducer) protocol directly contributes to
these business goals by providing cost savings in:
T Commissioning and installation
T Plant operations and improved quality
T Maintenance
The HART Application Guide has been created by the HART
Communication Foundation (HCF) to provide users of HART products
with the information necessary to obtain the full benefits of HART digital
instrumentation. The HART communication protocol is an open standard
owned by the more than 100 member companies in the HCF. Products that
use the HART protocol to provide both analog 420 mA and digital signals
provide flexibility not available with any other communication technology.
The following four sections provide you with an understanding of how the
HART technology works, insight on how to apply various features of the
technology, and specific examples of applications implemented by HART
protocol users around the world:
T Theory of Operation3
T Benefits of HART Communications
T Getting the Most out of HART Systems
T Industry Applications
Page 1
THEORY OF OPERATION
Theory of Operation
The following sections explain the basic principles behind the operation of
HART instruments and networks:
T Communication Modes
T Frequency Shift Keying
T HART Networks
T HART Commands
Page 2
THEORY OF OPERATION
Communication Modes
MASTER-SLAVE
MODE
HART is a master-slave communication protocol, which means that during

normal operation, each slave (field device) communication is initiated by a
master communication device. Two masters can connect to each HART
loop. The primary master is generally a distributed control system (DCS),
programmable logic controller (PLC), or a personal computer (PC). The
secondary master can be a handheld terminal or another PC. Slave devices
include transmitters, actuators, and controllers that respond to commands
from the primary or secondary master.
BURST MODE
Some HART devices support the optional burst communication mode.

Burst mode enables faster communication (34 data updates per second). In
burst mode, the master instructs the slave device to continuously broadcast
a standard HART reply message (e.g., the value of the process variable).
The master receives the message at the higher rate until it instructs the slave
to stop bursting.
Use burst mode to enable more than one passive HART
device to listen to communications on the HART loop.
Page 3
THEORY OF OPERATION
Frequency Shift Keying

The HART communication protocol is based on the Bell 202 telephone
communication standard and operates using the frequency shift keying
(FSK) principle. The digital signal is made up of two frequencies
1,200 Hz and 2,200 Hz representing bits 1 and 0, respectively. Sine waves
of these two frequencies are superimposed on the direct current (dc) analog
signal cables to provide simultaneous analog and digital communications
(Figure 1). Because the average value of the FSK signal is always zero, the
420 mA analog signal is not affected. The digital communication signal
has a response time of approximately 23 data updates per second without
interrupting the analog signal. A minimum loop impedance of 230 is
required for communication.
20 mA
Digital
Signal
Analog
Signal
4 mA
Time
Note: Drawing not to scale.
Figure 1: Simultaneous Analog and Digital Communication
Page 4
THEORY OF OPERATION
HART Networks
HART devices can operate in one of two network configurationspoint to
point or multidrop.
POINT-TO-POINT
In point-to-point mode, the traditional 420 mA signal is used to

communicate one process variable, while additional process variables,
configuration parameters, and other device data are transferred digitally
using the HART protocol (Figure 2). The 420 mA analog signal is not
affected by the HART signal and can be used for control in the normal way.
The HART communication digital signal gives access to secondary
variables and other data that can be used for operations, commissioning,
maintenance, and diagnostic purposes.
Multiplexer
Control System
or Other Host
Application
Barrier
Handheld Terminal
Field Device
Note: Instrument power is provided by an interface or external power source

that is not shown.
Figure 2: Point-to-Point Mode of Operation
Page 5
THEORY OF OPERATION
HART Networks
MULTIDROP
The multidrop mode of operation requires only a single pair of wires and, if
applicable, safety barriers and an auxiliary power supply for up to 15 field
devices (Figure 3). All process values are transmitted digitally. In
multidrop mode, all field device polling addresses are >0, and the current
through each device is fixed to a minimum value (typically 4 mA).
Use multidrop connection for supervisory control
installations that are widely spaced, such as
pipelines, custody transfer stations, and tank farms.
Control System or Other Host

Application
Handheld Terminal
Input/Output (I/O)
System
Field Devices
Note: Instrument power is provided by an interface or external power source that is
not shown.
Figure 3: Multidrop Mode of Operation
Page 6
THEORY OF OPERATION
HART Commands
The HART command set provides uniform and consistent communication
for all field devices. The command set includes three classes: universal,
common practice, and device specific (Table 1). Host applications may
implement any of the necessary commands for a particular application.
UNIVERSAL
All devices using the HART protocol must recognize and support the
universal commands. Universal commands provide access to information
useful in normal operations (e.g., read primary variable and units).
COMMON
PRACTICE
Common practice commands provide functions implemented by many, but

not necessarily all, HART communication devices.
DEVICE SPECIFIC
Device-specific commands represent functions that are unique to each field

device. These commands access setup and calibration information, as well
as information about the construction of the device. Information on
device-specific commands is available from device manufacturers.
SUMMARY TABLE
Universal Commands
Common Practice Commands
Device-Specific Commands
Read manufacturer and

device type
Read selection of up to four

dynamic variables
Read or write low-flow cut-off
Read primary variable (PV)

and units
Write damping time constant
Read or write density calibration

factor
Read current output and

percent of range
Calibrate (set zero, set span)
Read up to four predefined

dynamic variables
Perform self-test
Write device range values

Set fixed output current
Perform master reset

Read or write eight-character
tag, 16-character descriptor, Trim PV zero
Write PV unit
date
Trim DAC zero and gain
Read or write 32-character
message
Write transfer function (square
root/linear)
Read device range values,
units, and damping time
Write sensor serial number
constant
Read or write dynamic variable
Read or write final assembly
assignments
number
Start, stop, or clear totalizer
Choose PV (mass, flow, or

density)
Read or write materials or
construction information
Trim sensor calibration
PID enable
Write PID setpoint
Valve characterization
Valve setpoint
Travel limits
User units
Local display information
Write polling address
Table 1: HART Commands
Note: Table 1 is a partial list of HART commands. See Appendices B, C,

and D for more detailed information.
Page 7
THEORY OF OPERATION
HART Commands
ESTABLISHING
COMMUNICATION
WITH A HART
DEVICE
Each HART device has a 38-bit address that consists of the manufacturer
ID code, device type code, and device-unique identifier. A unique address
is encoded in each device at the time of manufacture. A HART master must
know the address of a field device in order to communicate successfully
with it. A master can learn the address of a slave device by issuing one of
two commands that cause the slave device to respond with its address:
T Command 0, Read Unique IdentifierCommand 0 is the preferred
method for initiating communication with a slave device because it
enables a master to learn the address of each slave device without user
interaction. Each polling address (015) is probed to learn the unique
address for each device.
T Command 11, Read Unique Identifier by Tag - Command 11 is useful
if there are more than 15 devices in the network or if the network
devices were not configured with unique polling addresses.
(Multidropping more than 15 devices is possible when the devices are
individually powered and isolated.) Command 11 requires the user to
specify the tag numbers to be polled.
DEVICE
DESCRIPTION
Some HART host applications use device descriptions (DD) to obtain

information about the variables and functions contained in a HART field
device. The DD includes all of the information needed by a host application
to fully communicate with the field device. HART Device Description
Language (DDL) is used to write the DD, that combines all of the
information needed by the host application into a single structured file. The
DD identifies which common practice commands are supported as well as
the format and structure of all device-specific commands.
A DD for a HART field device is roughly equivalent to a printer driver for a
computer. DDs eliminate the need for host suppliers to develop and support
custom interfaces and drivers. A DD provides a picture of all parameters
and functions of a device in a standardized language. HART suppliers have
the option of supplying a DD for their HART field product. If they choose
to supply one, the DD will provide information for a DD-enabled host
application to read and write data according to each devices procedures.
DD source files for HART devices resemble files written in the C
programming language. DD files are submitted to the HCF for registration
in the HCF DD Library. Quality checks are performed on each DD
submitted to ensure specification compliance, to verify that there are no
conflicts with DDs already registered, and to verify operation with standard
HART hosts. The HCF DD Library is the central location for management
and distribution of all HART DDs to facilitate use in host applications such
as PCs and handheld terminals.
Additional information, not provided by the DD, may be required by some
host applications for screen formatting and other uses.
Page 8
BENEFITS OF HART COMMUNICATIONS
Benefits of HART Communications

The HART protocol is a powerful communication technology used to
exploit the full potential of digital field devices. Preserving the traditional
420 mA signal, the HART protocol extends system capabilities for
two-way digital communication with smart field instruments.
The HART protocol offers the best solution for smart field device
communications and has the widest base of support of any field device
protocol worldwide. More instruments are available with the HART
protocol than any other digital communications technology. Almost any
process application can be addressed by one of the products offered by
HART instrument suppliers.
Unlike other digital communication technologies, the HART protocol
provides a unique communication solution that is backward compatible
with the installed base of instrumentation in use today. This backward
compatibility ensures that investments in existing cabling and current
control strategies will remain secure well into the future.
Benefits outlined in this section include:
T Improved plant operations
T Operational flexibility
T Instrumentation investment protection
T Digital communication
Page 9
Improved Plant Operations

The HART protocol improves plant performance and increases efficiencies
in :
T Commissioning and installation
T Plant operations
T Maintenance
COST SAVINGS IN
COMMISSIONING
HART-based field devices can be installed and commissioned in a fraction

of the time required for a traditional analog-only system. Operators who
use HART digital communications can easily identify a field device by its
tag and verify that operational parameters are correct. Configurations of
similar devices can be copied to streamline the commissioning process. A
loop integrity check is readily accomplished by commanding the field
transmitter to set the analog output to a preset value.
COST SAVINGS IN
INSTALLATION
The HART protocol supports the networking of several devices on a single

twisted wire pair. This configuration can provide significant savings in
wiring, especially for applications such as tank monitoring.
Use HART multidrop mode to connect multiple instruments to
a single cable and reduce installation costs.
Multivariable devices reduce the number of instruments, wiring, spare

parts, and terminations required. Some HART field instruments embed PID
control, which eliminates the need for a separate controller, and results in
significant wiring and equipment cost savings.
Page 10

IMPROVED
MEASUREMENT
QUALITY
HART-communicating devices provide accurate information that helps

improve the efficiency of plant operations. During normal operation, device
operational values can be easily monitored or modified remotely. If
uploaded to a software application, these data can be used to automate
record keeping for regulatory compliance (e.g., environmental, validation,
ISO9000, and safety standards).
Numerous device parameters are available from HART-compatible
instruments that can be communicated to the control room and used for
control, maintenance, and record keeping (Figure 4).
Field
Device
Control Room
Figure 4: Examples of Device Parameters Sent to Control Room
Some HART devices perform complex calculations, such as PID control

algorithms or compensated flow rate. Multivariable HART-capable
instruments take measurements and perform calculations at the source,
which eliminates time bias and results in more accurate calculations than
are possible when performed in a centralized host.
The HART protocol provides access to all information in
multivariable devices. In addition to the analog output
(primary variable), the HART protocol provides access to
all measurement data that can be used for verification or
calculation of plant mass and energy balances.
Some HART field devices store historical information in the form of trend
logs and summary data. These logs and statistical calculations (e.g., high
and low values and averages) can be uploaded into a software application
for further processing or record keeping.
Page 11

COST SAVINGS IN
MAINTENANCE
The diagnostic capabilities of HART-communicating field devices can

eliminate substantial costs by reducing downtime. The HART protocol
communicates diagnostic information to the control room, which
minimizes the time required to identify the source of any problem and take
corrective action. Trips into the field or hazardous areas are eliminated or
reduced.
When a replacement device is put into service, HART communication
allows the correct operational parameters and settings to be quickly and
accurately uploaded into the device from a central database. Efficient and
rapid uploading reduces the time that the device is out of service. Some
software applications provide a historical record of configuration and
operational status for each instrument. This information can be used for
predictive, preventive, and proactive maintenance.
Page 12
Operational Flexibility
The HART protocol allows two masters (primary and secondary) to
communicate with slave devices and provide additional operational
flexibility. A permanently connected host system can be used
simultaneously, while a handheld terminal or PC controller is
communicating with a field device (Figure 5).
HART Interface
Analog
Digital Data
(23 updates
per second)
Primary Master:
Control System
or Other Host
Application
Power
Supply
Transmitter
Secondary Master
Figure 5: Multimaster System
The HART protocol ensures interoperablility among devices through

universal commands that enable hosts to easily access and communicate the
most common parameters used in field devices. The HART DDL extends
interoperability to include information that may be specific to a particular
device. DDL enables a single handheld configurator or PC host application
to configure and maintain HART-communicating devices from any
manufacturer. The use of common tools for products of different vendors
minimizes the amount of equipment and training needed to maintain a
plant.
HART extends the capability of field devices beyond
the single-variable limitations of 420 mA in hosts
with HART capability.
Page 13
Instrumentation Investment Protection

Existing plants and processes have considerable investments in wiring,
analog controllers, junction boxes, barriers, marshalling panels, and analog
or smart instrumentation. The people, procedures, and equipment already
exist for the support and maintenance of the installed equipment. HART
field instruments protect this investment by providing compatible products
with enhanced digital capabilities. These enhanced capabilities can be used
incrementally.
The HART communication protocol enables you to retain your
previous investments in existing hardware and personnel.
At the basic level, HART devices communicate with a handheld terminal

for setup and maintenance. As needs grow, more sophisticated, on-line,
PC-based systems can provide continuous monitoring of device status and
configuration parameters. Advanced installations can also use control
systems with HART I/O capability. The status information can be used
directly by control schemes to trigger remedial actions and allow on-line
reranging based on operating conditions and direct reading of multivariable
instrument data.
COMPATIBILITY OF
HART REVISIONS
Page 14
As HART field devices are upgraded, new functions may be added. A basic
premise of the HART Protocol is that new HART instruments must behave
in precisely the same manner as older versions when interfaced with an
earlier revision host system.
Digital Communication
A digital instrument that uses a microprocessor provides many benefits.
These benefits are found in all smart devices regardless of the type of
communication used. A digital device provides advantages such as
improved accuracy and stability. The HART protocol enhances the
capabilities of digital instruments by providing communication access and
networking (Table 2).
Benefits
Accuracy and stability
Reliability
Multivariable
Computations
Diagnostics
Multiple sensor inputs
Ease of commissioning
Tag ID
Remote configuration
Loop checks
Adjustable operational parameters
Access to historical data
Multidrop networking
Access by multiple host devices
Extended communication distances
Field-based control
Interoperability
HART Instruments
Digital Instruments
Table 2: Digital Instruments Versus HART Instruments
Page 15
GETTING THE MOST OUT OF HART SYSTEMS
Getting the Most out of HART Systems

To take full advantage of the benefits offered by the HART communication
protocol, it is important that you install and implement the system correctly.
The following sections contain information that can help you to get the
most from your HART system:
T Wiring and Installation
T Intrinsic safety
T HART multidrop networks
T Control system interfaces
T Multiplexers
T Reading HART data into nonHART systems
T Universal handheld communicator
T PC configuration software
T Commissioning HART networks
T Device status and diagnostics
T Connecting a PC to a HART device or network
T PC application development tools
T Control in field devices
Page 16
Wiring and Installation

In general, the installation practice for HART communicating devices is the
same as conventional 4-20mA instrumentation. Individually shielded
twisted pair cable, either in single-pair or multi-pair varieties, is the
recommended wiring practice. Unshielded cables may be used for short
distances if ambient noise and cross-talk will not affect communication.
The minimum conductor size is 0.51 mm diameter (#24 AWG) for cable
runs less than 1,524 m (5,000 ft) and 0.81 mm diameter (#20 AWG) for
longer distances.
CABLE LENGTH
Most installations are well within the 3,000 meter (10,000 ft) theoretical
limit for HART communication. However, the electrical characteristics of
the cable (mostly capacitance) and the combination of connected devices
can affect the maximum allowable cable length of a HART network. Table
3 shows the affect of cable capacitance and the number of network devices
on cable length. The table is based on typical installations of HART
devices in non-IS environments, i.e. no miscellaneous series impedance.
Detailed information for determining the maximum cable length for any
HART network configuration can be found in the HART Physical Layer
Specifications.
Cable Capacitance pf/ft (pf/m)

Cable Length feet (meters)
No. Network
Devices
20 pf/ft
(65 pf/m)
30 pf/ft
(95 pf/m)
50 pf/ft
(160 pf/m)
70 pf/ft
(225 pf/m)
9,000 ft
(2,769 m)
6,500 ft
(2,000 m)
4,200 ft
(1,292 m)
3,200 ft
(985 m)
8,000 ft
(2,462 m)
5,900 ft
(1,815 m)
3,700 ft
(1,138 m)
2,900 ft
(892 m)
10
7,000 ft
(2,154 m)
5,200 ft
(1,600 m)
3,300 ft
(1,015 m)
2,500 ft
(769 m)
15
6,000 ft
(1,846 m)
4,600 ft
(1,415 m)
2,900 ft
(892 m)
2,300 ft
(708 m)
Table 3: Allowable cable lengths for 1.02 mm (#18 AWG)

shield twisted pair
Page 17
Intrinsic Safety
Intrinsic safety (IS) is a method of providing safe operation of electronic
process-control instrumentation in hazardous areas. IS systems keep the
available electrical energy in the system low enough that ignition of the
hazardous atmosphere cannot occur. No single field device or wiring is
intrinsically safe by itself (except for battery-operated, self-contained
devices), but is intrinsically safe only when employed in a properly
designed IS system.
INTRINSIC SAFETY
DEVICES
HART-communicating devices work well in applications that require IS

operation. IS devices (e.g., barriers) are often used with traditional
two-wire 420 mA instruments to ensure an IS system in hazardous areas.
With traditional analog instrumentation, energy to the field can be limited
with or without a ground connection by installing one of the following IS
devices:
T Shunt-diode (zener) barriers that use a high-quality safety ground
connection to bypass excess energy (Figure 6)
T Isolators, which do not require a ground connection, that repeat the
analog measurement signal across an isolated interface in the safe-side
load circuit (Figure 7 on page 19)
Both zener barriers and isolators can be used to ensure an IS system with
HART-communicating devices, but some additional issues must be
considered when engineering the HART loop.
HAZARDOUS SIDE
SAFE SIDE
Zener Barrier
Power Supply
15 V Output
Signal
Transmitter
250 Load Resistor
Figure 6: 420 mA Loop with a Zener Barrier
Page 18
Intrinsic Safety
HAZARDOUS SIDE
SAFE SIDE
Power
Supply
Isolator
15 V Output
Signal
420 mA
Transmitter
250 Load Resistor
Figure 7: 420 mA Loop with Isolator
DESIGNING AN IS
SYSTEM USING
SHUNT-DIODE
BARRIERS
Designing an IS direct-current loop simply requires ensuring that a field

device has sufficient voltage to operate, taking into account zener barrier
resistance, the load resistor, and any cable resistance.
When designing an IS loop using shunt-diode barriers, two additional
requirements must be considered:
T The power supply must be reduced by an additional 0.7 V to allow
headroom for the HART communication signal and yet not approach
the zener barrier conduction voltage.
T The load resistor must be at least 230 (typically 250 ).
Depending on the lift-off voltage of the transmitter (typically 1012 V),
these two requirements can be difficult to achieve. The loop must be
designed to work up to 22 mA (not just 20 mA) to communicate with a
field device that is reporting failure by an upscale, over-range current. The
series resistance for the same zener barrier may be as high as 340 . To
calculate the available voltage needed to power a transmitter, use the
following equation:
Power Supply Voltage (Zener Barrier Resistance + Sense Resistance)
Operating Current (mA) = Available Voltage
Example: 26.0 V (340 + 250 ) 22 mA = 13.0 V
Any cable resistance can be added as a series resistance and will reduce the
voltage even further. In addition, the power supply to the zener barrier must
also be set lower than the zener barrier conduction voltage. For example, a
28 V, 300 zener barrier would typically be used with a 26 V power
supply.
Page 19
Intrinsic Safety
While it is difficult to meet the two requirements noted above for a network
using shunt-diode barriers, it can be done. Following are two possible
solutions to the problem:
1. Shunt the load resistor with a large inductor so that the load resistor
impedance is still high (and mainly resistive) at HART signal
frequencies, but much lower at direct current. This solution, while it
does work, is physically somewhat inconvenient.
2. Use an IS isolator rather than a shunt-diode barrier. The output voltage
on the hazardous side is usually specified as greater than X Vdc at
20 mA (typically 1417 V). This value already includes the voltage
drop due to the internal safety resistor, so the only extra voltage drop is
that due to cable resistance. System operation at 22 mA requires
reducing the 20 mA voltage by 0.7 V (340 2 mA).
DESIGNING AN IS
SYSTEM USING
ISOLATORS
The implementation of HART loops in an IS system with isolators requires

more planning. An isolator is designed to recreate the 420 mA signal from
the field device in the safe-side load circuit. Most older isolator designs will
not carry the high frequencies of HART current signals across to the safe
side, nor will they convey HART voltage signals from the safe side to the
field. For this reason, HART communication through the isolator is not
possible with these older designs. (It is still possible to work with a
handheld communicator or PC with an IS modem on the hazardous side of
the isolator.) When retrofitting HART instruments into an existing
installation, inspect the system for isolators that may have to be replaced
(any isolators that will not support HART signals).
Major suppliers of IS isolators have introduced
designs that are fully HART compatible. Modern IS
isolators provide trouble-free design and operation
and transparent communication in both directions.
IS device suppliers can assist with certification and performance

specifications for their HART-compatible products. Field device
manufacturers will also supply certification details for their specific
products.
Page 20
Intrinsic Safety
MULTIDROP IS
NETWORKS
HART multidrop networks are particularly suitable for intrinsically safe

installations. With a multidrop configuration, fewer barriers or isolators are
required. In addition, because each field device takes only 4 mA (for a total
of 16 mA in a four-device loop), plain zener barriers can be used. With a
250 load, 25 V (340 + 250 ) 16 mA = 15.5 V, which is well above
the transmitter lift-off voltage and leaves a margin for cable resistance.
IS OUTPUT LOOPS
For output devices such as valve positioners, direct-current voltage

considerations will vary depending on the drive requirements of the device.
Zener barriers may be possible. If not, modern HART-compatible output
isolators are appropriate.
IS CERTIFICATION
CONSIDERATIONS
If the HART loop contains an IS-approved handheld communicator or

modem, slight changes may be needed to meet IS installation certification
rules. Handheld communicators and modems add the HART signal voltage
to the voltage level coming from the zener barrier or isolator. For example,
a handheld communicator typically adds a maximum of 2 V to the loop.
Therefore, when used with a 28 V zener barrier, a total of 30 V may
theoretically be present in the loop. The allowable capacitance must be
reduced by about 15% to account for this increase in voltage.
IS NETWORK
CABLE LENGTH
CALCULATIONS
The cable length calculation must include the resistance of both the zener
barrier and the load resistor.
Page 21
HART Multidrop Networks

The HART communication protocol enables several instruments to be
connected on the same pair of wires in a multidrop network configuration
(Figure 8). The current through each field device is fixed at a minimum
value (typically 4 mA) sufficient for device operation. The analog loop
current does not change in relation to the process and thus does not reflect
the primary variable. Communications in multidrop mode are entirely
digital.
Master Device
Modem
Auxiliary Power
Supply
Transmitters
Figure 8: Multidrop Configuration
Standard HART commands are used to communicate with field instruments

to determine process variables or device parameter information (see HART
Commands on page 7). The typical cycle time needed to read information
on a single variable from a HART device is approximately 500
milliseconds (ms). For a network of 15 devices, a total of approximately 7.5
seconds is needed to scan and read the primary variables from all devices.
Reading information from multivariable instruments may take longer, as
the data field will typically contain values for four variables rather than just
one.
The typical multidrop network enables two-wire measurement devices to
be connected in parallel. Two-wire loop-powered and four-wire
active-source devices can be connected in the same network. If both twoand four-wire devices are used in the same network, three wires must be
used to properly connect the devices (see Water Treatment Facility
Upgrade on page 45).
Page 22
HART Multidrop Networks

MULTIDROP WITH
HART FIELD
CONTROLLERS
HART field controllers can also be wired in a multidrop network

(Figure 9). Each analog output signal from the transmitter/controllers is
isolated from every other output signal, which provides a cost-effective
HART network configuration. In this case, the analog signals are not fixed
and are used for the output signal to the controlled device.
Handheld
Terminal
Power
Supply
Computer or
DCS
HART Interface
Power Supply
Impedance
420 mA
HART
Transmitter
Control Valve
Figure 9: HART Controllers with Multidrop
APPLICATION
CONSIDERATIONS
Connecting HART field devices in a multidrop network can provide

significant installation savings. The total cable length in a multidrop
network is typically less than the maximum cable length in point-to-point
connections because the capacitance of the additional devices reduces the
distance that the HART signal can be carried (see Wiring and
Installation on page 17).
To save on installation costs, use HART multidrop
networks for remote monitoring stations, tank farms,
pipeline distribution systems, and other monitoring
applications in which fast update rates are not required.
CONFIGURING
DEVICES FOR
MULTIDROP
OPERATION
Using the polling address structure of the HART protocol, up to 15 devices

can be connected in a multidrop network. The analog current of a HART
device can be fixed by setting its polling address to a number other than
zero. With the HART protocol, each field instrument should be configured
with different polling addresses or tag numbers before being connected to a
multidrop networkotherwise, the master will not be able to establish
communication with the slave devices.
Page 23
Control System Interfaces

When you change your existing control system by adding a HART
interface, it is important to understand the complete functionality offered by
the HART interface. While several control-system suppliers offer HART
interfaces, not all interfaces provide the same functionality.
Control systems such as a DCS, PLC, or SCADA/RTU (remote terminal
unit) implement only the functionality required for a given application. For
example, a flow-control system may only read the primary variable of a
device and provide no additional support for viewing or changing
configuration information. Other control-system interfaces provide
comprehensive HART support, maintaining complete configuration records
for all connected devices.
Contact your system supplier for specific details on their HART
interface(s). Use the form in Appendix A to obtain information from
control-system suppliers to identify specific characteristics of their
products.
HART I/O
SUBSYSTEMS
Many HART-compatible I/O subsystems have multiple analog channels on

each I/O card. Suppliers choose whether to provide one HART interface per
channel or to share one HART interface among several channels. The
number of shared channels per HART interface impacts the frequency of
data updates from a HART field device and the HART functionality that is
supported.
HART I/O FOR

MULTIDROP
SUPPORT
For the best performance and flexibility, one HART interface should be
dedicated to each I/O channel. Systems that share only one HART interface
among several I/O channels may not support multidrop networks. The
effective update rate of a multiplexed interface is slow enough that the
performance of multiplexed multidrop networks would not be practical.
Some suppliers enable multidrop support by fixing the HART interface to
one specific I/O channel. However, the other channels on that card may
then not be available for HART communications.
HART I/O FOR

BURST MODE
SUPPORT
Burst mode is an optional implementation in a field device. Receiving burst

mode messages is optional in a host as well. To take full advantage of burst
mode, the I/O system should have one HART interface for each channel. If
the HART interface is shared by more than one channel, messages sent by
the field device may not be detected by the control system. If the system
does not have the ability to configure burst mode in the field device, a
handheld terminal or other configuration tool is required.
Page 24
Control System Interfaces

DATA HANDLING
All HART-compatible control systems can read the digital primary variable
from a slave device. However, some system architectures may not be able
to accommodate textual data (e.g., tag and descriptor fields). In these cases,
the controller is able to read the process variable, but may not have direct
access to all other data in the HART device.
PASSTHROUGH
FEATURE
Some control systems are integrated with a configuration or instrumentmanagement application. In these systems, the control system passes a
HART command, issued by the management application, to the field device
via its I/O interface. When the control system receives the reply from the
field device, it sends the reply to the management application. This function
is referred to as a passthrough feature of the control system.
GATEWAYS
Gateways can be used to bring HART digital data into control systems that
do not support HART-capable I/O. Some systems support HART gateways
with communication protocols such as Modbus, PROFIBUS DP, or TCP/IP
Ethernet. The typical HART gateway supports all universal commands and
a subset of the common practice commands. Support varies depending on
the gateway supplier. Some gateways support access to device-specific
information.
SCADA/RTU
SYSTEMS
RTUs used in SCADA systems use a special telemetry to communicate

with the control system. RTUs have the same considerations regarding
multidrop and burst mode support as other systems. However,
implementation is made more complex because RTUs often communicate
to an upper-level host using a communication protocol other than HART
(e.g., Modbus). While there are many benefits to implementing HART in an
RTU (support of multidrop, burst mode, and multivariable instruments),
HART data are only available to the central host system if the telemetry
protocol supports the transfer of HART commands or specific HART data
(see Multidrop for Tank Farm Monitoring on page 40).
Page 25
Multiplexers
HART-compatible multiplexers are ideal for users who want to interface
with a large number of HART devices. Multiplexers can be modular and are
capable of supporting both point-to-point and all-digital (multidrop) HART
communication modes. Communication between a multiplexer and a host
application depends on the multiplexer capabilities (e.g., RS232C, RS485,
Modbus, and TCP/IP Ethernet).
When installing HART multiplexer systems, the following capabilities
should be considered:
T Number of HART channels supported
T Number of HART channels that share a HART modem
T Burst mode support
T Multidrop support
T Method of communication with the host computer or control system
MULTIPLEXER AS
THE PRIMARY I/O
SYSTEM
HART multiplexers can be used as the primary I/O front end for a
HART-based control or monitoring system (Figure 10). Typically, a PC acts
as the host, providing the human-machine interface and performing other
high-level functions. The multiplexer continuously monitors the field
devices, reports the current readings and instrument status to the host, and
passes HART commands from the host computer to the field devices.
Multiplexer
Field
Devices
SCADA
Field Device
Figure 10: HART Multiplexer as the Primary I/O System
PARALLEL
MONITORING WITH
A MULTIPLEXER
Page 26
When a traditional 420 mA control system is using the analog signals for
measurement and control outputs, a HART multiplexer can be added to the
network to gain access to the digital HART signal. Using a multiplexer
enables a supervisory computer to monitor diagnostics and device status,
access configuration information, and read any additional process inputs or
calculations not provided by the 420 mA signal.
Multiplexers
Use a HART multiplexer to gain access to the digital
HART signal.
Two types of multiplexers are used in conjunction with a control system. A

multiplexer wired in parallel with the field wiring is commonly used when
the control system wiring is already in place (Figure 11).
Automation and
Display System
Supervisory
Computer
Controllers
I/O
Multiplexer
Transmitter
Control Valves
Figure 11: HART Multiplexer with Existing I/O
A multiplexer can also be an integral part of the control system as a

third-party I/O (Figure 12). As an I/O system, the multiplexer can include
IS barriers and other filtering capabilities and provide services to the field
device, such as galvanic isolation or power. For this type of installation, no
additional terminations or space are required. The multiplexer can also act
as a gateway to convert the HART messages to another protocol such as
Modbus, PROFIBUS, or Ethernet.
.
Automation and
Display System
Supervisory
Computer
Controller
I/O
Transmitter
Control Valve
Figure 12: HART Multiplexer Integrated with I/O
Page 27
Reading HART Data into NonHART Systems

Many HART products are able to perform more than one measurement or
output function (e.g., make multiple process measurements, calculate
process information, and provide positioner feedback information). All of
this information can be easily accessed digitally. However, existing
controllers or interface equipment may not have the ability to read digital
HART data. Products are available that can read HART digital signals and
convert them to analog or contact information, which enables any
traditional analog/digital I/O to take full advantage of the benefits of
HART-communicating devices. The Rosemount Inc. Tri-Loop module and
the Moore Industries Site Programmable Alarm (SPA) are two such
products.
HART
DATA-CONVERSION
PRODUCTS
The Tri-Loop module monitors a HART loop for a bursting message and
converts three of the four possible variables in HART command number
three to analog outputs (Figure 13). The conversion enables the field device
to provide a total of four analog signals over a single pair of wires run from
the field.
.
Channel 1
420 mA
Signals for
Secondary
Variables
Channel 2
Channel 3
Field Terminals
Rail-Mounted
Tri-Loop Module
Control System
Figure 13: Tri-Loop Module
Page 28
Reading HART Data into NonHART Systems

The SPA module continuously communicates with any HART-capable
device and provides contact closure outputs (alarm trips) based on the
information received (Figure 14). For example, the SPA can be configured
to monitor the device-status information inherent in the HART
communication protocol and trigger events such as local on/off applications
or alarms. The SPA can also initiate emergency shutdown action if
problems are detected with a field device in critical loop applications.
HART
Transmitter
420 mA and
HART Digital
Signals
HART
Communicator
Control
System
Process
and
Diagnostic
Data
Annunciator
HART Master
Shutdown
Controls
Event
Recorder
Figure 14: SPA Module
Both HART Tri-Loop and SPA provide multivariable product support on a

loop-by-loop basis.
Page 29
Universal Handheld Communicator

The 275 Universal HART Communicator is available from major
instrumentation suppliers around the globe and is supported by all member
companies in the HCF. Using HART DDL, the communicator can fully
communicate with and configure any HART device for which it has a DD
installed. If the communicator does not have the DD for a particular
network device installed, it can still communicate with that device using the
universal and common practice commands (see HART Commands on
page 7). The HCF provides centralized control and registration for all DDs
that can be loaded into the communicator. An index of registered DDs can
be found on the world wide web at <http://www.hartcomm.org>.
Use the 275 Universal HART Communicator to
communicate with and configure any
HART-communicating device.
Figure 15: 275 Universal Handheld Communicator
Page 30
PC Configuration Software
Many instrument manufacturers, as well as some independent software
developers, offer HART communication software for PCs with capabilities
similar to and beyond those offered by a HART handheld communicator.
Use special software applications to continuously
monitor the status of connected field devices and log
status changes as they occur, which may help reduce
the costs of regulatory compliance.
The software packages listed in Table 4 are used for configuration

management, parameter tuning, and data acquisition with a HART device.
The list is not comprehensive, and all software applications are not
functionally equivalent. A number of product-specific software
applications are also available for diagnostics. An RS232 HART interface
or other interface device connects the PC running the HART application
software to the field devices.
SUMMARY TABLE
OF HART
SOFTWARE
Software
Application
Manufacturer
Asset Management
Solutions (AMS)
Configuration and calibration

Fisher-Rosemount
management
CONF301 HART
Configurator
Configuration management
Smar International
CONFIG
Krohne
Cornerstone Base
Station
Configuration and calibration Applied System

management
Technologies
Cornerstone
Configurator
Instrument configuration
Applied System
Technologies
H-View
and data acquisition
Arcom Control Systems
IBIS
EB Hartmann & Braun
IBIS
Samson
K-S Series
ABB
Mobrey H-View
KDG Mobrey
Pacemaker
UTSI International
Corporation
SIMATIC PDM
Siemens
Smart Vision
EB Hartmann & Braun/

Bailey Fischer & Porter
XTC Configuration
Software
Moore Products Co.
Table 4: HART Software

Page 31
Commissioning HART Networks

HART-based instruments have several features that significantly reduce the
time required to fully commission a HART network (loop). When less time
is required for commissioning, substantial cost savings are achieved.
DEVICE
VERIFICATION
Before installation, manufacturers usually enter device tags and other

identification and configuration data into each field instrument. After
installation, the instrument identification (tag and descriptor) can be
verified in the control room using a configurator (handheld terminal or PC).
Some field devices provide information on their physical configuration
(e.g., wetted materials)these and other configuration data can also be
verified in the control room. The verification process can be important in
conforming to governmental regulations and ISO quality requirements.
The commissioning process can be further streamlined by connecting a PC
configurator to each HART loop online, either by integration with the
control system or by using one of the many available HART multiplexing
I/O systems (see Multiplexers on page 26). With this centralized approach,
there is no need to move the configuration device from one termination
point to the next while commissioning all devices on the network.
LOOP INTEGRITY
CHECK
Once a field instrument has been identified and its configuration data
confirmed, the analog loop integrity can be checked using the loop test
feature, which is supported by many HART devices. The loop test feature
enables the analog signal from a HART transmitter to be fixed at a specific
value to verify loop integrity and ensure proper connection to support
devices such as indicators, recorders, and DCS displays.
Use the HART protocol loop test feature to check
analog loop integrity and ensure a proper physical
connection among all network devices.
AS-INSTALLED
RECORD KEEPING
Page 32
A HART configurator also facilitates record keeping. As-installed device

configuration data can be stored in memory or on a disk for later archiving
or printing.
APPENDICESAPPENDICESAPPENDICES
Device Status and Diagnostics

Most HART field instruments provide both status information and
diagnostic information. The HART protocol defines basic status
information as information that is included with every message from a field
device. Basic status information enables the host application to
immediately identify warning or error conditions detected by the field
device. Status messages also enable the user to differentiate between
measurements that are outside sensor or range limits and actual hardware
malfunctions. Examples of status messages are:
T Field device malfunction
T Configuration changed
T Cold start
T More status available
T Analog output current fixed
T Analog output saturated
T Nonprimary variable out of limits
T Primary variable out of limits
HART instruments can implement extensive, device-specific diagnostics.
The amount and type of diagnostic information is determined by the
manufacturer and varies with product and application. Diagnostic
information can be accessed using the HART communication protocol.
Host applications using DD files can interpret and display diagnostic
information. Applications not using DD technology may require productspecific software modules to interpret diagnostic information.
Many manufacturers offer special software applications for their own
products. Some modules allow you to customize for specific products.
Manufacturers of valve actuators have made extensive use of this capability
to provide preventative and predictive diagnostic information that greatly
enhances the value of their products as compared to conventional actuators.
Several software applications are available that provide continuous
communication with field devices using a HART-compatible multiplexer
and HART I/O (see Multiplexers on page 26). These applications provide
real-time monitoring of status and diagnostic information.
Page 33
Connecting a PC to a HART Device or Network

PCs are commonly used for HART host applications for configuration and
data acquisition. A specially designed device (Table 5) allows the HART
network to be connected to the RS232C serial port or PCMCIA slot of a PC
(Figure 16).
Product Name
Manufacturer
Commubox
Endress + Hauser
FSK-Modem
EB Hartmann & Braun
HT311 RS232 Interface
Smar International
VIATOR PCMCIA HART

Interface
MACTek
VIATOR RS232 HART Interface
MACTek
Table 5: HART Interfaces
PC/Host
Application
RS232 HART
Interface
Handheld Terminal
Field
Device
Power
Supply
Figure 16: RS232 HART Interface
Page 34
PC Application Development Tools

Software drivers are available to assist in the development and integration
of PC applications with HART networks. Table 6 shows a partial list of
products available.
Product Name
Description
Manufacturer
Hview
Provides DDE server
Arcom Control Systems
HRT VBX
16-bit Visual Basic driver
Borst Automation
HRT OCX
32-bit ActiveX Control
Borst Automation
HART OPC
Server
OPC Server
HCF (via member

companies)
HL-LinkPro
HART driver for LabVIEW
Cardiac Systems Solutions
Table 6: PC Development Tools
Page 35
Control in Field Devices

Microprocessor-based smart instrumentation enables control algorithms to
be calculated in the field devices, close to the process (Figure 17). Some
HART transmitters and actuators support control functionality in the
device, which eliminates the need for a separate controller and reduces
hardware, installation, and start-up costs. Accurate, closed-loop control
becomes possible in areas where it was not economically feasible before.
While the control algorithm uses the analog signal, HART communication
provides the means to monitor the loop and change control setpoint and
parameters.
PC-Based Operator
Interface
Modbus Link
(RS232)
Muiltiplexer (HART Master)

420 mA to
Position Valve
HART Transmitter
with PID Slave
Control Valve
Figure 17: Transmitter with PID (HART Slave)
Placing control in the field enhances control functionality. Measurement

accuracy is maintained because there is no need to transmit data to a
separate controller. Control processing takes place at the high update rate of
the sensor and provides enhanced dynamic performance.
Page 36
Control in Field Devices

HART FIELD
CONTROLLER
IMPLEMENTATION
A HART field controller takes advantage of the HART protocols

simultaneous analog and digital signaling by converting the transmitters
traditional analog measurement output into a control output. The analog
signal from the smart transmitter (controller) is used to manipulate the field
device (Figure 18). The analog output signal also carries the HART digital
signal, which is used for monitoring the process measurement, making
setpoint changes, and tuning the controller.
Bypass
Capacitor
+
Power
Supply
Resistor
Smart
Transmitter
Control
Valve
Figure 18: Smart Transmitter with PID
The communication rate of the HART protocol (23 updates per second) is
generally perceived as too slow to support closed-loop control in the central
host. With control in the field, the control function no longer depends on
the HART protocols communication rate. Instead, the control signal is an
analog output that is updated at a rate that is much faster than can typically
be processed in a conventional control system. Processing rates vary from
220 updates per second, depending on the product. The HART digital
communication rate remains sufficient for monitoring the control variable
and changing setpoint values.
Page 37
INDUSTRY APPLICATIONS
Industry Applications
Many companies in a wide variety of industries have already realized the
advantages of using the HART communication protocol. This section
describes some applications in detail and outlines the tangible benefits that
result. The applications have been grouped into the following sections:
T Inventory-management applications
T Cost-saving applications
T Remote-operation applications
T Open-architecture applications
Page 38
Inventory-Management Applications
Accurate measurements for inventory management are essential in all
industries. The HART communication protocol enables companies to make
sure inventory management is as efficient, accurate, and low cost as
possible.
HART MULTIDROP
NETWORK FOR
TANK LEVEL AND
INVENTORY
MANAGEMENT
Tank level and inventory management is an ideal application for a HART

multidrop network (Figure 19). The HART network digital update rate of
two PVs per second is sufficient for many tank-level applications. A
multidrop network provides significant installation savings by reducing the
amount of wiring from the field to the control room as well as the number
of I/O channels required. In addition, many inexpensive
process-monitoring applications are commercially available to further cut
costs.
Transmitters
Storage
Tanks
HART Field
Multiplexer
Figure 19: Inventory Management with Multidrop
One company uses a HART multiplexer to digitally scan field devices for
level-measurement and status information. The information is forwarded to
the host application using the Modbus communication standard.
Multivariable instruments further reduce costs by providing multiple
process measurements, such as level and temperature, which reduces the
wiring and number of process penetrations required.
Page 39
MULTIDROP FOR
TANK FARM
MONITORING
In one tank farm application, 84 settlement tanks and filter beds on a very
large site (over 300,000 m2) are monitored using HART multidrop
networks and HART RTUs (see SCADA/RTU Systems on page 25). The
HART architecture required just eight cable runs for 84 tanks, with 1011
devices per run (Figure 20). Over 70 individual runs of over 500 m each
were eliminated. Cable savings were estimated at over $40,000 when
compared to a conventional installation. RTU I/O was also reduced, which
resulted in additional hardware and installation savings. The total installed
cost was approximately 50% of a traditional 420 mA installation.
HART Multiplexer
Storage
Tanks
Control Room
Storage
Tanks
Figure 20: Tank Farm Monitoring with Multidrop
Page 40
UNDERGROUND
PETROLEUM
STORAGE WITH
HART
COMMUNICATION
FOR ACCURACY
Underground salt caverns are frequently used for crude oil storage. One
customer pumps oil from barges into the storage caverns. An ultrasonic
flowmeter records the total flow. To get the oil out of the caverns, a brine
solution is pumped into the cavern through a magnetic flowmeter. Brine
and crude oil flowing in both directions are measured and reported to the
DCS using the HART communication protocol for accuracy. The DCS
tracks flow rate and total quantity to maintain a certain pressure inside the
caverns (Figure 21).
HART Transmitter
Interface
HART Transmitter
Interface
Oil Caverns
Field Instruments
Note: Digital accuracy for flow accuracy and flow totals
Figure 21: Underground Petroleum Storage
Page 41
Cost-Saving Applications
Use HART multidrop networking to reduce
installation and maintenance costs.
WASTEWATER
TREATMENT PLANT
UPGRADE
A Texas wastewater treatment plant replaced stand-alone flowmeters and

chart recorder outstations that required daily visits for totalization with a
HART system. HART-based magnetic flowmeters were multidropped into
HART RTUs to create a cost-effective SCADA network. The use of HART
technology reduced system and cable costs, enhanced measurement
accuracy, and eliminated time-consuming analog calibration procedures.
A system of 11 HART multidrop networks was used to connect 45
magnetic flowmeters from different plant areas. Each flowmeter
communicated flow rate and a totalized value over the HART network.
Multidrop networks eliminated the need for additional hardware and PLC
programming while providing a more accurate totalized value. Complex
and costly system integration issues were also avoidedfor example, there
was no need for synchronization of totals between the host and field PLCs.
Multidrop networking further reduced the installation cost by reducing the
required number of input cards from the traditional 45 (for point-to-point
installations) to 11. Maintenance was simplified because of access to
instrument diagnostic and status data.
Page 42
APPLIANCE
MANUFACTURING
WITH MULTIDROP
A consumer appliance manufacturer used the networking capability of the

HART protocol to measure level, flow, and pressure. HART multidrop
provided substantial wiring and installation savings as well as digital
accuracy with the elimination of the analog to digital (A/D) and digital to
analog (D/A) conversions of the instrument and PLC I/O. Figure 22 shows
pressure transmitters connected to a PLC via smart transmitter interface
multiplexers.
Storage
Tanks
Highway
PLC
Communication
Module
Smart Transmitter
Interface
Terminal
Block Module
Figure 22: Multidrop Network Example
Page 43
REMOTE
REZEROING IN A
BREWERY
The benefits of remote monitoring and rezeroing of smart transmitters

using the HART protocol are dramatically illustrated in this example of two
smart transmitters that control the fluid level in lauter tubs in a brewhouse
application. Similar benefits would be realized in any application involving
a closed vessel.
Two smart transmitters are installed on each lauter tubone on the bottom
of the tank and the other about nine inches from the bottom. The bottom
transmitter is ranged 40 inH2O; the upper transmitter is ranged
030 inH2O. As the lauter tub is filled, the bottom transmitter senses level
based on pressure. When the level reaches the upper transmitter, that point
is marked as the new zero-level point, and the upper transmitter becomes
the primary sensing instrument for the lauter-tub level. The nine-inch
zero-level offset from the bottom of the tank is necessary to accommodate
loose grain that settles in the bottom of the tank.
Transmitters that are coordinated and working together control fluid level
in each lauter tub to within a few barrels. However, the upper transmitter
requires periodic maintenance or replacement and rezeroing. An undetected
false upper-transmitter level reading can cause a tank level error of up to
40 gallons.
The usual procedure for transmitter rezeroing takes about 95 minutes and
has been required as frequently as twice a day. Rezeroing a transmitter
using configuration software and PLC interface modules eliminates the
need to locate and identify the problem at the site as well as the need for
verification by control-room personnel and greatly reduces the chance for
inadvertent errors. Estimated total time to rezero each transmitter is
reduced to 15 minutes.
Through the configuration softwares instrument-status and diagnostic
capabilities, a false level indication can be automatically detected while a
lauter tub fill is in progress. The affected transmitter can then be
automatically rezeroed by programming logic in the programmable
controller to issue the appropriate command to the instrument.
Page 44
WATER
TREATMENT
FACILITY
UPGRADE
HART transmitters and a control system with HART capability were

chosen to upgrade a water treatment facility. The completed installation
reduced capital, engineering, and installation costs. The process dynamics
of the water treatment facility allowed the HART instruments to be used in
all-digital mode without compromising plant performance.
The water treatment plant is divided into two areas, each with 14 filters.
Each area is controlled by a separate control system for complete
autonomy. A HART network monitors each filter for filter level, filter bed
differential, and filter outlet flow. The multidrop installation used a
three-wire system in order to accommodate both the two-wire and the
four-wire devices (magnetic flowmeters) in use (Figure 23)
(see Multidrop on page 6).
Pressure
Transmitters
4 mA
12 mA
Main
Power
4 mA
Magnetic
Flowmeter
Figure 23: Multidrop Networks with 2-Wire and 4-Wire Devices
Because the water treatment facility had a modular design, the use of
HART instruments allowed the configuration from the one filter network to
be copied to the others, which reduced the implementation time.
Engineering, system configuration, drafting, commissioning, maintenance,
and documentation were simplified. A reduced I/O card count also saved
money.
Page 45
IMPROVED
DIAGNOSTICS
Page 46
A cleaning materials supplier required periodic checkup of the instrument

condition and configuration information as compared to the initial
installation. The field transmitters provided a historical record of status
changes along with current configuration information. Periodic download
of this information was made possible using PLC ladder logic developed
for HART instruments.
Remote-Operation Applications
UNMANNED
OFFSHORE GAS
PRODUCTION WITH
HART NETWORKS
Choosing the HART communication protocol for all-digital communication

in a wide-area network enabled one company to have real-time monitoring
and control, access to diagnostics, and maintenance capabilitiesall from a
remote location.
Over half of the 500 transmitters on 15 platforms could be multidropped
with update rates of three seconds (six devices), which resulted in
substantial savings in wiring, I/O, and installation. The remaining devices
(flowmeters) required a faster response and were wired point to point using
digital HART communications to transmit the process data. The flowmeters
used the optional burst mode, which provided an update rate of 3.7 times
per second. All-digital communications provided maximum accuracy and
eliminated potential errors from input scaling, conversion, and drift (see
Multidrop on page 6).
Radio Antennae
Standby RTU
Primary
RTU
Modbus Link
HART
Multiplexers
Transmitters
Transmitters
Figure 24: RTU Application
Each platforms RTU provided a link to approximately 50 temperature,

pressure, and flow transmitters (Figure 24). The RTU used the multimaster
capability of the HART protocol to enable the second RTU to act as a hot
standby, which monitored activity and was able to take over if a failure
occurred. The RTUs provided links with the emergency and safety systems
and a local interface for maintenance personnel. The Modbus protocol was
used for communication to the central SCADA system.
Page 47
Remote-Operation Applications
VENEZUELA
GAS-LIFT PROJECT
In a Venezuela gas-lift project, HART multidrop technology was used for

remote operation of offshore gas-lift production wells at considerable
savings (Figure 25):
T 30% decrease in installation costs
T 16:1 reduction of input modules
T Reduced cost of I/O cards in the RTU
T Remote reranging
T Remote access to the transmitter status for improved process uptime
Radio Antennae
Microwave Towers
Configuration
and
Maintenance
Tools
Electric Valve
Control
Room
HART Transmitters
Figure 25: Offshore Gas-Lift Project
Page 48
Open-Architecture Applications
OIL REFINERY
EXPANSION
The best way to judge the openness of a communication protocol is by the

number of products supported. By this standard, the HART protocol is
perhaps the most open of any field-communication protocol available
today.
In a major refinery expansion, an oil company weighed the advantages of
using either a proprietary system or a HART-based system. The results
indicated that the company could use HART digital instruments in 92% of
their applications, compared to only 33% with the proprietary system.
Choosing HART products resulted in an incremental $23,000 in savings
due to commissioning efficiencies and ongoing maintenance and diagnostic
capabilities.
The oil company used a traditional control system with analog I/O and
supplemented the control capability with an online maintenance and
monitoring system. All of the HART field devices were monitored from a
central location (Figure 26).
Ethernet Link
Maintenance
Station
Control
Display
System
Controller
HART
Multiplexer
I/O
I/O
HART
Transmitter
Control Valve
Fisher
Fisher
Figure 26: Online Implementation
Page 49
HART WITHIN A
PROFIBUS
NETWORK
HART field devices can be seamlessly integrated with PROFIBUS DP

networks using the HART/DP Link, which enables the connection of four
HART devices and facilitates the passthrough of HART commands to host
applications on the DP network (Figure 27). The HART/DP Link supports
IS installations.
PCs with HART Applications
PLC
PROFIBUS
DP
Remote I/O
HART/DP
Link
DP/PA
Link
DP/ASI Link
Profibus
PA
HART
Instruments
Figure 27: HART Within a PROFIBUS Network
Page 50
HART/DDE
SERVER
Cost-effective level- and temperature-monitoring systems can be designed

using HART multidrop networks and commercially available HART/DDE
interface software. HART/DDE interface software allows any compliant
application (e.g., spreadsheet) to directly read the process data and status
information available in HART field devices. A HART interface module
connected to the PCs serial port is needed for this HART monitoring
application (Figure 28).
Spreadsheet
Data Logging
RS232 HART
Interface
Power Supply
Transmitter
Figure 28: Multidrop Network
Page 51
WHERE TO GET MORE INFORMATION
Where To Get More Information

WHAT
INFORMATION IS
AVAILABLE?
To serve the growing interest in HART-related products, the HCF publishes

a library of additional documents, articles, and overviews. The following
information is currently available:
T HART specifications
T Technical overview
T Application notes
T Technical assistance
T Training classes
WHERE TO FIND
INFORMATION
By Mail
9390 Research Blvd, Suite I-350
Austin, TX 78759 USA
By Phone
Call 512-794-0369.
By Fax
Send correspondence to 512-794-3904.
By E-mail
Send correspondence to <[email protected]>.
Online
Visit the HCF website at <http://www.hartcomm.org>.
Page 52
GLOSSARY
Glossary
275 HART
Communicator
A handheld master device that uses the HART communication protocol and
DDL to configure or communicate with any HART smart device
Bell 202
A U.S. telephone standard that uses 1,200 Hz and 2,200 Hz as 1 and 0,

respectively, at 1,200 baud; a full duplex communication standard using a
different pair of frequencies for its reverse channel; HART uses Bell 202
signals but is a half-duplex system, so the reverse channel frequencies are
not used
Burst (Broadcast) Mode
A HART communication mode in which a master device instructs a slave

device to continuously broadcast a standard HART reply message
(e.g., value of a process variable) until the master instructs it to stop
bursting
Cable Capacitance Per

Unit of Length
The capacitance from one conductor to all other conductors (including the
shield if present) in the network; measured in feet or meters
Cable Resistance Per

Unit of Length
The resistance for a single wire; meausred in feet or meters
Closed-Loop Control
A system in which no operator intervention is necessary for process control
Communication Rate
The rate at which data are sent from a slave device to a master device;
usually expressed in data updates per second
DCS
See Distributed Control System.
DD
See Device Description.
DDL
See Device Description Language.
Device Description
A program file written in the HART Device Description Language (DDL)

that contains an electronic description of all of a devices parameters and
functions needed by a host application to communicate with the device
Device Description
Language
A standardized programming language used to write DDs for

HART-compatible field devices
Distributed Control
System
Instrumentation (input/output devices, control devices, and operator

interface devices) that permits transmission of control, measurement, and
operating information to and from user-specified locations, connected by a
communication link
Page 70
GLOSSARY
Glossary
Field
The area of a process plant outside the control room where measurements
are made, and to and from which communication is provided; a part of a
message devoted to a particular function (e.g., the address field or the
command field)
Field Device
A device generally not found in the control room; field devices may
generate or receive an analog signal in addition to the HART digital
communication signal
Frequency Shift Keying
Method of modulating digital information for transmission over paths with

poor propagation characteristics; can be transmitted successfully over
telephone systems
FSK
See Frequency Shift Keying.
Gateway
A network device that enables other devices on the network to

communicate with a second network using a different protocol
HART Command Set
A series of commands that provide uniform and consistent communication

for all master and slave devices; includes universal, common practice, and
device-specific commands
HART Communication
Protocol
Highway Addressable Remote Transducer communication protocol; the

industry standard protocol for digitally enhanced 420 mA communication
with smart field devices
HART Loop
A communication network in which the master and slave devices are

HART smart or HART compatible
Host Application
A software program used by the control center to translate information

received from field devices into a format that can be used by the operator
Interoperability
The ability to operate multiple devices, independent of manufacturer in the

same system, without loss of functionality
Intrinsic Safety
A certification method for use of electrical equipment in hazardous

(e.g., flammable) environments; a type of protection in which a portion of
an electrical system contains only intrinsically safe equipment that is
incapable of causing ignition in the surrounding environment
Intrinsic Safety Barrier
A network or device designed to limit the amount of energy available to the

protected circuit in a hazardous location
IS
See Intrinsic Safety.
2003HART Communication Foundation
Page 71
GLOSSARY
Glossary
Master Device
A device in a master-slave system that initiates all transactions and

commands (e.g., central controller)
Master-Slave Protocol
Communication system in which all transactions are initiated by a master

device and are received and responded to by a slave device
Miscellaneous Series
Impedance
The summation of the maximum impedance (500 Hz10 kHz) of all

devices connected in series between two communicating devices; a typical
nonintrinsically safe loop will have no miscellaneous series impedance
Modem
Modulator/demodulator used to convert HART signals to RS232 signals
Multidrop Network
HART communication system that allows more than two devices to be

connected together on a single cable; usually refers to a network with more
than one slave device
Multimaster
Multimaster refers to a communication system that has more than one

master device. The HART protocol is a simple multimaster system
allowing two masters; after receiving a message from a slave device, the
master waits for a short time before beginning another transmission, which
gives the second master time to initiate a message
Multiplexer
A device that connects to several HART loops and allows communication

to and from a host application
Multivariable Instrument
A field device that can measure or calculate more than one process
parameter (e.g., flow and temperature)
Network
A series of field and control devices connected together through a

communication medium
Parallel Device
Capacitance
The summation of the capacitance values of all connected devices in a

network
Parallel Device
Resistance
The parallel combination of the resistance values of all connected devices

in the network; typically, there is only one low-impedance device in the
network, which dominates the parallel device-resistance value
Passthrough
A feature of some systems that allows HART protocol send-and-receive

messages to be communicated through the system interface
PID
Proportional-integral-derivative
PID Control
Proportional-plus-integral-plus-derivative control; used in processes where

the controlled variable is affected by long lag times
Page 72
GLOSSARY
Glossary
Point to Point
A HART protocol communication mode that uses the conventional

420 mA signal for analog transmission, while measurement, adjustment,
and equipment data are transferred digitally; only two communicating
devices are connected together
Polling
A method of sequentially observing each field device on a network to

determine if the device is ready to send data
Polling Address
Every HART device has a polling address; address 0 is used for

point-to-point networks; addresses 115 are used in multidrop networks
Process Variable
A process parameter that is being measured or controlled (e.g., level, flow,

temperature, mass, density, etc.)
Protocol
A set of rules to be used in generating or receiving a message
PV
See Process Variable.
Remote Terminal Unit
A self-contained control unit that is part of a SCADA system
RTU
See Remote Terminal Unit.
SCADA
See Supervisory Control and Data Acquisition.
Slave Device
A device (e.g., transmitter or valve) in a master-slave system that receives

commands from a master device; a slave device cannot initiate a transaction
Smart Instrumentation
Microprocessor-based instrumentation that can be programmed, has

memory, is capable of performing calculations and self-diagnostics and
reporting faults, and can be communicated with from a remote location
Supervisory Control and

Data Acquisition
A control system using communications such as phone lines, microwaves,

radios, or satellites to link RTUs with a central control system
Zener
Type of shunt-diode barrier that uses a high-quality safety ground

connection to bypass excess energy
Page 73
tale of two plants
Two HART Projects Keep

Plants Competitive
A tale of two different projects in two different industries
that achieve similarly impressive results
hen end-users deploy devices enabled

by the HART Communication Protocol, they quickly discover the technologys reliability, ease of use, flexibility, robustness,
and cost-effectiveness. They also learn how HART
has proven itself in the field, whether its in process control or power plant applications.
Kevin Kerls, of biotechnology manufacturer
Genentech Inc. in South San Francisco, and Jerry
Lowery, of the Ohio State University in Columbus, also attest to the essential value of HART in
industrial automation applications.
You can use HART to implement all the highvalue functions of other bus technologiesFoundation fieldbus, Profibus and DeviceNetbut at a
fraction of their cost by using infrastructure that
you probably already have in your plant today,
explains Kerls, a senior automation engineer in
Genentechs automation group. Kerls is helping
automate Genentechs CCP2 facility in Vacaville,
Calif. which is currently under construction and
is expected to produce 200,000 liters of oncology
pharmaceuticals by 2009.
In a regulated industry, its critical to manage device configurations, says Kerls. Integrating HART
Communication with our distributed control system
(DCS) allows us to mitigate both of these risks.
Meanwhile, on Ohio States main campus,
Lowery also extols the virtues of HART. Most
technicians are familiar with HART-enabled communicators. The technicians love them. Theyre
superior for the technicians, says Lowery, a control systems engineer at OSUs McCracken Power
Plant. Another important feature is that HART is an
open standard. It gives everyone a common thing to
S- Advertising supplement to CONTROL
photo courtesy of the Ohio State University
work toward, he explains. HART is the way to go.

It makes life so much easier.
Ivy Towers, Hot and Cold HART

Operating continuously, the McCracken plant
provides 85% of the Buckeyes steam-based energy
needs. The steam is used for heating, humidifica-
tale of two plants

tion, sterilization, chilled-water, compressed air and
He used the valve positioner digital PV to validate
domestic hot-water production. The plant has five
the valves position. If the valve didnt reach proper
industrial boilers. Presently, the oldest is a Babcock
position in 30 seconds, an alarm would sound and
& Wilcox (B&W) D-Style, 600-psi, 220,000 lbs/hr
a warning would be displayed on the HMI screen.
unit. Two new 200-psi Nebraska D-style units that
The DigPV, which proved that the valve was not
produce 220,000 lb/hr of steam were installed in
seating properly, and the digital secondary vari2004-05. Two more Nebraska Ds are now being
able (DigSV), in this case positioner temperature,
installed, and the 200-psi, 150,000-lb/hr units are ex- indicated that a temperature exceedance had ocpected to be online by January 2007. Co-located at
curred. The HART secondary value or device temthe plant are seven York chillers, and three Caterpilperature on the original positioner was trended and
lar emergency diesel generators.
proved that the device never exceeded its maximum
Lowery doesnt mince words about how imporoperating temperature of 50 C, adds Lowery.
tant HART is to the plant. We have approximateThese data convinced the vendor to replace
ly 200 to 250 HART-enabled devices. Without
the valve positioner, and the problem went
HART, this plant wouldnt operate, he says.
away, Lowery notes. This is important because
HART also helps the plants technicians save
the vendor originally claimed the boilers operatime finding instrument problems. We dont
tion had overheated and caused the SH venthave to spend as much time looking for whats
control valve to become stuck.
wrong, adds Lowery.
Ohio State also convinced the vendor to fix six
For example, staffers recently observed interSH vent valves saving approximately $10,000.
mittent signal failures on a temperature transAlso, the combined digital PVs and SVs performitter on one boilers
mance not only saved a
superheater (SH) vent
potential $300,000 cost
We have approximately 200-250
control, which caused
of replacing the existing
the vent to go into the
superheater, but also led
HART-enabled devices. This plant
wrong position. Howthe vendor to install a
wouldnt
operate
without
HART.
ever, thanks to a HARTmore reliable positioner.
enabled Honeywell
Lowery appreciates
DCS system on the B&W boiler, they were able to
this digital value functionality. Digital PVs are
quickly correct the problem.
extremely valuable in critical loops to validate the
This was the first time wed seen this type of
analog position with the digital position, he adds.
HART information, he explains. The spreadsheet
Besides diagnostics, having analog and digital
showed data with a log/time-stamp describing an
communication available simultaneously with
event. In this case, descriptions included primary
HART is particularly valuable to Lowery. This
variable (PV) was out of sensor limits or bad:
capability is extremely important when validating
check measuring and field device malfunction.
loops. We use the digital PVs to validate analog
Once the staff found the event descriptions in the PVs on critical positioners. It just tells us what
event log, they solved their problem the same day.
is wrong with the device, he states. And on
We knew exactly what was wrong. The technician critical loops, if the analog PVs and digital PVs
went out, and repaired the resistance temperature
dont match up within a certain percentage of
device (RTD), he says. With the HART-enabled
each other, we alarm that loop and have operators
DCS, our technicians know what the problem is.
investigate the actual valve position.
Results Proven, Risks Lessened
Buckeyes Assets Managed
A second event at Ohio State involved an SH ventcontrol valve failure. The McCracken plants valve
wouldnt open or would become stuck while partially open, Lowery recalls. A vent-control valve
failure put the boiler superheater at risk.
Lowery decided to use the HART protocols digital PV (DigPV) that was accessible from the DCS.
The simultaneous analog-digital capability of

HART fulfills one of the most obvious asset management functions of HART-enabled automation
protecting equipment and keeping plants operating.
Of the 200-250 HART-enabled devices at the McCracken plant, an asset management system (AMS)
monitors 40 of them. By the end of 2007, the AMS
Advertising supplement to CONTROL S-
tale of two plants

will monitor 180-200 HART devices, Lowery says.
The asset manager monitors and tracks device
faults for all HART-enabled devices. Types of device
faultsanything you can think of, he explains.
Overall, diagnostics are much improved, he notes.
Our asset manager package tracks faults that occur
in HART devices through our DCS. Small items, like
a positioner losing its zero position are now caught
early and repaired, Lowery says. But without that
asset management software, the problem might have
never been corrected because it wouldnt have been
seen until complete device failure.
Kerls adds its important that Genentech can use

any vendors flow or temperature devices as long
as theyre HART-compatible. If a device that we
wanted had a HART option, we asked for it. For
almost all devices, the HART capability was free
from the vendor. But even if the HART option
cost money, we still purchased it, he recalls.
Remote Configuration Nearby
The ability to view instrument health is available

in Genentechs DCS without added hardware.
Were able to view/modify instrument configurations without interrupting process monitorBiotechs Digitaling, Kerls explains.
Analog Future
Managing our instrument config- Genentech chose HART
While the universitys
because buses such as
experience with HART
Profibus, Foundation
urations reduces our regulatory
is more traditional,
fieldbus, and DeviceNet
Genentechs attraction
had issues concerning
risk and our risk to product.
to HART focuses on
their design, which is
the protocols availabildifferent from HART
ity and innovative use at the Vacavilles CCP2
and its 4-20mA capability. It takes more time to
facility. There, the company is implementing
get other buses operable. We get the most benefit
HART with 15% of the I/O.
via HART, he adds. Number one on Kerls list of
There are a lot of instrumentation manufacturers HART benefits is an enhanced view of the instruthat offer HART-compatible products, says Kerls.
ments., which includes status, alarming informaThat availability plus a huge installed base makes
tion, and remote configuration.
HART a proven technology, he adds. This is techGenentech also values the HART protocols renology thats going to continue to be supported and
mote capabilities. The biggest bang for the buck
developed. It uses the same 4-20mA wiring youd use is remote configuration and monitoring. HART
in traditional I/O, so theres no steep learning curve. won over all the other buses, Kerls asserts, beHe emphasizes this means reduced installation costs
cause it provides remote capabilities, installation
and reduced risks during startup.
simplicity, and met our requirements.
Kerls adds that HARTs simultaneous analog and
Remote device setup and configuration is essendigital communication capability is a key attribute
tial because it allows Genentech to easily backup
to the protocols value. Were able to implement
instrument configurations using a central dataHART communication over familiar 4-20mA
base. The firm also can make changes to instrutwisted-pair signal cable, a proven and simple inment configurations from a controlled database
stallation method, he says. There are no addresscompliant with 21 CFR Part 11 (Title 21 Code
ing schemes, network-sizing concerns, or special
of U.S. Federal Regulations Part 11: Electronic
communication requirements to deal with.
Records; Electronic Signatures from the U.S. Food
Genentech reports it also chose HART because
and Drug Administration). Kerls adds this was
its Honeywell instruments are HART-enabled. So,
possible without relying on handheld devices or
we need no new infrastructure other than a new
technicians hand-written notes.
database server. The information is seamlessly integrated throughout the I/O, DCS controller, and the
Overall Configuration is Crucial
process data server, Kerls says. In other systems,
Central configuration management is another area
however, he believes multiplexers or other devices
where Genentech will use the HART protocol. The
are needed to pick up digital signals. With the
company will use a database to capture, view, verify,
Honeywell system, HART data is tightly integrated, test, and backup instrument configurations for more
so information is available right in the DCS.
than 1,125 instruments during the startup of CCP2.
S-10 Advertising supplement to CONTROL
tale of two plants

HART protocol with the online configuration-management database eliminates the need
for a time-consuming paper process, says Kerls.
It probably saves an hour off each calibration
which basically is a half a person-year saved under
normal operations. In initial documentation of
parameters and startup, this may also save 3,000
hours. These are very conservative estimates.
Compared to traditional I/O, Genentech can
use HART to diagnose an instrument just by
opening a view, rather than sending someone out
to the devices location. If anything goes wrong
with that device, itll notify the operator though
a DCS alarm, he adds.
Genentech reports that HART-associated
work at CCP2 is enabling more efficient management of instrument configuration. Once
we get this up and running, part of corporate
automation engineerings role is to disseminate
information about the project throughout the
corporation, says Kerls This also means educating our maintenance group on our systems
capabilities and developing efficient processes
to leverage HART-enabled technology.
Another benefit includes building the corporations instrument configuration-and-calibration
Standard Operating Procedures (SOP) on how to
use the HART protocol and Genentechs configuration management database.
Well continue to minimize the time required
to perform configurations and calibrations, Kerls
emphasizes. You can put these technologies in,
but if you arent educating your lifecycle group
maintenance and the local automation engineering
groupto use them, then the corporation never
gets the full benefit.
Compliance Protects Doses

Diagnostics. Maintenance. Regulatory compliance.
SOPs exist for them. All are taken seriously at
CCP2, and HART plays a crucial role here, too.
Our HART devices are installed as part of an
8,500-I/O DCS. Any device errors or alarms will
automatically be available to the operators/technicians, explains Kerls. HART allows Genentechs
staff to receive device-specific alarm values, which
reduces troubleshooting time. On a new plant, we
dont really know what the issues will be, Kerls
says, but we expect that well find them quicker,
which goes directly to the bottom line. Our HART
implementation will ensure that the current conS-12 Advertising supplement to CONTROL
figuration is always correctly backed up.

And, if an instrument needs replacement, HART
simplifies this process. We download the backed
up configuration for the old instrument from our
HART configuration management database. These
parameters upload to the new device through the
analog I/O card, says Kerls. Effectively managing our instrument configurations reduces our
regulatory risk and risk to product.
Risk to product usually means producing less at
poorer quality. If a critical instrument is involved
and you cant prove you had adequate control
over properly configured devices, it could lead
to regulatory action and/or a recall of the entire
batch, says Kerls. Youd have offline analytical
measurements so you might not lose the batch, but
you might spend a lot of time defending it.
Tips from the Field

Correct monitoring, particularly with HARTenabled instruments, also concerns Lowery, who
offers tips for users. HART device diagnostics
is only as good as the vendors device description
(DD) file. The more detailed the DD file, the more
diagnostics youll have, he explains.
Lowery also suggests ensuring that the DCS
analog I/O is HART-enabled. Using a third-party
solution to strip out and send HART data via a
serial connection will likely prevent using HART
digital PVs in a fast changing loop, he says.
Futures Surface Only Scratched

Ohio States experience with HART was so positive that
the power plants staff is examining tracking the drift
of the analog PV compared to the digital PV. Also,
therell be more use of HART device diagnostic faults
in the control strategy, says Lowery. Ohio State also
plans to evaluate using a field device manager (FDM)
for configuring HART devices, rather than using HART
communicators. This will help us catalog devices. Were
told that if you replace a device, when you plug it in,
the DCS will automatically give it its tag and other
operating information, he adds.
Overall, Kerls is even more optimistic about the role of
HART in Genentechs future. If HART works well at CCP2,
we can just roll it out to other Genentech plants, he says.
If you use HART, youre going to save big time in lifecycle
management because the installation cost is no more than
if we installed traditional I/O systems.
hart users win big
HART Champions Stay Competitive

Reliable communications via HART bring large gains
to many process projects
he HART Communication Protocol provides the toolkit for process champions. It

imparts this through a global installed base
of more than 20 million HART-enabled devices.
This is extraordinary because HART debuted just
20 years ago, and only became an open standard in
1990. Not surprisingly, all major industrial-automation suppliers support HART. Pick any process
measurement and control application, and HART is
there. The protocol assists in chemical production,
water desalinization, as well as pulp and paper,
natural gas and steel production. It helps manage
wastewater facilities. And its in OEMs pressure
and temperature metering devices.
So, why does HART enjoy such popularity? End
users say its simple, reliable, robust, flexible, easy

to use, rugged and cost-effective. They also know
that HART keeps their businesses competitive by
providing simultaneous analog and digital communications, as well as interoperability.
We asked several end-users how theyre using
HART to keep their plants competitive. They
report that theyre gaining efficiencies and saving money by better using their installed assets,
and using the intelligence in their HART-enabled field devices. By tapping into this information, theyre now working smarter and keeping
competitive. The investments in many cases are
small and the returns are big. Creative? Yes!
Difficult? No! The key is just getting started!
Appleton Paper targets better asset management

To win in the paper-coating game, pulp-and-paper
producer Appleton Paper implemented HART in
an addition/upgrade to a coating machine in its
facility in Appleton, Wis. The company installed
more than 100 HART-enabled flowmeters, control
valves, and pressure sensors.
The papermaker targeted several criteria for the
project. 1) Minimize costs for hardware, software,
training, spare parts, etc. 2) Find a simple, robust
system to inform staff about device health. 3) Use
that system in other applications. 4) Get a database
for configuration, tracking, troubleshooting, etc. 5)
Obtain access to all instrument/device data.
HART gave us the best opportunity to expand
with the rest of our existing control systems at the
lowest costs, says Chris Van Sambeek, Appleton
Papers control systems technician.
The ultimate goal was better asset management.
Appleton uses HART via a leading suppliers PLCs
and a supporting suppliers HART-enabled I/O
system to link its smart instruments to Emerson
Process Managements AMS package. Appleton

enhanced its instrument-configuration capability
and preventive maintenance with HARTs better
troubleshooting capability. So far, HART has
been very effective, says Sambeek.
Appleton also saved by installing and configuring fewer transmitters. HART saved us
roughly $40,000 on wiring alone with its ability
to pull multivariable information from our mass
flowmeters, adds Sambeek. Using AMS for
commissioning, Appleton also saved money and
time by remotely configuring devices. HART
technology saved another $10,000 or so because
the company now needed 12 fewer pressure and
12 fewer temperature transmitters.
Sambeek says HART also improved operations in other areas, including better diagnostics; control-loop validation by pulling information into the PLC through the HART signal;
increased plant availability; better product
quality and utility; higher product yield; lower
Advertising supplement to CONTROL S-15
hart users win big

operations-and-maintenance costs; and enhanced regulatory compliance.
Appleton succeeded with HART because the
protocol was a better fit for expansion than other
fieldbus technologies, adds Sambeek.
Finding a new HART smart card that the PLC
system could use also helped Appleton. This
card allowed the company to upgrade existing
systems with minimal equipment and costs, says
Sambeek. Most of our existing instruments are

HART-enabled, and the HART cards used are
compatible with our existing control systems.
And, installing an OEMs HART-enabled cards
into Appletons control PLC platform allowed the
paper company to use HART data in both the
AMS and control systems. HART provides additional information not available to normal analog
systems, Sambeek adds.
V-F Controls reduces troubleshooting time

V-F Controls Inc. in Mentor, Ohio, provides
flowmetering systems to petrochem and steelmaking companies, and to the district-energy
market for custody transfer.
Often, we assist in commissioning, explains
Jim Weinstein of V-F. However, process conditions
often arent as originally anticipated. This means
initial set-up of the instrument must be changed.
HART allows us to make changes in minutes,
compared to hours if we used analog electronics.
Troubleshooting is a dream with HART. One
of my first HART installations was a steam-flow
metering system with differential-pressure, pressure,
and temperature transmitters. The signals were sent
to a flow computer, he recalls.The transmitters were
located on the piping near the ceiling of a high-bay
building. The customer had done the installation
and wiring, and then called to tell us that the transmitters were indicating totally erroneous readings
on the flow computer, says Weinstein. When we
visited the site to troubleshoot, we agreed.
I thought this would be a good time to try out
our new HART communicator. I hooked it up
to the pressure-transmitter terminals on the flow
computer, and established communication with
the transmitter, says Weinstein. It came back and

said, I am a temperature transmitter.
Without the HART-enabled devices, it
wouldve taken longer to detect the bad setup. It
probably would have taken us an hour just to get
50 feet in the air to start troubleshooting.
Weinstein says that HART adds loop-validation functions to V-Fs applications like the ability
to identify the transmitter at the end of the loop
or driving a 4-20mA signal in the loop to verify
proper response at a flow computer, chart recorder,
or indicator. These capabilities not only identify
proper wiring terminations, they help us find potential ground-loop issues and configuration errors in
the transmitter or secondary electronics, he states.
Weinsteins a longtime HART fan. HART
is simply the only way to go for quick start-up,
re-ranging, and troubleshooting, he says. The
fact that it is a standard is most important when
systems involve different vendors products.
Im not aware of any standard for digital communication on a 4-20mA loop. As proprietary protocols
fall by the wayside, more instrument manufacturers
jump on the HART bandwagon. Why carry two or
three communicators, when you can carry just one?
Persian Gulf becomes drinkable

The Saline Water Conversion Corp.s (SWCC) AlJubail Phase 1 desalination and power plant was
built on the Persian Gulf in 1982. The facility has
six 60-megawatt power plants and a desalination plant. A recent re-instrumentation project
involved adding more than 2,000 HART-enabled
devices from various manufacturers.
Despite the size of this mega project, HART
Communication helped us to the core, says T.
Veeresh Prasad of Yokogawa Engineering Asia.
HART also achieved best resolution and accuS-16 Advertising supplement to CONTROL
racy of the data, compared to the old devices that

were in place for the past 20+ years.
Prasad also appreciates that HART technologys
analog and digital communications are simultaneously available. Analog communications helped
because of our fastest turnaround time requirements, says Prasad. Digital helped quickly calibrate and troubleshoot issues, including controlvalve-positioner feedback.
Something else that worked best for the project
was HART technologys response time at the host
hart users win big

system. In terms of asset management, all the devices couldnt give enough information to the host
system, says Prasad of the plants pre-HART days.
The protocols interoperability also allowed
SWCC to integrate a Yokogawas Plant Resource
Manager (PRM) asset management system, using
HART-compatible input/output (I/O) cards. The

staff now uses PRM to crosscheck status. The result? HART is a very reliable platform for fastest
response requirements of control and automation/
safety-instrumented systems. It will compete with
all other buses, all the time.
Sewers safer in Wisconsin

The Milwaukee Metropolitan Sewerage District
(MMSD) recently installed more than 200 level transmitters with HART interfaces in manholes. The new
instruments were needed because the former level
instrumentation wasnt temperature compensated.
HART technologys analog functions allowed an
intrinsically safe barrier and installation calibration in these explosion-proof areas. The collection-system manholes are typically entered yearly
for calibration checks, explains Eugene Moe,
senior instrumentation and control engineer for
Earth Tech Inc., Sheboygan, Wis., which jointly
manages MMSDs operations. The result is an
installation that reduces time to calibrate the

instrument, and eliminates the need to enter the
manhole, unless the unit fails.
Its not critical that the signal and calibration
be available at the same time, he explains. But
the dual functionality allows seamless operation
of the system while the instrument is being interrogated and updated.
Moe asserts that using HART-enabled devices
saved money for MMSD, and adds those savings,
coupled with the technologys flexibility, reliability
and field ruggedness, are why HART devices are used
throughout Milwaukees sewage-treatment system.
Eastman Chemical eases the pressure

At Eastman Chemical Co.s operation in Longview,
Tex., pressurized tanks may have an allowable
working pressure of 63 psig, which may be 10
times more than the span of the pressure transmitters. According to Josh Lowery, electrical engineer
at Eastman Chemical, pressure variations in those
tanks can cause problems. On startup, one tanks
pressure shot up, and popped a relief valve. A solution using HART technology includes only one
transmitter, rather than two as required before.
We use the HART signal to read the actual
value at the cell, and so read the full range of the
transmitter, says Lowery. This means operators
can determine the actual pressure without re-span-
ning the transmitter. We can strip the HART signal, and get full range from transmitters in which
the scale has decreased, he says. When we have
upsets where the process went out of the expected
range, we can capture the actual reading from the
HART signal. HARTs remote-configuration capability has improved operations at the Texas facility. HART saves us the time we used to spend
going to and from the instrument, Lowery says.
More importantly, hazardous-area work requires
many more permits. Hooking up with HART in
the control room is much easier. Remote configuration also allows Eastman to verify field wiring
from the control room.
Australian Steelmaking glitches vanish

Australian steelmaking giant OneSteels Whyalla
SteelWorks in South Australia annually produces
approximately 1.16 million metric tonnes (1.30
million tons) of steel.
In the electromagnetic stirrers at this facility, OneSteel uses a major vendors calibrator to reprogram
its HART field instruments and control elements.
OneSteel chose HART technology for a new analog/digital interface because older systems caused
problems. I read about the HART system and its efficiency, so I pitched the idea to my manager, recalls
Jeremy Pereira. And, well, here we are.
Fully functioning means more efficiency. Every system can be monitored and adjusted remotely, adds
Pereira. It doesnt have anywhere near as many
glitches as our old system. Thats a blessing, he says,
because it requires fewer technicians. So, it definitely saves money and, more importantly, time. n
Team hart scores
Users Want Suppliers HART

Solutions on Their Teams
End-users implement suppliers HART-enabled tools to operate
their businesses better, faster, and more simply. This is the
essence of what keeps them competitive.
esides the benefits HART gives end-users

through approximately 20 million installed devices, its success also comes from
its partnership with suppliers of HART-enabled
technologies. These suppliers include the worlds
major control-and-instrumentation vendors, such
as ABB, Emerson, Honeywell, Invensys, MACTek,
Magnetrol, Moore Industries, ProComSol, Siemens and Yokogawa.
Its no secret why end-users keep coming back
to these and other suppliersHART is a gamechanging solutions enabler.
We offer HART because our end-users worldwide expect us to support this capability, declares
Magnetrol Internationals Dave Miller.
Eric Olson, ABB Automation Products business
unit manager, adds, HART is the most widely
installed intelligent device technology today, and
it continues to deliver significant benefits. So, of
course, we remain a strong supporter.
By implementing and using suppliers HARTenabled technologies, such as smart field
devices, end-users know they can be more
competitive. Suppliers smart-HART solutions
lower operating costs by allowing quicker device set-up and commissioning, and by enabling
protocol interoperability via easy integration of
multiple vendors technologies.
Suppliers HART technologies also improve
process control, increase safety-instrumented-system (SIS) integrity levels, and smooth troubleshooting and maintenance. These tasks also become less
disruptive because HART grants access to 30-40
data itemssuch as process variables, device status,

diagnostic alerts, loop current, and percent range
built into suppliers HART devices.
Another reason end-users rely on these suppliers is because HART provides simultaneous
4-20mA analog and digital channels or signals
over one pair of wires. Analog gives the PV, while
digital provides real-time connection to intelligent field devices and their information. This
analog-digital combination also provides better
control security and loop integrity.
HART Suppliers Guide Users to Future

T.S. Prasad Raghavendra, Honeywell Process
Solutions product manager for HART solutions,
believes two key improvements will drive future
growth. The first is HART 6. Its protocol revisions
will offer better support for multivariable devices
and actuators, more device and variable-status information, and some new and extended commands.
Enhanced electronic-device-description language
(EDDL) is the other advance fueling growth, says
Raghavendra. By expanding device description
language (DDL) capabilities, EDDL establishes a
new industry standard for advanced visualization
of intelligent-device information, while maintaining DD technologys integrity.
Smart Devices Get Smarter

One recent upgrade involves Emerson Process
Managements Version 8.4 of its DeltaV system
software. It uses standard HART device-status
information to generate Emersons PlantWeb alerts
Team Hart Scores

for any HART-enabled device. This gives end-users products released in September. More products
access to the predictive-diagnostic functionalities
will follow before years end, explains R. L.
in those devices. Doing this can prevent abnormal
Rick Gorskie, senior product marketing manplant operating situations and enhance smart SIS.
ager for Honeywells Industrial Measurement and
HART fully integrates with the analog signal, and Control (IMC) pressure/temperature products.
allows end-users to adopt it at their own pace and
within their budgets, adds Jim Cobb, marketing
Competitive Asset Management
director of Emersons Rosemount Division. HART Besides these advances, HART technology still
instruments allow us to provide cost-effective inneeds to be configured. Consequently, configuranovations with a technology that isnt disruptive to
tion tools also keep end-users coming back to
customers operations and maintenance practices.
suppliers of HART-enabled technology. These tools
Likewise, Moore Industries HIM HART loop
make it easier for end-users to integrate HART into
interface and monitor is another innovative tool that
operations. And, as these tools become easier to use
provides process and diagnostic information that
through suppliers upgrades and new systems, endwould be otherwise unavailable with smart multivari- users get more out of their HART-enabled systems.
able transmitters and valves. All an end-user has to
As HART data becomes more integrated into
do is install HIM into a critical loop.
control and asset-management systems, YokogaSmart/HART multivariable transmitters sense
wa continues to enhance the powerful features
multiple process variables, says Steve Todd,
in our flow, temperature, pressure, and analytiMoores corporate marketing director. These
cal devices because we know theres an easy way
transmitters perform an internal calculation to
to maximize these additional capabilities, says
derive a measurement,
Hoag Ostling, chief
such as mass flow.
Its no secret why end-users come application engineer
Next, the transmitters
for Yokogawa Field
send the process variInstruments. Yokogaback to these suppliersHART is a
able to control systems
was HART solution
game-changing
solutions
enabler.
via a 4-20mA signal,
includes integrated
but Todd reports that,
HART I/O modules
without HART-based control systems, end-users
in its CS3000 production-control system and
cant continuously monitor non-primary variables
HART-compatible field instruments.
used to make the calculation.
When end-users integrate these with Yokogawas
Meanwhile, Honeywells intelligent HART tech- Asset Excellence solutions, which provide the founnology, such as its Experion Process Knowledge
dation for comprehensive, condition-based mainteSystem (PKS), also makes end-users more competi- nance strategies, users gain the intelligence inherent
tive. This is the first control system to offer I/O
in protocol-enabled field devices.
with native HART 6.0 support, says RaghavBecause asset management can occur remotely,
endra. Its also the first system to fully adopt
suppliers also are helping end-users integrate that
the HART Communication Foundations (HCF)
technology into operations. The initial customer
Smart Device Configurator Model 625 (SDC-625) benefit for remote configuration via HART has
reference host technology.
expanded in recent years with the addition of asset
Other smart technology that makes HART intemonitoring for improved predictive maintenance,
gration easier comes from ProComSol, which now
says ABBs Olson. This has helped ABBs end-usoffers HART-enabled, device-configuration software. ers improve productivity and lower maintenance
DevCom2000 smart device communicator is based
costs, he adds. ABB has increased its Smart/HART
on SDC-625. This HART-compliant host software
capabilities through HART-multiplexer support for
accesses all HART DD features and functionality,
installed systems, and with new HART-based, consays Jeffrey Dobos, president of ProComSol. This
figuration-and-calibration handhelds that support
includes monitoring and editing device variables, and ABB and non-ABB devices to a device-specific level.
executing all device DD methods, he adds.
Because remote connections, including wireOther new additions to HARTs smart toolbox
less, require modems, end-users can implement
are Honeywells HART 6.0-certified pressure
two HART-compliant devices from ProComSol,
team hart scores

including its universal serial bus (USB) HART
modem, HM-USB, and its wireless Bluetooth
HART modem, HM-BT-BAT.
Another supplier providing access to HART
data is MACTek with its Viator RS232 and USB
HART interfaces. These HART-compliant technologies allow a host PC to communicate to a HARTenabled device made by any supplier, according to
Thomas Holmes, MACTeks president.
What this means to end-users is that these
modems work the first time, Holmes emphasizes.
This capability means end-users can communicate
with their HART-enabled devices without worrying
about the modems reliability or capability when
serving in an industrial environment, he adds.
In response to todays trend of connecting smart
devices via PCs to configure and manage intelligent
device lifecycles, Holmes reports that a PC-HARTmodem combination lowers costs, and makes
device configuration easier, especially with many
parameters. Another advantage of this combination
is its improved use of device capabilities that suppliers build in to produce and maintain database configurations, Holmes notes. These capabilities may
be used, for example, in radar tank-level applications to display the shape of a tank. End-users may
use these data to diagnose device health, validate
operations, and to replace instruments.
EDDL Aids Operations

Suppliers also offer new solutions involving
HARTs EDDL enhancements, which fit into Smart/
HART technologies, and integrate easily into endusers industrial operations. These include improved
user interfaces with support for menus, windows,
tabs and groups, as well as added graphic support
for graphs, trends, charts, and dial indicators.
EDDL further standardizes the user interface for

managing intelligent devices, and eliminates the need
for Windows resource files, supplemental files, and
other modifications, previously required by some asset-management applications.
In fact, Invensys Process Systems Foxboro Automation unit recently announced plans to embed
HARTs SDC-625 technology into Foxboros
process automation system. This HART technology will enable customers to take advantage of the
new enhanced EDDL, says Betty Naylor-McDevitt, Foxboros marketing director. Automation
and control device vendors can program sequential
interactive steps for calibrating and starting up field
devices in EDDL, she adds. And enhancements to
EDDL let device vendors define user interfaces for
plotting, trending, and storing device data.
To make EDDL more available through HART
and other fieldbuses, Emerson and Siemens Automation & Drives announced a new technologysharing effort in July. Theyll expand some systems
to give end-users more access to HART and other
fieldbus standards. Siemens will add interfaces
to its Simatic PCS 7 process-control system and
its Simatic process device manager. Emerson will
expand its DeltaV and Ovation control systems
and its asset management system (AMS) suite. The
two companies plan to release their first products
in this cooperative effort in mid-2007.
Through all of these new technologies and
upgrades to existing ones, suppliers have helped
HART become widely accepted by global customers. HARTs efforts to take this communication
standard to the next level with Release 6.0 shows its
drive to remain one of the worlds premier communication options for the process control industry,
adds Honeywells Gorskie. n
Affordable DD Based Configuration Using Your PC

ProComSol, Ltd designs and manufactures both the hardware and software needed
to perform complete HART device configuration and monitoring using your PC.
DevCom2000 software uses the registered DDs from the HART Foundation, allowing
full access to all device parameters, including Methods. The HM-USB USB HART
modem and the HM-BT-BAT Bluetooth HART modem offer significant cost savings
and productivity benefits. Units meet industry standards for USB, Bluetooth, and
HART connectivity. Order this affordable solution online using our secure website.
ProComSol, Ltd
Process Communication Solutions

Tel. 216.221.1550 Fax 216.221.1554 www.procomsol.com [email protected]
HART FORWARD
Use The Tools You Have

S
ome tools sit in your toolbox and are rarely used. Other
and other intelligent device information into the control,
tools are attached to your tool belt and used daily. In
asset management or safety system. This supplement is
some cases we overlook the added benets and capabilities
loaded with useful tips on how to identify projects that
that a tool can provide because, well, we just dont think of
provide a high ROI and signicant value to your operation.
it that way. Do you think of HART as a tool in your toolbox
In this supplement, we review how small and gradual inor one that is on your tool belt and used daily?
vestments will enable plants to avoid unplanned shutdowns
Remaining competitive in todays global economy is no
and unnecessary maintenance costs. Optimizing your assets
small task. We need every possible
resource and asset maximized
HART Communication is one
to provide that competitive edge
of those tools that might be
needed to survive. We spend time
wishing for things we might like to
in your toolbox but needs to
have and in reality the wish might
be moved to your belt!
be sitting right in our toolbox.
HART Communication is one
of those tools that might be in your toolbox but needs to be
and increasing the efciency of your staff contribute to
moved to your belt! When you open it up, you will nd a
making HART a low-risk and cost-effective decisionone
powerful, easy to use and cost-effective eld communication that is easy to deploy and to justify. Finally, we identify the
protocol solution that lowers operating cost, increases plant
benets of the enhanced Device Description Language and
availability and helps with regulatory compliance. Based on
wireless HART. We continue to invest in HART technology
the industry standard 4-20mA, this robust, low-risk protocol to make sure it addresses your need to remain competitive.
is the right tool for the job.
Regardless of the make and vintage of your control system or
In this 5th annual HART supplement, we present ideas, the type of HART-enabled eld devices you may already have
information and testimonials on using the POWER of
installed, there are many solutions available from the 160+
HART and getting more from what youve got installed.
HART Communication Foundation member companies that
HART is the tool you can use to make your plant run more can help you put the POWER of HART to work in your plant.
efciently by putting it to work with your plant automation,
Get more from the HART devices youve got working in
safety and asset management systemsmaximizing your
you plant. Why? Simplein order to become or remain
assets. As pointed out in this document, HART-enabled
competitive. You need to think of HART as the tool you
projects are easy to nd, install, use, and to justify. In most use daily to solve critical problems or better yet, identify
cases, the pay back is quick and benets signicant.
and avoid them before they become problems.
Field instruments are becoming more intelligent and
Getting more information is as easy as contacting your
more open with advanced functions and diagnostic features
device or system suppliers or by visiting www.hartcomm.
that are powerful tools to achieve corporate objectives.
org. The HART Communication Foundation is here to eduEnabled by HART Communication, todays control systems
cate, train and assist you to get more from what youve got
and I/O interfaces can painlessly integrate the intelligent in- and to UNLEASH the POWER of HART.
formation from these devices and put it in the hands of plant
Is HART on your tool belt?
personal to maximize and optimize the operation. New tools
& technology enhancements like the DD-IDE development
environment, HART 6 and the enhanced Device Description Language contribute to HARTs ability to be one of the
most useful tools on your belt.
Ron Helson
We will help you identify big opportunities when you
Ron Helson, Executive Director,
move from part-time to full-time communications with
HART-smart eld devices and the integration of diagnostics 512-794-0369; [email protected]
HART VALUE
ts ironic; in their endless quest to reduce costs

while increasing output and quality, many
manufacturers have been ignoring one of the
most potent technologies for achieving those ends.
Not only that, its a technology in which most of
them already have made substantial investments!
The technology? HART. For years, instrument
and systems vendors have been incorporating
HART communications capabilities into eld
devices, enabling those devices to send digital
information, including diagnostic information
and secondary variables, to host systems. (The
HART Communication Foundation estimates that
more than 15 million HART-capable devices are
installed worldwide.) But with the exception of
maintenance personnel tramping into the eld with
handheld communicators to congure instruments,
most users have left HARTs benets untapped.
Those days are coming to an end, however. Instrument vendors are providing open access to their devices through readily available device descriptions;
control systems providers are including HART I/O
hardware in their products as well as asset management software; and many vendors are marketing
products that enable the owners of legacy, analogonly systems to access the power of HART.
So, with HART data more accessible and potentially useful, key questions users face are:
Whats the best way for my company to access
that data?
How do we identify applications in which we can
use HART to generate business value?
A Brief History
HART, an acronym for Highway Addressable Remote Transducer, was developed in the late 1980s
and became publicly available in the early 1990s.
Unlike other recent eld communications protocols, such as Foundation Fieldbus and Probus,
which are totally digital, HART is a hybrid
analog/digital technology. An instruments primary
variable is transmitted via the industry standard
analog 4-20 mA signal, but up to four secondary
variables and device diagnostic information can
be digitally piggybacked on it. As a result of
these digital communications capabilities, users
have access to extensive data from their devices,
including diagnostic information and -- in the case
of some instruments -- multiple process variables
(i.e., a pressure transmitter also might be capable
of providing temperature data).
In 1993, the HART Communication Foundation (HCF) assumed ownership of the protocol and
responsibility for administering and maintaining
it. As part of its mission, HCF tests systems and
devices for HART compliance and provides educational services to vendors and users.
In HARTs early years, many instrument vendors
quickly adopted the technology, but the remote
connectivity was complex due to the need for additional wiring and hardware, such as multiplexers.
Sandro Esposito, Masoneilans diagnostic product
manager, says this lack of seamless connectivity
created islands of automation for the user.
Charlie Piper, eldbus product manager for
Invensys Foxboro business unit, agreed.
There are more than 500 different HART
People are realizing that HART is

capable of delivering many of the
same benets as eldbus.
devices in the marketplace, and theres lots of
information you can get about their performance,
such as when valve positioners are starting to wear
out or stick, he says. But until recently no one
had come up with a way for all the host vendors to
have a user interface to do these neat things with
everyone elses devices.
Today, however, most vendors make their Device
Description (DD) les openly available. HCF
maintains and distributes a library of hundreds of
DDs that enable any HART host (e.g., control system, congurator, asset management system, safety
system, etc.) to communicate with a vast array of
eld devices. That development is coupled with
the development of comprehensive applications to
monitor assets, such as Siemens Process Device
Manager, Emerson Process Managements AMS
Device Manager, and Honeywells Asset Manager
PKS. As a result, users now are able to access most
if not all of their device information from a
single screen, regardless of device manufacturer.
In recent months, HCF has developed new tools
and technologies to make development of HARTcompliant DDs easier. These include the new Device Description Integrated Development Environment (DD-IDE), which is designed to streamline
development, testing and maintenance of DDs and
facilitate the creation of product applications with
HART VALUE
DD capabilities.
The DD-IDE supports the iterative DD development style with a fast and efcient integrated
tool set. Each step in the edit-build-test cycle is
supported in a DD-aware editing environment,
says Wally Pratt, HCFs chief engineer.
Also near completion is the Enhanced Device
Description Language (EDDL) specication. EDDL
gives vendors the ability to add new capabilities to
Keys to HART value

Identify the most critical loops in your plant
rst and begin monitoring them via HART on
a full-time basis. Other less essential loops can
be monitored ofine periodically.
An outsider can bring fresh perspective. So
consider bringing in an outside consultant to
help you identify areas where you can realize
maximum benet from HART-based solutions.
Make a business plan to determine if the cost
of incidents is higher than the cost of investing in HART-enabled I/O.
Employ a diagnostic tool to monitor loops
and eld instrument performance and identify potential troublespots that could benet
from full time monitoring via HART.
Take advantage of resources and training provided by HART Communication Foundation.
While HART is used primarily for equipment
monitoring and conguration purposes, dont
overlook opportunities to use it in appropriate control applications.
DDs while improving cross-platform compatibility
and facilitating device set-up. (See details elsewhere in this supplement.)
HART-enabled instruments deliver greater
value than ever before, says Dave Smith, manager
of Yokogawas plant network technology center.
The processing power of the devices is increasing
greatly, says Smith. Therefore, eld instruments
feature additional functionality, including diagnostic type functions, predictive functions and others.
Jim Cobb, marketing manager of Emerson
Process Managements Rosemount Division, notes
that users are increasingly aware of the capabilities of the digital eld. One of the reasons is that
suppliers are better implementing features to use
the capabilities of HART devices, says Cobb.
Another reason, ironically, is that theres been so
much talk about eldbus in recent years. People
are realizing that HART is capable of delivering

many of the same benets as eldbus.
Identifying High-Value Applications

Industry experts are nearly unanimous that the
greatest return on HART technology investment
lies in the ability to continuously monitor the eld
instruments. Masoneilans Esposito notes that drastic reductions in maintenance staffs during the past
decade have made automated monitoring of eld
instruments an absolute necessity in many plants.
By being able to watch and track the condition of
plant oor devices, maintenance and operations
personnel can spot problems in the making and
take action before they cause process upsets and
unplanned shutdowns. Conversely, being able to
see that a device is working well enables users to
avoid unnecessary maintenance activities.
If you have a lot of HART devices in your installation, and youre not monitoring them on a continuous basis, youre missing a great deal of opportunity, says Tom Holmes, president of MACTek, a
manufacturer of HART modems. Theres diagnostic
information, alarms, alerts and conrmations of
whether the analog signal is good or bad.
Industry experts recommended a number of
strategies to help users identify the most high-value applications involving continuous monitoring.
Emersons Cobb suggests that plants go about
taking advantage of HART gradually.
One of the nice things about HART is that you
can add its capabilities to your plant, loop by loop,
and gradually take your facility from analog to a
fully integrated HART plant, says Cobb.
Id start with online monitoring of my most critical assets. Thats where Im going to get the most
value from predictive diagnostics, such as being
able to avoid unplanned shutdowns and preventing off-quality products, adds Cobb. At the same
time, I might start using HART to monitor other instruments ofine and gradually, as my maintenance
budget allows, bring other assets online.
Marcelo Dultra, vice president of sales and
marketing for Smar International, recommends
plant audits as a means of identifying areas ripe
for improvement via HART. They should do a full
check of what equipment they have installed and
what technologies theyre using. This kind of thing
usually takes a maximum of two or three days, says
Dultra, who adds that Smar, as well as other vendors
and consulting rms, provide such services.
HART VALUE
Its always good to get opinions from outside the
plant, from people who have seen other operations. If
you work a long period in your own plant, you miss
some points that are important, especially when it
comes to the technologies available today, he adds.
Prasad Raghavendra, Honeywells product manager
for all systems-related HART products, recommends
that users review a history of process upsets and their
causes to identify areas that are ripe for HART-enabled continuous monitoring. Make a business plan
out of that to determine if the cost of incidents are
higher than the cost for investing in HART-enabled I/
O, says Raghavendra. Thats a fairly simple method
that would clearly indicate whether it was worth it for
the customer to make the investment.
In some instances, he says, the benets from investing in HART will be plain. For example, your
plant could be having problems caused by simple
incidents like sensor failures. If youre simply
relying on a 4-20 mA signal, the operator will see
a local trip, but everything in that group of devices
becomes suspect. This requires the operator to call
maintenance and initiate what could be an extensive debugging process. With HART, however, if
theres a sensor failure, the device tells you that
its the source of the problem, saving you time and
resources in correcting the malfunction.
Processes that could benet the most from this
technology are those with a large number of remote-connected HART devices that can be brought
in to a control system through a remote HART I/O,
says Eric Olson, a senior product manager with
ABB. This could include processes such as those
in the oil and gas or wastewater treatment industries, where there are many satellite I/O stations.
Foxboros Piper recommends that users employ
a diagnostic tool such as ExperTunes PlantTriage,
to monitor loops and eld instrument performance
and identify potential troublespots that could benet from full time monitoring via HART.
HART can play an important role in reneries,
mills and power plants that employ process safety
systems. To maintain a systems Safety Integrity Level
(SIL) rating, safety system valves must be periodically
tested to ensure that they will move if called upon in
an emergency. Full-range tests can be conducted only
during plant shutdowns, but these occur only every
two to three years. However, by stroking a valve by as
little as 10 percent, which does not disrupt a process,
plants can ensure the reliability of their safety valves.
A valve positioner has the ability, via HART, to conS-14 Advertising supplement to CONTROL
rm to operators that the valve actually responded to

the movement command.
Robert Hotard, a product manager with instrument-maker K-Tek, also suggests that users take
advantage of HCFs expertise in planning HARTbased projects. The rst thing Id recommend to
anyone interested in HART is to go to the Foundations website (www.hartcomm.org), says Hotard.
Theres a lot of information there thats available
to everyone and explains in great detail how to use
the protocol and the benets that are possible. Im
currently writing some manuals for K-Tek products, and in them I specically reference the HCF
website.
Dont Overlook Control Opportunities

While most facilities use HART for applications
related to device conguration and maintenance,
users also should look for opportunities to use
HART data for process monitoring as well. For
example, in applications where conditions such as
temperature, pressure and levels change relatively
slowly, users can reduce the number of instruments
they need in the eld by acquiring multiple variables from a single device. Hotard points to tank
farms as being ideal sites in which to make use of
HART for applications such as inventory monitoring. (see accompanying story).
In relatively small operations, users can set up
modest, but effective SCADA systems that utilize
HART technology, says Macteks Holmes. You
could continuously monitor up to eight points using
a PC equipped with eight USB HART modems.
Thats very do-able, says Holmes.
For software, you could use a dedicated data
acquisition package such as Wonderwares InTouch
software, or something as basic as a Microsoft Excel
spreadsheet. I think there are plenty of operations
such as bakeries or small specialty chemical plants
that cant justify spending the money for a large control system. But with HART input and a PC, you can
build yourself a quick and dirty DCS, he adds.
Liberate the Genie
Having HART capabilities at your disposal, but
not taking advantage of them, is like keeping the
genie stuffed in the lamp. By carefully examining
your facility, looking at the HART capabilities you
already have, and carefully weighing the need for
additional investments, you can take full advantage
of opportunities for improvement.
JUSTIFYING HART
Selling UP!
Justifying HART Investments to Management
no-brainer!
Mom and apple pie!
So obvious, its barely worth
discussing!
These are some of the immediate responses
from systems and instrumentation suppliers and
users when asked how maintenance and operations
departments should go about justifying investments
in HART technology to plant managers.
But a no-brainer to a plant maintenance manager
may not necessarily strike the same chord with a
senior nancial manager. Consequently, personnel
who want to start reaping the benets of HART need
to develop strategies that take into consideration
the HART capabilities the facility already has (e.g.,
installed HART instruments, HART I/O, etc.), additional investments needed, and the benets the
company will realize from those expenditures.
Intelligent Field
Communication
The no-brainer attitude stems from the fact that

most plants already have made substantial investments in HART technology. So, say the experts, it
only makes sense to put those capabilities to use.
If youve bought 4-20 mA instrumentation in
recent years, chances are good that its already
HART-enabled, says Prasad Raghavendra, a
A no-brainer to a plant maintenance manager may not necessarily strike the same
chord with a senior nancial manager.
systems product manager for Honeywell. And if
youre considering buying new instrumentation, the
incremental investment in buying HART-enabled
devices rather than those capable of only 4-20 mA
HART data integration with

control, asset management
and safety systems
Systems communicate with
HART devices full time
both 420mA and digital
HART Data
ERP
CMMS
HMI
Control
Systems detect impending

problems and provides alerts
Continuously validates control
signal integrity
HART
I/O
Automatically detects deviation

in device/system data
Continuous device diagnostics
Multi-Variable device data
available to improve operations
HART Field Devices
JUSTIFYING HART
is extremely small. So it becomes easy to decide to
go with HART without having to make a big case.
If youve purchased your control system during
the past few years, odds are good that it has native
HART I/O, meaning you can bring the digital HART
signal, including diagnostic information, secondary
process variables, etc., directly into the system.
In addition, HART Communication operates over
existing wires, so much of the physical infrastructure you need already is in place.
Most plants, however, will have to invest at least a
small sum in equipment and/or software to take advantage of HART capabilities. These include HART
multiplexers, which strip the HART digital signal
from the 4-20 mA signal and route it to PC-based
software applications equipped to accept HART input; and HART modems, which are PC I/O cards that
enable users to communicate with devices via HART.
In putting together a case for those investments,
maintenance and operations departments should
stress to management the situations that wont occur
as a result of using HART. Specically, HART will
enable plants to avoid unplanned shutdowns and
unnecessary maintenance, particularly on valves.

Youre going to make your workforce more
efcient, because you can get them focused on
working on the right stuff, says Jim Cobb, marketing manager for Emerson Process Managements
Rosemount Division. This is especially true of the
valve diagnostics. Its probably the one that hits you
right in the face.
Being able to keep an eye on valve performance
via HART and compare it against valve signatures
will reveal to plants when the device actually needs
maintenance.
If your current mode of maintenance involves
shutting down every six months and checking
valves, transmitters, etc., the use of HART may enable you to reschedule and reduce those activities,
says Marcelo Dultra, vice president of sales and
marketing for Smar International. If you can show
that a valve can run eight or nine months, you might
not have to shut down every six months. Theres
enormous value in that.
In plants that employ safety systems, testing
safety valves periodically is absolutely essential. Af-
Inergys Bakerseld Plant Moves Gas With HART

Inergy, headquartered in Kansas City, Mo., is
a major provider of propane and services to
600,000 customers. While most of its operations
are in the Southern, Midwestern and Northeastern states, the company operates a natural gas
liquids site in Bakerseld, Calif., that includes
processing, storage and terminal services.
Propane manufactured at the facility is stored
in bullet tanks, each of which holds 10,000 to
15,000 gallons of propane. It is critical for the
company to monitor levels and temperatures in
each of the containers, since propane expands
as temperatures rise. If pressure increases too
much, the company must vent gas into the atmosphere and risk violating stringent California
environmental regulations.
Ken Clifton, instrumentation and electrical supervisor at the plant, says personnel used to rely
on sight glasses and spinner gauges mounted
in the tanks to visually judge levels. Our people
would have to actually go out there and look at
the tanks to determine the levels, he says, adding that it was inefcient.
To improve the situation, Inergy decided three
years ago to install eld instruments in each
tank that would send readings on temperature

and level back to Inergys control system. We
could have put separate temperature and level
transmitters into each of 40 tanks, but that
involved quite a bit of instrumentation and
wiring. Instead, we purchased instruments from
K-Tek, each of which was able to monitor both
of those variables, says Clifton.
The transmitters send 4-20 mA level readings back to the plants programmable logic
controller equipped with a HART gateway and
use a HART digital signal to communicate temperature and level information. Using the two
readings, the system is able to calculate the level
in each tank accurately and display it on the
systems HMI.
With this system, were able to get two readings for the price of one, and its worked well
for us, says Clifton. Weve had a few minor
problems, but none involving use of the HART
Protocol.
In fact, adds Clifton, all the instrumentation we put in this plant has the HART Protocol,
because it makes troubleshooting easy for our
instrumentation techs.
JUSTIFYING HART
The HART Difference

Analog
12 mA
Control System
+420 mA
Two Simultaneous Communication Channels

420mA channelfast, robust & reliable
Digital two-way communication channel
for device status, diagnostics, alerts, etc.
ter all, the last thing you want is for a valve to stick
in an emergency. Under IEC and ISA safety system
standards, a plant systems probability of failure on
demand can be reduced by increasing the frequency
of system testing. Increasing frequency once was
impractical for many plants, since valves could
only be tested during shutdowns. However, plants
now can run partial-stroke tests in which a valve is
moved only a small percentage of its full range, to
ensure that it functions properly in emergencies.
If the valve actuator is HART-capable, the device
can conrm its actual movement to operators and
maintenance personnel.
Even in terms of day to day safety for workers,
HART can play an important role. Norit Americas
manufactures activated and reactivated carbon at its
plant in Pryor, Okla. The manufacturing process requires the usage of acid, coal, steam, burners and compressed air, creating a hazardous work environment. By
replacing conventional analog monitoring devices with
HART-capable devices, maintenance personnel are
able to run diagnostics and perform calibration checks
and even make adjustments from the safety of the
equipment control room through the use of a handheld
set. In addition, the plant recently installed an asset
management system workstation in its maintenance
building, allowing personnel to work on HART-capable
devices without leaving the structure.
Fritz Geiger, a systems product manager with
Siemens, notes that HART Device Descriptions
enable users to store all or nearly all of their instrument data in a single database, thus improving
organization, reducing expenditures on multiple
pieces of equipment and software, and making
more efcient use of personnel.
This provides high benet for the user, says
HART Transmitter
3540 Data Items Standard in Every HART Device!

Device Identication
Calibration Data
Process Variables
Diagnostic Alerts
Geiger. He may have thousands of instruments and

has to keep all of those different ranges and parameters updated. The best way to do that is to have all
of the information available in a single database.
Sasol, an international chemical manufacturer,
can testify to the value and benets of HART based
on its use in its South African solvents operations. In 2000, as part of the planning process for
construction of a butanol plant, the company set
as goals the detection of eld instrumentation and
valve problems before they could cause production
loss; migration from run-to-failure maintenance
mode to predictive maintenance strategies; a reduc-
HART will enable plants to avoid

unplanned shutdowns and unnecessary
maintenance, particularly on valves.
tion in control valve maintenance expenditures; and
improved change management.
Sasol saw HART-based asset management as the
means for achieving these ends. Among the benets
the company realized through the use of HARTbased asset management just in the past two years
are savings of nearly $2 million on prevention of
plant trips, the avoidance of unnecessary repairs,
and detection of faulty or poorly optimized valve
positioners.
Obviously, no two plants are alike, and results
that each can achieve through the use of HART can
vary widely. Based on their experience working with
a wide variety of users, systems and instrumentation
vendors have come up with a number of implementation tips to consider and pitfalls to avoid:
JUSTIFYING HART
Implement solutions gradually
Emersons Cobb notes that HART can be effectively
implemented gradually, by tiers, making it easier to
budget investments over a long period. At the low
end of investment, you can stay ofine and simply
monitor loops on a manual basis periodically. This can
be done in the eld with a handheld communicator or
by hooking up a PC equipped with asset management
software, including data on all your instrumentation,
says Cobb. At the next level up, you can establish
Youre going to make your workforce more efcient, because you

can get them focused on working
on the right stuff.
continuous monitoring via a separate asset management system. And, beyond that, if your plant has
invested in a control system with HART I/O, you can
bring the secondary variables directly into it.
Rely as much as possible

on existing equipment
Steve Todd, marketing director for Moore Industries, which manufactures HART multiplexers
says, Weve found that customers that stand to
gain the most from HART technology are the ones
that can leave as much existing equipment in place
as possible, yet still make signicant, cost-effective
process improvements. For example, if a customer
wants valve position feedback at the control room,
he can go the traditional route and run additional
wiring back to the control room that provides this
data. This gets expensive fast. A second alternative, though, is for the customer to leave everything
else alone, and install smart HART controllers on
the existing valves. Then, extract the stem position
data from the HART digital data using a HART
interface instrument installed in the control room.
Demand interoperability from vendors
While HART is a very open protocol, not every company subscribes to it, says Honeywells
Raghavendra. Consequently, buyers should
make sure from their vendors that the eld device
and/or system fully complies with the protocol as
dened by the HART Communication Foundation.
Customers also should encourage their vendors to
register their devices with the foundation.
Be specic about your goals

Be specic about how you want HART to meet
your needs, advises John DuBay, instrumentation
product manager for Meriam Process Technologies.
Predictive maintenance is a great story, but many
end users arent sure what diagnostics theyre looking for. If you ask them about the specic diagnostic capabilities theyre interested in, theyre not
always sure.
Provide easy access to HART data
To achieve the benets of online conguration
and diagnostics, operations and maintenance personnel need to cooperate. However, that situation
often is the exception rather than the rule, says
DuBay. Not many operators are eager to open
up access to their maintenance crews because
theyre fearful that devices could be recongured
incorrectly or by accident.
Know where the ROI is coming from
Masoneilan Digital Product Specialist Leo Hughes
advises that users should not expect to get substantial maintenance-related ROI from new HARTenabled digital valves. The big rate of return is
on the existing valves, says Hughes. You can
graph a valves performance over time and see that
it plateaus at a high level of performance when its
new. You want to know wheres the drop-off from
that plateau, and how steep it is.
Minimize scan time with multiple masters
If you plan to use HART to continuously monitor
your eld devices, update parameters, and cyclically read additional values, make sure you have a
suitable number of HART masters, says Siemens
Geiger. If you just have one master talking to 32
eld devices, youll wind up with scan time of ve
or 10 minutes. You dont want that.
Its about work processes, too
Technology alone wont deliver HART benets if
your workforce fails to alter its work processes.
If they continue to do everything in the same
way, even after theyve put in some of these
HART connections and asset management software packages, theyre not going to get the payback that they should, says Cobb. They need to
change their work practices to take advantage of
the fact that the transmitters are delivering more,
very valuable information.
FUTURE HART
HART to the Future!

HCF turbocharges plant communications with Enhanced
Device Description Language and Wireless HART
ART has been a mainstay of process

automation for more than a decade, but
dont mistakenly equate its maturity with
stagnation.
The HART Communication Foundation (HCF)
staff and its members have been working for the
past several years on enhancements that will
increase the HART protocols value to users. The
fruit of those efforts will become evident during
the coming months with the release of the new
Enhanced Device Description Language (EDDL)
and a wireless version of HART.
EDDL represents an upgrade to the DDL that
has been an important component of HART Communications since the very beginning. Instrument
vendors use DDL, a text-based language, to write
Device Descriptions (DDs), which are binary les
that identify their products to a host system and
provide the system with their operating parameters.
(DDs are analogous to driver les provided to PC
users by the makers of printers, scanners and other
peripherals. The driver allows the PC to recognize
the device, congure it and control its operation.)
EDDL Benets
Organizations responsible for other digital eld

communications protocols, including Fieldbus
Foundation and Probus Nutzerorganisation
(PNO), have adopted the use of DDL as well. In
2004, the International Electrotechnical Commission designated DDL as an international standard.
Wireless HART will improve their ability

to establish full-time digital connectivity
to eld devices. It will lower the cost
to add points to a HART network, reduce
wiring and make sensing more
ubiquitous throughout installations.
As smart eld instrument technology progresses, suppliers embed more capabilities in them,
including the ability to transmit information on
additional variables, perform increasingly complex math functions, provide more sophisticated
diagnostics, etc. As a result, conguring asset man-
Device Suppliers
Covers all devicesfrom
simple to complex
Efcient development of DDs
Operating System independent
Stable EDD
Users
standard
Universal tools for all devices
Lowers devel Consistent look & feel
opment and
Highly reliable and robust
support costs
Safe operation
Compatible with existing devices
Protect investments
Lower maintenance costs
Lower training cost
FUTURE HART
agement and control systems to use this abundance
of information has become a more complex task.
Complicating things further is the fact that vendors
must develop and maintain separate DDLs for
every different host system.
To ease the burden on users and vendors alike,
HCF, the Fieldbus Foundation (FF) and PNO have
been working together for the past three years to
develop an enhanced version of DDL that gives
vendors the ability to add new capabilities to DDs
while improving cross-platform compatibility and
facilitating device set-up. More recently, the OPC
Foundation joined the development effort.

Ed Ladd, HCFs director of Technology Programs, says some vendors already have added
EDDL capabilities to their products and adds that
major systems vendors will incorporate it into control systems starting early next year. To make their
systems EDDL-capable, systems vendors must
add an EDDL Host Service Module, which will be
available from HCF, FF and PNO.
Among the most noteworthy improvements
enabled by EDDL is instrument vendors ability to
use DDs to dictate the look and feel of graphical
EDDL Enhances HART Communication

Electronic Device Description Language (EDDL) is the most
installed and important digital communication descriptive
conforming to HCF, FF, PNO and OPC specications all

use EDDL as a means of interpreting device parameters.
language in the manufacturing and process industries.

The EDDL enhancements provide new capabilities to
EDDL is a text-based language used to describe the
benet users in taking full advantage of the intelligence
standard and unique characteristics of eld devices.
in millions of smart HART-enabled measurement and
HART was the rst protocol to implement EDDL - which
valve actuator devices. The enhancements provide users
enables suppliers of HART-capable instruments to
with more information about the connected device while
dene and document their products in a single, open
giving device developers the tools they need to provide a
and consistent format. This format is readable by many
consistent look and feel, regardless of the host application.
devices including handheld communicators, control

systems, PCs and other process interface devices that
support DDL.
The EDDL enhancements include improved data

visualization and display capabilities like waveforms
and valve signatures, a standardized method to access
Automation suppliers use EDDL to create Device Descrip-
historic measurement or device performance informa-
tion (DD) les that provide a standardized method for
tion and enhanced tools for high-level information
host systems to access and display valuable parameters
such as algorithmic relationships for complex device
located in eld instruments so that the full capability of
parameters - display and use in control systems.
the device can be accessed via the protocol.

EDDL enhancements include an improved user interface
EDDL is used to describe such parameters as device
with support for menus, windows, tabs and groups and
status, process data measurements, device diagnostics,
added graphic support for graphs, trends, charts and
multi-variable measurements and device conguration
dial indicators. The enhanced EDDL further standard-
information in a digital format. As applied in the HART
izes the user interface for managing intelligent devices
Protocol, this digital information is imposed on top of
and eliminates the need for Windows resource les,
the industry-standard process control signal of 4-20mA.
supplemental les, and other DD modications previ-
EDDL allows the control system to read and format this
ously required by some asset management applications.
information making it valuable to the user.

The new EDDL enhancements enable users to interact
Developed in a cooperation with Fieldbus Foundation,
with their intelligent devices in new ways. Graphs,
Probus and the OPC Foundation, the enhanced EDDL
charts, and calculations assist in the conguration of
extends the capabilities of Device Description Language
devices including complex instruments such as digital
to provide an industry-standard solution for advanced
valve controllers, radar level gauges and multivariable
visualization of intelligent device information to main-
meters. The enhancements also support storage of
tain the proven integrity of existing DD technology
historical data from eld devices for troubleshooting
across all four communication technologies. Devices
and diagnostics.
FUTURE HART
interfaces to instrument information and set up,
regardless of host platform.
Using the current DDs, device attributes show
up in a hierarchical tree, says Ladd. But with the
new interface options and graphical capabilities,
device suppliers create actual windows that enable
users to see all of the pertinent information about
Some vendors already have added

EDDL capabilities to their products
and major systems vendors will
incorporate it into control systems
starting early next year.
intelligent instruments. And, with the exception of
things like colors, fonts, etc., that data will appear
the same way on System X, System Y or System Z.
Because vendors will not have to develop or
maintain DDs for each host system that communicates with their eld devices, development and
maintenance of device description les should be
far less complex, he adds.
EDDL also will enable the incorporation of
graphical elements, such as valve signatures, x-y
graphs and bar charts, directly into the displays,
eliminating the need for separate applications to
display the data, says Ladd.
The enhanced DDL also allows persistent storage of data related to eld devices. For example,
users will be able to store multiple valve signature
les generated by DDs and compare them to their
valves current states, enabling users to more easily
and quickly evaluate each devices performance
and whether maintenance is necessary.
EDDL also allows vendors to include in DDs
instructions to host systems to execute advanced
math functions that provide users with important
information about the status and operation of their
instruments.
Wireless HART represents the other imminent
improvement to the HART protocol. Today, HART
enables communication of a device primary value
over standard twisted-pair wiring, using a 4-20
mA signal, while secondary values are digitally
piggybacked on the analog signal via Frequency
Shift Keying or Phase Shift Keying. With Wireless HART, the primary value may still be carried
via wiring, but users will be able to use a wireless
signal either to supplement or replace the wired

transmission of digital data.
HCFs Wireless HART Working Group, comprising representatives of numerous instrument and
systems providers, began development of the Wireless HART specication late last year and set March
2006 as the goal for completion of the specication,
says Kelly Orth, distinguished technologist with
Emerson Process Managements Rosemount Division and leader of the working group.
HART is a very lightweight protocol, so it is
relatively simple to tunnel HART messages inside
wireless data packets, says Orth. At this point,
weve generated a list of almost 50 requirements of
how we want a Wireless HART system to behave.
Orth estimates that only 5 to 10 percent of users
who have installed nearly 15 million HART-enabled
devices use anything more than their 4-20 mA
analog capabilities to communicate with higher level
systems. As a result, most users are missing the
opportunity to capture data that can vastly improve
their operations and maintenance capabilities.
Wireless HART will improve their ability to
establish full-time digital connectivity to eld
devices. It will lower the cost to add points to a
HART network, reduce wiring and make sensing
more ubiquitous throughout installations, he says.
The Wireless HART Working Group is considering a mesh network architecture for the protocol
to deliver reliable communications. Unlike pointto-point networks, in which all nodes communicate
directly with a line-of-sight base station, mesh
networks allow nodes to communicate with one
another, establishing ad hoc, redundant paths to
the base.
This improves reliability, says Orth. If a particular path is blocked, there are other ways for the
message to get through. Mesh networks also scale
well. You just add more repeaters or routers without
having to add much power. Also, the bigger a mesh
network is, the more reliable it is, because more
redundant pathways are automatically created.
Point-to-point networks are really just a subset
of mesh networks, so the Wireless HART solution
will cover these applications as well.
As part of the development of Wireless HART,
the working group is coordinating its activities with
other industry wireless organizations, including the
ISA SP100 Wireless Committee, to ensure continuity and uniformity with wireless standardization
efforts currently under way.
HART0409_07_EDIT.qxd
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Page S-7
h a r tf o r w a r d
Get Connected with HART
OWER. For centuries peoRegardless of the make and vintage of your conple have tried to harness,
trol system or the type of HART-enabled field
create and control it. In todays
devices you may already have installed, there are
economy, the ability to use the
many solutions available from the 150+ HART
power at your disposal is the
Communication Foundation member companies
name of the game. Corporate
that can help you put the POWER of HART to work
objectives typically include: lowin your plant.
ering cost, increasing availability,
HART is the easy, low-cost, low-risk and highimproving operations
and optimizing assets.
In this 4th annual HART
Sound familiar?
Field instruments are
supplement, we present ideas,
becoming more intelligent with advanced
information and testimonials on
functions and diagnostic
features that are powerusing the POWER of HART
ful tools to achieve corporate objectives.
Enabled by HART Communication, todays control systems and I/O interfaces
value field communication solution that most
can painlessly integrate the intelligent information
likely is already installed in your plant. Put it to
from these devices and put it in the hands of plant
work, get your control system in continuous conoperators to maximize and optimize assets.
tact with the intelligent capabilities of your smart
In this 4th annual HART supplement, we present
field devicesUse the POWER and see what
ideas, information and testimonials on using the
HART can do for you!
POWER of HART and putting it to work with your
Getting more information is as easy as contacting
plant automation, safety and asset management sysany of your device or system suppliers or by visiting
tems for maximum benefit. As pointed out in the
www.hartcomm.org. The HART Communication
first article, HART-enabled products are easy to
Foundation is also here to educate and help you to
install, easy to use, and easy to justify. The pay back

UNLEASH the POWER of HART.
is quick and within your grasp.
The article New Value from Your Asset Data identifies big changes that have occurred concerning realtime communications with HART-smart field devices
and the integration of diagnostics and other intelligent
device information into the control system. There are
many ways to get and use the HART data in your conRon Helson,
trol systemsthe key is to start today! Finally, the artiExecutive Director
cle Ready for HART? Pick a High Value Project to
Start provides valuable tips from users of the technol512/794-0369; [email protected]
ogy on how to maximize your investments.
Advertising supplement to CONTROL
S-7
HART0409_10_14_LEAD.qxd
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Page S-10
Po w e r o f h a r t
The Power is In Your Hands

Looking for a Digital Field Network? With HART, Its Right in Front of You
t BPs PTA (Purified Terephthalic Acid) plant

in Wando, S.C., managers are facing a
dilemma familiar to their counterparts at thousands
of manufacturing facilities throughout the country:
do more with less.
BP is interested in maximizing our competitive
position. Our objective is to lower costs and
increase our availability. We need to use what we
have and use it better, says A.J. Lambert, an instrument and electrical reliability specialist with BP.
One way plant personnel are achieving that goal is
by using a previously underutilized technology that
is providing them with a remarkably detailed view of
conditions throughout their plant and the ability to
reduce asset management/maintenance costs.
The silver bullet thats generating these benefits: the
HART Field Communication Protocol. Through the
use of HART diagnostic information, this BP plant is
saving a hundreds of thousands of dollars per year in
maintenance and production costs, says Lambert.
Feel the Power

Of course, not every plant will attain such dramatic
S-10
results, but most users can achieve all, or nearly all,

of the functionality they seek by tapping into the
proven power of the HART-enabled field devices
they may already own. As a result, most of the benefits they achieve through the use of HART communication drops right to the bottom line.
HARTs exceptional value to process manufacturers
lies in its ability to simultaneously communicate an
instruments primary variable via a standard 420 mA
analog signal and additional process variables and
diagnostic information via digital signals on the same
wire (See accompanying article). Initially, HART was
embraced by maintenance staffs who were delighted
to be able to use handheld communicators and calibrators, such as those made by Meriam Process Technologies or Emerson Process Management, and take
them into the field. All they had to do was attach
them to any HART-compliant instrumentregardless
of manufacturerand they were immediately able to
retrieve critical information about an instruments
condition, its health and its range. They could also
perform and document calibrations and obtain much
more digital information besides.
8/24/04
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Page S-11
Since then, manufacturers have developed a wide

range of new intelligent products and added HART
capabilities to existing ones, providing even greater
benefits to a broader base of users. For example,
field device makers such as Siemens differentiate
themselves by communicating additional HART data
that is unique to the companys instruments.
Siemens pressure transmitters have the ability to
monitor and store data on the highest and lowest
pressures experienced by the entire instrument, the
instruments pressure capsule and its electronics,
says Lou DiNapoli, marketing manager for the companys pressure and temperature transmitters.
All users have to do, says DiNapoli, is use a
HART handheld device or our Device Description
Language (DDL)-enabled Simatic Process Device Manager (PDM) software to get that information, which is
highly useful in diagnosing process problems. If you
use someone elses equipment and software, you need
the Device Description for our instrument.
Sophisticated Asset Management
HART, we pull only five or six valves during a shutdown. And we have a lot more information about
why were pulling it. Our diagnostic system can
show us when a problem assumed to be in a valve
really isnt, but is perhaps somewhere else in the
process. In other cases, were able to see potential
problems in valves before they become serious.
Petro-Canada, which is implementing projects at
its Montreal and Edmonton refineries to reduce sulfur in its gasoline and diesel fuels, will use HART
data for troubleshooting valves and field instruments,
says Pat Castelino, PE, a managing engineer with the
companys process technology and reliability group.
I expect a manpower reduction in the startup
phase of the project and then on a lifecycle basis,
says Castelino, when asked about potential benefits
stemming from the use of HART data. We feel that
the additional information we incorporate into our
asset management solutions will help us establish
more effective predictive maintenance practices.
Several factors make HART solutions relatively easy
and cost-effective to implement. First, HART does not
require a costly rip and replace strategy. The HART
protocol runs on standard wiring that most plants
already have in place and, as mentioned, there are
more than 14 million HART-enabled devices already
in use. Often, field instruments that are not HART-
In recent years vendors have developed sophisticated asset management software packages, including Yokogawas Plant Resource Manager (PRM),
Siemens PDM, Emerson Process Managements AMS
and Honeywells Asset Manager PKS, that enable
maintenance engineers to view,
track and analyze the condition of
instruments remotely. In these
Asset management systems
applications, data from a device
may be split into separate analog
and their ability to use
and digital signals. The analog signal, carrying the primary variable,
HART data are proving
is routed to the control system,
while the digital secondary values
enormously beneficial
and diagnostic data are conveyed
to the asset management systems.
Asset management systems and their ability to use
ready can be easily and inexpensively upgraded.
HART data are proving enormously beneficial as
Because HART represents an enhancement of the
numerous users will attest.
standard 420 mA analog field communications
BPs Wando plant started tapping the full potenstandard, there is no need for companies to undertial of HART about five years ago, when it installed
take major retraining programs. Courses offered by
Emerson Process Managements ValveLink software
HCF, vendors and other sources generally provide
to gain diagnostic information from its approxiall the background information plant personnel
mately 125 most critical control valves.
need to use HART effectively.
Before using HART, we would pull out 35-50
In addition, the HART network architecture is
valves for maintenance during shutdowns every two
simpler than that of most all-digital fieldbus protoyears, says Lambert. There might have been a work
cols, making it the ideal option for many plants.
order or some concern about a particular valve, but
If Im putting in a 420 mA system with HART, the
we really didnt know what might be wrong with it.
engineering is very simplified; its basically a matter of
As a result, wed spend a lot of money and time.
routing wires from the control system to the final eleNow, with more information from ValveLink and
ments, says a major refiners senior engineer.
S-11
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Page S-12
Easy and Effective

In addition to HART being relatively easy and costeffective to implement, plants can adopt it very
gradually and realize benefits, even on a small scale.
For example, many users get their first experience
with HART by commissioning instruments on the
bench in maintenance shops. All thats required is
a PC equipped with DDL-enabled asset management
software and an interface between the computer and
the field devicetypically a HART modem.
Thomas Holmes, president of HART modem
manufacturer MACTek Corporation, says there
are significant advantages to using a desktop or
notebook computer for bench or field configuration of HART-enabled devices rather than using
handheld configurators.
All of the information you need about all of the
devices you use is right there on your computers
hard drive. You can do signal processing, a host of
higher-level diagnostic applications data storage,
and/or downloading of archived configurations that

are right on the computer. You dont have to go
through the trouble of downloading a device configuration from a server, loading it into the handheld
configurator and then reversing the process when
you get out to the instrument, he says.
Besides producing modems for RS-232 serial
ports, MACTek recently began producing models
that use USB ports. In addition to USB ports being
simpler to use, many computer vendors no longer
include serial ports on their computers, making the
USB version a necessity. Also, multiple devices can
be attached to a single USB port through the use of
USB hubs. As a result, says Holmes, some customers
have been able to set up small monitoring/data
acquisition systems using several USB modems.
Theres one customer doing a fiscal metering
application involving custody transfers of product. He
needs high accuracy and reasonable sampling rates,
says Holmes. The application requires him to moni-
What is HART?
n 1993, the HART Communication Foundation

(HCF) was established to provide worldwide
support for application of the Highway
Addressable Remote Transducer technologyor
HART Field Communications Protocol. The HCF
owns the HART technology, manages the
protocol standards, and ensures that the
technology is openly available for the benefit of
the industry. The ARC Advisory Group, Dedham,
Mass., estimates that, of the approximately 40
million field devices installed worldwide, 26% are
HART-enabled, making it the most widely used
protocol for smart field instrumentation.
HART is a hybrid communications technology
in which a modulated, two-way digital signal is
imposed on the industry-standard 420 mA
analog signal carrying the primary process
variable. The digital signal conveys additional
process variables, device status and diagnostics
information that can be routed to asset
management, process control and safety
systems. This means that HART provides two
simultaneous communication channels on the
same wirethe industry standard 420 mA
channel for fast, reliable and robust control (PV)
and a digital channel for real-time communication of additional process/device information.
HART includes a standardized application layer
S-12
addressing device status and diagnostics, cyclical

process data including floating-point digital value;
engineering units, data quality and status. The
protocol also enables field devices to continuously
publish their process data and standardized
operating procedures (e.g., loop test, current loop
re-ranging and transducer calibration).
Every HART device includes 3540 standard
pieces of information, which are easily
accessible by all HART-enabled systems. These
include device identification, basic calibration
data, process variables (measured and
calculated) and diagnostic alerts. All HART-smart
field devices continuously assess and monitor
their own performance and return diagnostic
status information with every message.
A HART innovation was the creation of Device
Description Language (DDL)an object-oriented,
text-based language for modeling the characteristics and real-time capabilities of intelligent field
devices. Instrumentation suppliers use DDL to
create a Device Description (DD) file, which is
similar to an electronic data sheet describing all
capabilities of the smart field device so that the
DD-enabled host systems can communicate with
all device features. In early 2004, the
International Electrotechnical Commission (IEC)
approved DDL as an international standard.
8/24/04
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Page S-14
tor eight HART loops. They are using eight USB

modems, connected to two four-port hubs, which, in
turn are plugged into two PC USB ports. Theyre
using Emerson Process Management AMS Device
Manager to monitor the equipment.
Moore Industries HART Interface Monitor (HIM)
is another product particularly well-suited to small
of terminations you have to do per point for field

devices, says Pat Moyer, Rockwell Automations marketing manager for distributed I/O.
Like a multiplexer, smart, distributed I/O separates the analog and digital signals and routes them
to the appropriate systems.
Multiplexers, including those manufactured by
MTL Instruments, enable users to simplify their wiring and scale up their sysThe digital feedback on
tems incrementally. For example, by
using MTLs MTL4840 HART connecthe valve position also
tion system, users can connect nearly
8,000 loops to a single PC communicacan be used in safety
tions port and easily configure a scan list
and get LED indications of the loop
system applications,
being scanned, says Tess Thonger, a
MTL marketing manager.
a burgeoning application
Because HART delivers many of the
same benefits as all-digital fieldbus profor HART technology
tocols, its not surprising that theres
confusion in some potential users
minds about the technology. Part of the
and medium-sized installations or those that lack
problem stems from users mindset based on their
an asset management system, says John Emmett,
initial exposure to HART, says Jim Cobb, Emerson
Moores London-based HART specialist.
Process Managements Plantweb marketing manager.
The Moore Industries HIM passes the 420 mA sigIts a little bit of a case of HART having been
nal directly into a DCS or a PLC, but it also breaks out
around long enough that people think they know it,
the digital signals, converts them to analog and makes
but in reality, they only know the surface, says
them available to the control system as well for alarmCobb. Now, when you see some of the systems that
ing and other functions.
are coming out today, they have pretty good HART
Using the two alarm relay contacts in each HIM,
support. As the systems vendors start educating
users can set limits around process variables.
their customers, thats going to be the most imporFor example, with a smart valve positioner, you
tant way the message gets out to the users.
have the control system using a 420 mA signal to
Joe Serafin, Honeywells product manager for HART
drive the valve open and closed. Using an HIM, you
integration, says Honeywell tells its customers that
can read the valve position feedback over the same
their choice of field communication protocols should
pair of wires and return it to the control system. In
be dependent on what they want to achieve. If theyre
addition to there being a cable savings, the alarm
interested in peer-to-peer control on the wire, we tell
relay contacts act as soft limit switches. So you can
them to go with Foundation fieldbus. But if they dont
set a trip limit within the HIM and cause a relay to
want to do that, they can probably get everything else
close when the valve reaches its limit, says Emmett.
they want out of HART, says Serafin.
The digital feedback on the valve position also can
In for the Long Haul
be used in safety system applications, a burgeoning
Few industry observers question that, in the long
application for HART technology (see sidebar).
run, the process industries will eventually migrate to
Other components that enable users to implement
fieldbus protocols. But dont even think about
and expand their HART-based field networks are
mothballing your HART devices anytime soon.
smart distributed I/O modules, such as those proHART combines the reliability and robustness of
vided by Rockwell Automation.
todays analog signal with the power of tomorInstead of running all of the wiring back to the
rows digital field network. Considering the milcontrol room from each individual device, our FLEX
lions of HART devices already installed, the most
I/O is out near the field and brings the data back via a
responsible action for the industry is using HART
network. This reduces long home-run wiring runs
to its full potential.

from multiple field devices, and it reduces the number
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H a r t I N Co n t r o l
New Value from

Your HART-Enabled Assets
hile HART provides users with enormous

value through the exchange of digital data
via asset management and maintenance systems, the
value of that data would leap if users could integrate
it into their real-time control systems. Fortunately,
thats now possible.
Major control vendors who offered HART as well as
their own proprietary digital field protocols (e.g.,
Yokogawas BRAIN, Honeywells DE, Foxboros FoxCom, etc.) have yielded to user demand and enthusiastically embraced HART. Today, virtually every major
automation system vendor includes native HART I/O
in their control systems, meaning users can now integrate secondary variables into their control schemes,
ensure that their analog 420mA signals represent the
actual situation in the field, and troubleshoot problems quickly to minimize process disruptions.
A control system can be considered to have full
HART capability if it supports true, full-time communication with both the digital and 420mA analog
signals of HART-enabled field devices, says Wally
Pratt, chief engineer of the HART Communication
Foundation. Other important factors are smart
HART-enabled I/O with HART capability at every
channel (as opposed to being multiplexed or shared
across several channels); controllers that are HARTaware, enabling them to use HART data; and the
ability to display HART data on operator stations.
Source: Emerson Process Management
HART in the Control System Lets Users Realize Great Gain Without the Pain
With HART-enabled field devices, operators can detect and

correct costly process overload and other dangerous conditions.
New Valuable Capabilities

Users who implement HART-enabled control systems gain new, valuable capabilities. Among the
most important is the ability to validate their process data. As reliable and time-proven as 420 mA
signals are, external electrical noise, faulty instruments and other problematic inputs can produce
errors that are not immediately apparent.
In control systems with HART I/O, the 420mA
signal can be validated continuously, says Pratt.
The I/O continuously checks the loop current for
agreement with digital values being sent by the
device. If there is a disagreement, the problem

shows up immediately on the operator interface.
Information where you continuously monitor
valve position versus the desired setpoint that youre
sending can represent a major cost savings, because
if the valve is not tracking the setpoint, then your
control strategy is in jeopardy. Theres no way to do
advanced control if you dont know if the valve is
going to the position you want, Pratt adds.
HART capabilities in control systems also enable
users to quickly detect field device problems. If a
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H a r t I N Co n t r o l
system is able to display an instruments self-diagnostics data as well as changes in device status, process disruptions can be avoided, since operators can
spot and react to the problem quickly.
The availability of multivariable device data also
enables operators to anticipate situations they might
not be aware of otherwise.
According to Pratt, Most HART-enabled pressure
transmitters also have temperature as a secondary
variable. Wouldnt it be nice to be able to have the
instrument tell the control system when the instrument temperature is about to drop below freezing,
so a heater can be turned on, either manually or
automatically? All you need is the ability to read that
secondary variable. You can save downtime and
possibly avoid damage to your equipment.
Detect, Correct, Protect

In addition, HART data enables operators to detect
and correct process overload conditions. If a loop
current becomes saturated, readings go off the scale,
and the operator essentially is blind to the situation in
the field. Often, the problem stems from the process
measurement being out of range, but determining the
source of the problem typically requires dispatching
an instrument specialist to the field. However, if the
control system is receiving the instruments digital
data, the operator is able to see the actual values the
instrument is generating. Standardized device status
alerts also assist the diagnosis by indicating whether
the process condition is outside the sensor limit or
just outside the 420mA range. The net result is a
reduced need for emergency manpower and the pos-
HARTs Critical Role in Safety System Testing
he HART protocols bi-directional, digital

communication capability has given the
technology a vital role in the testing of safety
instrumented systems that protect people, the
plants they work in and the environment.
By their very nature, valves in a safety system
remain stationary nearly all the time, but in those
rare instances when theyre called upon to bring
about the safe shutdown of a process, they must
work without fail. The only way to ensure that a
safety system valve will function when its
needed is to periodically test it. In fact, the
length of time between tests has a major effect
on the systems Probability of Failure on Demand
(PFD), a factor in determining the System
Integrity Level (SIL) under industry regulations
governing safety systems. Lengthening the
interval between tests has a linear affect on the
PFD. So, if the length of time between tests is
doubled, the PFD is doubled as well.
Therefore, it is imperative that these valves
be tested frequently in order to reduce the PFD
and meet the target SIL rating, says Riyaz Ali,
development manager for Emerson Process
Managements FIELDVUE instruments.
The answer: partial stroke testing. Stroking a
safety valve as little as 10% does not have a
significant effect on the ongoing process, but it
provides enough travel to determine the valves
responsiveness in emergency conditions.
Whats necessary in this situation is feedback
from a positioner to verify that the valve actually
S-18
has moved, as expected. Consequently, some

vendors are providing that capability via HART.
The HART protocol defines a device-status
byte, which is determined by the HART
standard, explains John Emmett of Moore
Industries International. It says things like a
signal has gone over-range or a signal has
locked up. There are eight defined states in
HART protocol, one of which is called
additional status available. Thats the one that
allows manufacturers to build in their own
special features, like partial stroke testing,
notes Emmett.
Our HART Interface Module can pick up
signals like test in progress, so we can actually
indicate back to the control system that a partial
stroke test is happening. But more importantly,
the smart positioner can detect if the valve is
stuck. We can pick up that particular alert and
alarm back to the control room, adds Emmett.
Emerson Process Management notes that users
of the Fisher DVC6000 Series of digital valve
controllers and Emersons AMS ValveLink
software for emergency shutdown solutions do not
require the presence of personnel in the field
because the controllers software is able to to
provide feedback on positioner information via
HART. In addition, they can automatically initiate
partial stroke testing routines.
Many plants using this technique have
extended their intervals between scheduled
shutdownsresults that appear on the bottom line!
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Page S-19
With HART, processors can increase plant availability and lower operating costs.
sible avoidance of unnecessary downtime.

enabled control systems are created equal. While
The availability in a HART-enabled control system
some provide one-to-one I/O, others rely on multiof multiple variables from a single instrument gives
plexed data, which creates latency. While this does
users the ability to put that data to work in their
not matter a great deal in some applications (in
control schemes.
which variables do not change frequently) in other
For example, one of our customers is thinking
applications such latency is unacceptable.
about doing his own level of condition-based mainteEven with multiplexed systems, however, users
nance by taking additional information provided by
can install products, such as Moore Industries HART
the valvesuch as the number of strokes or closed
Interface Module, on critical loops and place them in
timesand integrating it into the process logic, says
burst mode. In burst mode, a field device continuDave Smith, manager, Plant Network Technologies,
ously publishes data to the module. Its a faster way
Yokogawa Corp. of America.
The decision process will
Another advantage to routing
indicate that, if a valve has
reached a level of operation as
HART signals to a control
measured by the number of
strokes, the packing is worn and
system rather than a
the process should switch to a
different valve, perhaps autoseparate entity is its
matically, says Smith.
This is a big improvement
architectural simplicity
over previous ways of doing
things, which involved looking
at the process variable and
of getting information, but in addition, burst mode
deciding whether it was good or bad, he adds.
doesnt require the host to poll the devices, so theres
Inherent Architectural Simplicity
less overhead on the control system, says Pratt.
Another advantage to routing HART signals to a
No matter which control system users pick, or the
control system rather than a separate entity, such as
means that the system uses to incorporate HART
an asset management system, is its architectural simdata, they are positioning themselves to use a signifplicity. Theres a lot less hardware, which means a
icant source of data at the heart of the process that
lot less risk, explains Smith. The capital expendimight otherwise go untapped. With this additional
ture is lower, and you dont need multiple PCs,
information in hand, operators and engineers have
multiplexers and other components.
the ability to lower operating costs and increase
Pratt cautions, however, that not all HARTplant availability.

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H a r t S tar t
Ready for HART?

Pick a High Value Project to Start
When Implementing HART, Experts Advise Start Small, But Think Big
f its apparent to you that HARTs potential benefits go way beyond taking readings with handheld configurators in the field, you may be thinking
about taking some careful steps toward tapping your
HART-enabled field instruments for value. But like
most journeys, the first steps are the most intimidating. Where to begin? What to expect?
Look Before You Leap
itor up to 32 of the plants most important loops,

says a senior engineer with a major oil refiner. That
way, you can start to realize that you can monitor
the health of your instrumentation and start moving
from fighting fires and suffering capacity loss to
being able to detect instrument health issues before
they have an impact on your business. Once youve
proven the value to yourself and your management,
expand to other critical areas of the facility.
Carefully evaluate your expendituresAs mentioned earlier, nearly every plant has at least some of
the components it needs to begin realizing HARTenabled benefits. Before investing in additional hard-
Fortunately, you can implement HART a little at a

time, so look for projects with the most potential
value, start small, expand gradually, and be willing
to take a few prudent risks.
Become the HART champion
in your organizationUsers
If there are areas in which you
involved in all aspects of plant
operations have a role to play in
think HART can be advantageous
implementing HART and attaining its benefits, and in most
to your business, why not step
companies, no single group
owns HART. Consequently,
up and drive the effort?
you have an opportunity to be a
HART champion in your organization. If there are areas in
which you think HART can be advantageous to your
ware and software, evaluate what you already have and
business, why not step up and drive the effort?
determine how much more you actually need to invest.
Select a proving groundThe fact that even the
You need a good asset database, so you can figsmallest HART implementation can yield benefits
ure out what the critical points are in your plant,
with minimal investment can relieve some of the
because theyre the only ones that really need smart
risk and anxiety that naturally accompany upgrade
instrumentation, says Louis Reeves, who is in
projects. Pat Castelino of Petro-Canada recommends
charge of control valve asset management at Internathat users start small and carefully evaluate areas
tional Paper in Pensacola, Fla.
ripe for HART-driven improvements:
Its a big waste to spend a lot of money on marPeople should start off small and find very spevelous technology where you dont really need it,
cific projects that they feel comfortable with. And
Reeves adds. Its like getting an 800-horsepower
then, they should actually go through the learning
engine for your Ford Mustang. Where are you going
process, deciding and quantifying benefits at various
to drive it, and are you really going to use all of that
stages, he says. Several other users and vendors had
horsepower? I dont think so.
more specific recommendations along those lines.
Joe Serafin, Honeywells product manager for HART
A plant can begin by using a single multiplexer
integration, says his company has a series of questions
and a stand-alone asset management system to monusers can ask their instrument vendors to determine
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H a r t S tar t
how much information is available from their devices.

Which version of the Universal Commands (HART
5 or HART 6) does the device use? What secondary
process variables are available from the device? Does
the device support HART Command 48 for devicespecific status? Are all available device information
and features defined in the Device Description? These
are the kinds of questions users need to ask in order
Even small HART implementations can yield plant-wide benefits.
to determine, with all HARTs potential, if the vendors

put it into his product, says Serafin.
Think in terms of benefits, not just technological
capabilityIf they say HART is the answer, then my
question is How do you want to use the data? says
Steve Lazzok, a support specialist with Yokogawa
Corp. of America. If they dont know, it means to me
that they may be wasting their money until they have
a clearer plan in mind. If youre going to bring in the
data, how are you going to make or save money from
it? How are you going to implement preventive maintenance? How are you going to reduce accidental
shutdowns? The user should consider these questions
before making investments.
Conversely, however, you should not be afraid to
invest in HART technology on at least a small scale,
even though the immediate payoff might not be
apparent, says Dave Smith, manager, Plant Network
Technologies, Yokogawa Corp. of America.
I know that technology for technologys sake is a
difficult issue in our business, but could you have imagined 15 years ago that youd need an Internet browser
to do your job? Sometimes technology gets you someplace that you wouldnt have dreamed, Smith adds.
Users have indicated that getting the project
approved is easier when you can show the ability to
implement HART Communication without having
S-22
to shut down processes.

Question vendors thoroughlyWhile on a superficial level, it might seem like every vendor offers a
similar level of support for HART in their systems,
in fact capabilities vary widely. Consequently, HART
Communication Foundation chief engineer Wally
Pratt recommends that you carefully question vendor companies about their products HART-ability.
For example, if youre evaluating Smart I/O,
topics for discussion with your vendor
should include:
How much HART capability is built into
the I/O?
Can the I/O validate and secure the 420
mA signal?
What is the ratio of HART modems to
I/O channels? How often does it update
HART data to/from a device.
How well does the system support access
to multivariable device information?
Can you merely push a button on the
I/O to calibrate the loop current and/or
check the range?
Does the I/O support multi-drop?
Does the I/O automatically scan and monitor the
HARTenabled field devices or is the scanning only
possible using pass through.
Does the system make it easy to use all HART
capabilities? Some vendors say, Yes, we can use
the HART data, but it might take a little more
training in one system vs. another to configure
the thing. You want it to be easy, cautions Pratt.
Does it understand HART Status?
Can the system detect configuration changes?
Ask questions about notification by exception.
How does the system detect changes in configuration or status? How do you go about performing tests when theres an error in the device?
Pratt asks.
How open is the system to third party software?
Train your staff in HART capabilitiesExperienced instrument technicians and process engineers
will have little trouble familiarizing themselves with
HARTs capabilities and putting them to work, and
its unlikely theyll require muchif anyadditional
training. However, if you want an in-depth look at
HART and the way its used, you can obtain training
from many of the vendors who sell HART-enabled
devices and systems. In addition, the HART Communication Foundation offers numerous courses
globally, educational webcasts and a CD-based
library of information. Need more help? Visit the
HCF web site at www.hartcomm.org.
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Get Connected
Contents
9 Platform for the Future

New Capabilities Make HART a Fieldbus to Be
Reckoned With. The Protocols Evolution Includes
Powerful Real-Time Applications
14 The HART of Asset Management

HART Capabilities Offer Fundamental Value While
Real-Time Connections Deliver Results
19 Time to Tap Into HART

Seize the Data. There Are Major Asset Management
and Process Improvement Gains to Be Realized
With HART
23
HART Plant of the Year

The Detroit Water and Sewerage Dept. (DWSD)
Uses HART to Eliminate Metering Disputes,
Improve Reliability, and Streamline Operations
Ad Index
Advertiser
Circle No. Page No.
Emerson Process Management/PlantWeb 100
S-21
Endress+Hauser
101
S-8
The Foxboro Co.
102
S-25
Harold Beck & Sons
103
S-22
104
S-28
Honeywell Industry Solutions
105
S-16, S-17
MACTek Corp.
106
S-11
Moore Industries
107
S-4
Ohmart/Vega
108
S-18
Siemens
110
S-2, S-3
Smar
109
S-27
Yokogawa
111
S-6, S-7
ver the past three years, automation suppliers

have introduced new control system interfaces,
remote I/O systems, and software applications to
leverage the intelligence in HART-smart field devices for
continuous real-time diagnostics and process information.
Real-time connections are the key to unlocking the riches of
your installed HART devices and to helping you lower maintenance costs, increase plant availability, improve plant operations, and facilitate regulatory compliance.
In this issue, we present ideas, information, and examples
of putting the power of HART to workmaximizing and optimizing assets. Our 2003 HART Plant of the Year winner is
a great example of unlocking the value in HART-enabled
devices. The Detroit Water & Sewerage Department discovered the powerful capabilities of their HART devicesalready
installedand combined them with other technologies to create a solution that satisfied their customers, their management,
and their technicians. We thank those of you who submitted
your plant applications for consideration as the 2003 HART
Plant of the Year. Dont miss this article because it shatters
the image you might have of water system applications.
Asset management is the hot topic these days and with the
tight budgets Im hearing about, you cant afford to overlook
the untapped value of HART-enabled devices. HART communication is a key enabler for asset managementso get connected and realize the potential of your installed HART devices!
Regardless of your control system, the 150-plus members
of the HART Communication Foundation (HCF) have costeffective solutions to help you. This year, the HCF is celebrating its 10th anniversary, and HART technology remains the
protocol of choice for communication with intelligent process
instrumentation around the globe. With our continued enhancements to the technologyincluding our focus on Device
Description Language and new development toolsHART
will remain the simple, low-cost, low-risk, and high-value
process communication solution for your plant operations.
Want to learn more? Call uswell be happy to help
you get connected and realize the potential of your
HART applications!
Ron Helson, Director

512/794-0369
[email protected]
HART is a registered trademark of the HART Communication Foundation.
Advertising Supplement to CONTROL
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Platform for the Future

New Capabilities Make HART a Fieldbus to Be Reckoned With.
The Protocols Evolution Includes Powerful Real-Time Applications
s part of a major upgrade to a

plant in Sao Paulo, Brazil,
plate and specialty glass
manufacturer Cebrace sought to
improve the volume and quality of
data it was receiving from its plant
equipment, so it could improve maintenance quality. Although the plant has
a Foundation fieldbus network in
place, the plant elected to rely on
instrumentation using the HART protocol for the data it needed.
According to Benedito Adalberto Pestana, a Cebrace engineer who worked on
the instrumentation project, plant technicians were more familiar with HART
and felt comfortable relying on its

proven capabilities in critical situations.
Using a HART-to-Foundation fieldbus
gateway developed by Smar, Cebrace
operators were able to view and control
instruments on both networks from the
same Smar AssetView interface.
The benefit for us was the ability to
pull all of our process information
together, improve maintenance quality,
and, most important, improve our mean
time between failure, says Pestana.
Feature-Rich
While most industrial users associate
HART with handheld terminals and in-
HART Technology Enhancements Increase Value to Users

HART has been in wide use for more than 10 years, but the protocol continues to evolve and grow in value to users around the world.
The HCF last year finalized HART 6, the latest version of the protocol.
HART 6 enhancements provide additional diagnostics and many new capabilities to improve integration with plant control and safety systemsall
while protecting users investments through backward/forward compatibility with existing networks and devices. Consequently, HART 6 systems can
communicate with HART 5 instruments and HART 5 systems can communicate with HART 6 instruments. However, access to the full range of
HART 6 functions requires both masters and slaves to be HART 6-enabled.
New features and capabilities support multivariable and valve/actuator
devices, enhance status and diagnostics, increase interoperability, and
extend commissioning and troubleshooting capabilities. Among the many
new features in HART 6:
Device Variable Classification: Allows control systems and other
master applications to determine the number and type of processrelated variables available within a device.
Extended Device Status: Provides an additional byte for device status
alerts, such as "Device Needs Maintenance."
Device Variable Status: Allows field devices to assess and report on the
quality of the data being transmitted.
Catch Device Variable: Enables devices to share process data via peerto-peer communication for use in complex flow calculations or functions.
Block Data Transfer: Supports the transfer of large blocks of data among
master applications and field devices.
the-field-configuration of instruments,
Cebrace and other companies are recognizing that this proven, reliable communications technology is capable of
delivering much more value. HART
introduced more than a decade ago
is finally being recognized as a featurerich, highly capable communications
technology that permits full-time communication among field devices and
control systems. Among the benefits
HART delivers to users are a reduction
in costly unplanned outages through
improved, real-time troubleshooting;
better use of field assets; and a rich,
real-time flow of data that enables users
to introduce new, high-value applications for control and asset management.
Meanwhile, HARTs presence in
plants all over the world increases every
day. The vast majority of installed
smart instruments are HART-capable,
and many of those that arent can be
easily and inexpensively upgraded. In
addition, the protocol is included in
more than two-thirds of all smart
devices now being installed.
Brian Oeder, marketing manager for
instrumentation maker Ohmart/Vega,
noted that his company considers HART
compatibility to be a basic requirement
of any instrument in use or being sold
today. We dont consider HART capability to be something special anymore,
says Oeder. We consider it something
that is absolutely necessary for doing
business. We wouldnt think of developing an instrument without HART.
See the Light

Still, despite HARTs universal presence
in plants around the world, many users
are unaware of the cost-effective capabilities the protocol provides and the
enormous returns they can gain with vir-
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Page S-10
We dont consider HART capability to be something special

anymore. We consider it absolutely necessary for doing business.
tually no additional device investment.

When a user finally sees the light
about the power of the extra information in HART, they discover that the
bulk of the investment is already sitting
in their plant, says Hoag Ostling, chief
application engineer with Yokogawa.
All they have to do is tap into it.
The evolution of the HART protocol
is being driven by several key factors.
First is the ubiquity of HART in field
devices its everywhere. In addition,
virtually all major vendors of control
systems include the native ability to
communicate digitally via HART on a
continuous, real-time basis, meaning
users have the ability to tap the full
range of data in their field devices and
incorporate that information directly
into their control schemes.

For those unfamiliar with HART, or
in need of a refresher, a quick review is
in order. HART is a digital field communication protocol that enables intelligent field devices to communicate with
control systems, asset management systems, safety systems, and other maintenance and configuration tools. While
HART uses the familiar 4-20 mA analog standard, it piggybacks a digital signal atop the analog that conveys a wealth
of information, including secondary
measurements and data useful in device
and process diagnostics and monitoring.
HARTs evolution from a maintenance and configuration tool to a highly
capable digital network for control as
well as asset management began when
HCF, Profibus and FF Enhancing Device Description Language

Earlier this year, the HART Communication Foundation (HCF) entered into
a collaborative agreement with the Fieldbus Foundation (FF) and Profibus
Nutzerorganization e.V. (PNO) to enhance the Device Description Language (DDL) supported by all three organizations.
The jointly developed enhancements will provide additional DDL constructs and functions to support the data visualization needs of sophisticated devices for full-screen graphical displays and data captures for
performance assessment. The DDL enhancements will allow device manufacturers to describe display layouts and persistent data storage needs
entirely within the device DD fileincluding graphical display elements
such as photos, two-dimensional plots/charts, and data groupings by window, dialog, tabbed-dialog, table, and/or menu.
DDL is an object-oriented, text-based language for modeling the characteristics and real-time capabilities of intelligent field devices. Instrumentation suppliers use DDL to create Device Description (DD) files describing
the capabilities of their smart field device products. Procedures for proper
operation and read/write access to device parameters are described in the
device DD file. DD-enabled host applications such as handheld communicators, calibrators, control systems, and asset management systems use
the DD file to display device information and interact with the device for
calibration, commissioning, diagnostics, and maintenance functions.
HART was the first protocol to implement DDL. For more than a decade,
it has proven its value as a stable platform for suppliers to define and document the capabilities of HART-capable products in a single, open, and
consistent format. DDL is the standard of HCF, but soon it will become an
international standard of the International Electrotechnical Commission
(IEC) known as IEC 61804-2, EDDL.
S-10
the protocol first became available to

vendors and users in the early 1990s.
Technicians in the field generally
attached a handheld communicator to
each instrument to obtain additional
HART-enabled data, calibrate, and configure the device. This provides huge
benefits, but in large installations such
as refineries, months typically pass
before the devices communication
capability gets used again.
Later, users gained better access to
HART data through multiplexers,
HART modems, and other devices that
enable them to access the digital device
data remotely and store it in PC-based
applications for asset management. Typically, these systems would poll each
instrument just once or twice per day in
large installationsan improvement
over monthly onsite visits, but still a far
cry from an up-to-the-second picture of
an instruments condition.
New View From the

Control System
With the inclusion of HART in control
systems, however, users suddenly had
a powerful new real-time technology
to improve plant floor visibility, troubleshooting, and control.
We have a software tool that allows
you to have a connection to all your
HART devices at all times so you can
view status and make changes online,
without any interruption to the process,
says Andreas Aufenanger, U.S. product
manager, Siemens. Whatever changes
you make to a device are instantly
recorded in the same central database.
Invensys Foxboro automation systems contain HART input cards with
eight channels, each with its own
modem circuit. These features make
full-time communication with intelligent field devices fast and easy.
Were able to speak to eight transmitters at once, so were getting status
and diagnostic information every second, rather than monthly or daily,
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Were getting status and diagnostic information from eight

transmitters every second, rather than monthly or daily.
says Charles Piper, Foxboros fieldbus

products manager.
Yokogawa offers fully redundant
HART interface modules for its CENTUM CS 3000 R3 distributed control
uration, just like everyone else, we

have an explorer view of the whole system that typically shows the network,
DeltaV controllers, workstations, and
I/O cards, says Ramachandran. But
Leverage Your HART Instrumentation
Condition and diagnostic information from HART-capable field instruments can

be captured from control networks by online applications and integrated with
enterprise asset management systems.
system as part of the companys Fieldnetwork I/O subsystem, notes Bruce

Jensen, Yokogawas manager of systems marketing and sales support.
These modules can be installed in
remotely mounted units within Class
I, Div. 2 environments and include
such options as ISA G3 corrosion
resistance and a high temperature rating of -20-70 C, he adds.
In addition, Yokogawas Plant
Resource Managerits field asset
management solutionautomates data
collection from HART devices. The
software functions as a standalone
application or through the CENTUM
system, and allows integration, management, and maintenance of these
field devices using a common database.
Ram Ramachandran, director of systems marketing for Emerson Process
Management, touts the tight integration
of HART into his companys DeltaV
control system. In instrument config-
S-12
what we do, that I think is unique, is

show the HART devices in this hierarchy. That does lots of things for you.
You can go into your system, click on
an I/O card and ask it to auto-sense all
of the devices for you and populate the
explorer with them.
Systems from companies such as
Siemens, Honeywell, ABB, and others
also offer their own sets of features
that enhance HARTs capabilities.
By using a control system with
native HART support or third-party
add-ons from companies such as
MACTek, Moore Industries, MTL,
and others, end users can put this data
to work in their plants at minimal cost,
since many, if not all, of their existing
field devices are HART-compatible. In
addition, HART operates over the
same wiring as 4-20 mA signaling, and
little additional training is needed to
bring plant personnel up to speed.
Benefits Abound
Here are some of the benefits that
HART users can realize today:
Reduce plant downtime, improve
asset productivity: What every customer wants out of a fieldbus like
HART, first and foremost, is the ability to get faster notification of device
problems, so he can avoid either a shutdown or off-quality production, says
Foxboros Piper. By integrating HART
self-diagnostic information in control
schemes or by polling instrumentation
through a separate asset management
system, users can spot potential problems before they happen.
Harold Beck & Co., a Newtown, Pa.,
manufacturer of actuators used in industrial boilers and furnaces, began incorporating HART in its products about two
years ago. Scott Kemp, Beck senior process control engineer, says the diagnostic capability embedded in a HART
device is a major boon to users who want
to improve management of their plant
assets and ensure their maximum productivity. The diagnostics in HART can tell
you the reason the drive wont move forward right now is because of this specific
problem, says Kemp. Or it will tell you
how many times a drive has been overtorqued or exceeded its temperature ratings. These all are features that werent
available in standard analog electronics.
Gain additional value from existing
instrumentation: Most of the smart
instruments installed throughout the
world are capable of measuring multiple variables. Using the HART protocol, manufacturers can acquire the
additional digital information from their
devices and incorporate it natively into
their control schemes or route it to separate systems such as PC-based asset
management systems, for monitoring
equipment health in real time.
For example, Detroit Water and Sewerage Dept. (DWSD)this years winner of the HART Communication
Foundations Plant of the Year award
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Page S-13
Users want to validate that the instrument they believe is at

the end of a pair of wires is exactly what they expect.
recently implemented a HART-based

automated, system-wide metering and
data monitoring application (see p23).
Improve safety systems: HART
serves as a valuable tool to ensure that
process plants operate safely. DuPonts
DeLisle titanium dioxide production
plant in Pass Christian, Miss. HART
Communication Foundations 2002 Plant
of the Year uses the protocol to provide key safety interlock inputs to its
Honeywell TDC 3000 DCS and its hardwired safety shutdown relay system. The
safety interlock system has a number of
on/off control valves, each equipped with
a HART-enabled valve-stem positioner.
Each positioner communicates with the
DCS via a 4-20 mA signal. Digital HART
data is superimposed on the 4-20 mA connection and is extracted by a Moore
Industries SPA HART loop monitor. The
SPA then sends the actual valve-stem
position data to the DCS via an additional
4-20 mA connection. By comparing the

two 4-20 mA signals, the DCS ensures
proper positioning of the valve stem. The
HART data also allows DuPont to test
the valve safety interlock operation from
the control room by placing the appropriate DCS output in manual mode and
adjusting the 4-20 mA signal to open and
close the valve. The SPA returns a 4-20
mA signal derived from the devices
HART data to verify the valve position.
Continuous validation of data and
instrument accuracy: Users want to
validate that the instrument they
believe is at the end of a pair of wires
is exactly what they expect, says Joe
Serafin, Honeywells product manager
for HART system integration. Thats
done through HARTs ability to access
the device ID. In addition, users want
to make sure the configuration on a
device is correct, and they want to do
that without having to walk out to the
HART Works With Other Protocols

HART can easily operate in an environment that includes other fieldbus communications protocols such as Foundation fieldbus or Profibus. Products such as
Smars HART-to-Foundation fieldbus gateway, in use at Cebraces Sao Paulo
plant, are enabling companies to view and operate industrial networks as unified entities, even though they rely on multiple communication technologies.
While HART can exist in harmony with newer digital fieldbus technologies, users should take a close look at HARTs functionality before investing
in newer and potentially costly technologies. Theres no doubt that these
newer, all-digital protocols can bring a wealth of benefits to users, but they
come at a cost. For example, use of these protocols usually involves the purchase of new instruments, new wiring, elaborate network configuration, and
extensive, potentially costly training for plant personnel. HART technology,
which is mature and proven, offers many of the same advantages as the newer
protocols with minimal additional investment.
I can bring the smart information in, and the same people who took care
of that transmitter yesterday can take care of it today, says Joe Serafin, Honeywell. You can probably train someone to be an expert in HART in four
hours. You cant do that with other technologies. HART is very easy and simple, yet it gives you the core features of other digital protocols without a lot
of the overhead.
So, the next time you hear the word HART dont just associate it with
maintenance personnel, trips to the field, and handheld communicators.
Instead, think: HART: Easy, proven, high value, low risk, outstanding results.
device with a handheld.

In addition to validating the presence
of the expected instrument, HART
enables users to spot deviations in range
and loop current, and identify in-band
errors that might not otherwise be apparent. For example, a Midwest refinery
suffered a $300,000 disruption as the
result of a short circuit causing an erroneous measurement signal to a critical
level control loop. The problem went
undetected, because the "in-band" error
to the 4-20 mA signal made it seem as
though the level control was functioning normally. Had the level transmitter
and control system been HART-enabled,
the mismatch between the 4-20 mA and
digital signals from the level transmitter
would have been detected in real time
(seconds), allowing the disruptive shutdown to be avoided.
More efficient use of operations
and maintenance personnel: The use
of HART-enabled control systems and
devices enables plants to optimize the
use of operational and maintenance personnel. First, training existing personnel on the use of HART is relatively
quick and painless, and migration from
an analog system to the analog-digital
HART protocol is relatively simple.
During commissioning, users can
view and validate loop and field device
configuration from their operator or
engineering workstations. HARTs selfdiagnostic capabilities reduce the number of false alarms that otherwise would
result in fruitless and sometimes hazardous trips to the instrument site. In
addition, HART-enabled data on equipment health enables plants to perform
more accurate maintenance and replacement, further eliminating trips to the field.
Gilbert Hurtubise, consulting engineer on Syncrudes expansion of its
Fort McMurray, Alberta, crude oil production facility, estimates that use of
HART has enabled the company to
reduce systems commissioning labor
by as much as 70%.
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T
HART Capabilities Provide Fundamental Value
HART Fundamentals
HART DataOverview
Field-proven, global industry

standard
Digital data: 35-40 valuable data items standard in every

HART device
Two communication
channels simultaneous on
the same wire
Device identification: device tag, supplier, device type and

revision, device serial number
4-20 mA analog channel: for

fastest possible data transfer
of control signal
Digital channel: for
read/write access to all
device data
35-40 data items standard in
every HART device
Advanced diagnostics and
intelligent multivariable
devices
Many cost-effective solutions
for integration with plant
systems
Unmatched range of products
and worldwide support
Calibration data: upper and lower range values, upper and

lower sensor limits, PV damping, last calibration date
Process variables: primary variable plus secondary
measurements and multivariable parameters
Status/diagnostic alerts: device malfunction,
configuration change, power fail restart, loop current
fixed or saturated, primary or secondary variable out
of limits, communication error, plus more
HART Benefits
Highly accurate and robust communication unlocks value in
smart devices
Simple, cost-effective, high-value, low-risk, feature-rich:
easy to use and maintain
Lowers cost through faster commissioning and simplified
maintenance
Real-time diagnostics and predictive maintenance alerts
enable problem detection in seconds
Benefits multiply by real-time integration with plant control,
safety, and asset management systems
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The HART of
Asset Management
Real-Time Connections Deliver Results
Improve Plant Operations
Aid Compliance
Leverage intelligent device capabilities for operational improvement
Enable automated
recordkeeping of
compliance data
Real-time diagnostic alerts provide early warning of device or

process problems
Reduces time from problem identification to problem resolution
Continuous validation of control information and loop integrity
Increases asset productivity and system availability
Increase Plant Availability
Facilitates automated
safety shutdown testing
Advanced diagnostics
increase safety integrity
level (SIL)
Intelligent multivariable
devices aid reporting
Integration with systems enables detection of previously

undetectable problems
Device and/or process connection problems detected in real time
Early warning enables proactive action to minimize impact
Avoid high cost of unscheduled shutdowns or process disruptions
HART does the job

for us, and you dont
pay extra for it.
Dennis Green, Head Engineer

DWSD, Detroit
Lower Maintenance Costs

Quickly verify and validate control loop and device configuration
Remote diagnostics reduce unnecessary field checks
Predictive diagnostics and advanced problem detection
capabilities simplify maintenance
Lower spares inventory and device management costs
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Page S-19
Time to Tap Into HART

Seize the Data. There Are Major Asset Management and Process
Improvement Gains to Be Realized With HART
s manufacturers wrestle the

challenges of a feeble economy, a slowdown in capital
investment, and intense competition in
a global economy, many are searching
for ways to wring additional value from
their existing assets.
Yet in their quest, many of these
same manufacturers are leaving a major
source of improvements untapped.
Most manufacturers access HARTenabled variables only when maintenance personnel go to the field to
calibrate them. And that, say some
experts, is like leaving money on the
table at a card game.
When you spend money for an asset
and then dont do proper asset management or let that asset degrade, youre just
not getting the return you should, says
Jake Oddo, leader of a process control
steering team for Duponts titanium dioxide business. In DuPonts Six Sigma
quality initiative, we view an underutilized asset as a defect. With HART, you
can avoid that situation, and youve
already paid for that HART transmitter.
Where to Begin?
Even users who are aware of the
untapped riches locked in HARTcapable instruments might be at a loss
about where to begin taking advantage
of this resource. Here are some steps
to consider:
Identify your HART instruments:
The first step in many plants particularly large operations that might have
thousands of instruments is to determine which installed instruments are
HART-capable. In many cases, this
is simply a matter of consulting the
plants asset management system
and/or instrument documentation. A
general rule is that any smart instru-
ment manufactured from the mid1990s onward almost certainly is

HART-capable.
Also, be sure all future instrumentation purchases include the capability to
communicate via HART. More than
150 suppliers offer HART on more
than 600 different devices covering
a wide range of measurement and
control functions.
Identify benefit opportunities:
Determine where you can gain the most
benefit most quickly by tapping into
Top 10 HART Apps

1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
8.
9.
10.
Configuration/commissioning
Calibration/ranging
Multivariable device data
Real-time diagnostics
Process/device alerts
Control signal validation
Safety integrity verification
Remote SCADA applications
OPC/Ethernet integration
Asset management/optimization
the rich flow of data available from

your HART devices.
Would you put in a massive program to acquire information from sump
pumps? says Oddo, whose DuPont
facility in Pass Christian, Miss., was last
years HART Communication Foundation Plant of the Year. Probably not.
But would you do it to gain more information on critical reactor temperatures?
Yes, you probably would. In situations
where you might have temperature
upsets that could cause you to go critical, you could be risking explosions and
fatalities, so when you start assessing
those situations, using HART is pretty
much a no-brainer.
Modest Investments Required

Most major control vendors have incorporated HART I/O into their systems,
enabling users to integrate digital
HART data directly into their control
schemes and applications. Users of most
legacy systems do not have this capability, but fortunately, a number of companies have developed innovative
solutions to help users get the most
value from their instrumentation.
Gil Hurtubise, consulting engineer on
Syncrudes plant expansion project in
Alberta, acknowledges users might
have to purchase devices for HART connectivity and data extraction, special
software such as Emerson Process Managements Asset Management System,
PCs to read the data, etc. But he adds,
All of that is offset by a big reduction
in labor, because you dont have so
many people running around in the field,
verifying calibration. In an application
such as partial valve stroking, you can
tell right from your laptop or desktop PC
whether the valve is actually moving or
not. You dont have to have someone out
in the field watching.
Among the additional investments
plants might need to consider are:
HART interfaces: An interface such
as the HIM HART Loop Interface and
Monitor from Moore Industries strips
digital HART data from the instrument
for use in the control system or in applications based on other platforms such
as a PC. For example, smart HART
multivariable mass flow transmitters
sense three process variables (pressure,
temperature, and differential pressure or
raw flow). Using these data, they perform an internal calculation to derive
mass flow, which is transmitted as a
4-20 mA signal to the control system.
Unfortunately, unless you have a
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Page S-20
HART may not give you everything you want,

but it could get you 85 to 90% of the way.
HART-based control system, there is

no way to continuously monitor the
non-primary variables used to make
the calculation, says Steve Todd, Moore
Industries marketing director. By reading the HART digital data on the secondary variables and transmitting them
as an analog signal, these variables can
be obtained in an older control system.
HART multiplexers: HART multi-
plexers enable users to save on wiring

to field instruments by serving as a field
interface to multiple HART-enabled
field devices. Typically, a PC acts as the
host, providing the human-machine
interface and performing other highlevel functions. The multiplexer continuously monitors the field devices,
reports the current readings and instrument status to the host, and passes
About the HART Communication Foundation

The HART Communication Foundation (HCF) is an independent, not-forprofit organization that provides worldwide support for the HART technology.
Established in 1993, HCF is the technology owner and standards-setting body
for the HART protocol. HCF manages the protocol standards, ensures that
the technology is openly available, and educates users through training and
support for application of the protocol.
Memberships
HCF memberships are open to any company interested in the use of HART
technologysuppliers, systems integrators, end users, and others. HCF
membership provides many benefits including the ability to vote on matters
influencing future direction of the protocol, participation on HCF working
groups/committees, access to HCF technology and tools for HART development, use of the HART logo, and participation in HCF-sponsored promotion activities.
HART Training Workshops
HCF workshops educate users on HART communication. Workshop sessions
are scheduled quarterly in Austin, Texas, and Basel, Switzerland:
HART Applications: This special on-site workshop provides a basic overview
of HART communication and the capabilities of HART-enabled devices. The
benefits and options for real-time integration with plant automation/asset
management systems also are discussed.
HART Protocol Fundamentals: The HART protocol is relatively easy to implement, but there is a learning curve. This intensive, three-day, developer-oriented workshop provides all the information and tools necessary to efficiently
develop a HART-based field device or system interface.
Writing Device Descriptions (DDs): This four-day consultative training session covers all aspects of the Device Description Language (DDL) and how
to use DDL to write the DD for a specific field device. Students leave the
workshop with a working prototype DD for their HART device.
9390 Research Blvd., Suite I-350, Austin, TX 78759
Telephone: 512/794-0369; Fax: 512/794-3904
Email: [email protected] Web: www.hartcomm.org
S-20
HART commands from the host computer to the field devices. A multiplexer
also can be an integral part of the control system as a third-party I/O. As an
I/O system, the multiplexer can include
intrinsically safe barriers and other filtering capabilities and provide services
to the field device, such as galvanic isolation or power. For this type of installation, no additional terminations or
space are required.
HART PC modems: Users of desktop or laptop PCs can equip their computers with modems that enable
two-way communications with HART
instruments. Among the leading manufacturers of such devices is MACTek.
The devices are available for serial and
USB ports as well as for laptop computers PCMCIA card slots. Our modems
work with just about every HART communication software package that I
know of, says Tom Holmes, founder
and president of MACTek.
While a PC equipped with a HART
modem can perform many of the same
tasks as a handheld communicator
downloading configuration information
to a field instrument, for examplePCs
generally have far more memory than
such communicators and are capable of
more sophisticated tasks.
Protocol convertersConverters can
deliver HART data to control systems,
asset management systems, and other
platforms via other digital protocols. For
example, Smar last year introduced a
converter to deliver HART data via a
Foundation fieldbus network. Moore
Industries HART Interface Module,
mentioned above, also has a HART-toModbus option that converts the digital
signal from a smart HART instrument to
a standard Modbus RTU protocol output.
As DuPonts Jake Oddo puts it:
Right now, your plant might be about
10% of the way towards where you want
it. HART may not give you everything
you want, but it could get you 85 to 90%
of the way.
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Page S-23

The Detroit Water and Sewerage Dept. (DWSD) Uses HART Technology to Eliminate
Metering Disputes, Improve System Reliability, and Streamline Operations.
he old adage numbers dont

lie may be true in some cases,
but when buyers and sellers
rely on different sets of figures, the situation is ripe for dispute.
Thats the situation the Detroit
Water and Sewerage Dept. (DWSD)
decided to rectify in its dealings with
suburban municipality customers
across Southeast Michigan. Many
customers had measuring devices
operating in parallel with DWSDs
older equipment. Invariably, the two
systems disagreed and the customer
always argued for the lower-cost
reading. DWSD was forever in battles
to show the legitimacy of its meter
readings.
In response, DWSD developed and
implemented an extraordinary Automatic Meter Reading/Supervisory Control and Data Acquisition (AMR/
SCADA) system that relies on the
power of the HART communication
protocol to deliver consistent, reliable
data on system performance directly to
customers as well as to the utility.
Citing the utilitys innovative
approach to real-time use of the HART
protocol, its aggressive plans to expand
its use of HART technology, and the
results it is achieving, the HART Communication Foundation selected the
Detroit Water and Sewerage Dept. as
its HART Plant of the Year for 2003.
Water, Water Management

Everywhere
DWSDs services extend far beyond
Detroits city limits to an area of more
than 1,000 square miles including
approximately 40% of Michigans population. Water flow and pressure are controlled and measured through instruments
housed in nearly 300 underground meter-
ing pits throughout the system. Measurement devices include a variety of flow
and pressure meters manufactured by
Smar, Endress+Hauser, and ABB.
Prior to implementation of the
AMR/SCADA project, data was
recorded via chart recorders and
similar paper-producing methods.
Because the meters inform the utility
of how much water is being used and
by which customers, DWSDs director and its head water system engineer
refer to the meters as the utilitys
cash register.
However, by the mid-1990s, many
of the customers were using cash
registers of their own, says Head Engineer Dennis Green. The parties disagreed over consumption data and
thats where problems arose.
In response, the department approved
development of the AMR/SCADA sys-
tem (Figure 1), which was successfully

piloted from 1996 to 1997 and is being
expanded as a $10 million piece of a
major infrastructure upgrade project.
Watershed Objectives
To create the system it needed, DWSD
and its consultants set five goals:
System dependability: Failure of any
single component could not disrupt
system performance, the flow of data,
or the calibration work of the meter
technicians.
Preservation of metering data: There
can be no discrepancies between data
anywhere in the system, and there
must be opportunities to recover data
when failures occurred.
Standardization of equipment and
control of versions of software.
Minimal reliance on paper documents.
Incorporation of software aids into
Figure 1: Extraordinary Meter Reading
DWSDs Water Board Building
DWSDs Central Services Facility
RADIO
PC on
LAN/WAN
Oracle
database
Mobile headend for

meter calibration crew
RADIO
SCADA
Master
SCADA
Master
Oracle
database
PC on
LAN/WAN
Office of customers water department

typical of 85 sites
Metering site
typical of 276 sites
Above-ground control cabinet
RADIO
RADIO
Oracle database
P
T
RADIO
PLC/
RTU
DP
Community SCADA
Master PC
Oracle database
P
T
Pumping stations & water treatment plants

typical of 27 sites
Underground
meter vault
RADIO
Distributed
controller of DCS
The new SCADA and automatic meter reading system is being expanded as a
$10 million segment of a major infrastructure improvement program.
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9/8/03
5:40 PM
Page S-24
HART is a stable protocol posing a low

compatibility risk for planned expansions.
The Power of HART
Through the use of HART, the Detroit Water and Sewerage Dept.
integrated a vast array of diverse field devices and technologies on a single
networked system that takes full advantage of HARTs digital communication capabilities. The result is a common odometer total display throughout
the system that can be read via the LCDs on the HART meters just like the
odometers of the mechanical meters while the PLC/RTU collects total and
instantaneous rate of flow readings to control switching between the large
and small venturi meters using standard and extended HART commands.
In addition to stemming billing disputes with its customers, the
AMR/SCADA system is delivering the following benefits to the utility and
its customer communities:
Increased ability to quickly detect and repair troubles in the distribution
system.
Improved safety through HART-enabled remote monitoring, calibration,
and validation. Performing these tasks remotely enabled DWSD to
reduce field crews need to enter potentially hazardous meter pits.
Greatly enhanced value from existing instrumentation without having to
rely on communications technologies that are not as well field-proven
as HART and that require steep investment and risk.
Greater accuracy in readings throughout the water-distribution system,
largely due to HARTs ability to preserve the full accuracy of the measuring element in a digital format.
Range switching and totalization with a single instrument through HARTs
digital transmission of multiple variables.
The ability to drive computational functions to the field device (e.g., totalization), which frees the higher-level PLC/RTU for tasks such as monitoring equipment health.
Fault tolerance through the ability of HART instruments to retain a history of their readings. In addition, the systems packet radio network
reroutes signals in case of a node failure.
Creation of a computer-based historian, which facilitates analysis and
reduces paper records.
the SCADA system for maintenance,

calibration, performance monitoring,
and other functions.
At the core of the new system are
the existing flow and pressure transmitters and flowmeters. Among the
issues DWSD faced were identification and adoption of a digital means
of measuring and transmitting data
that would work with the variety of
measurement technologies already
in use (e.g., mechanical meters,
venturis, orifice systems, magnetic
flowmeters, etc.).
S-24
The Answer Is HART

DWSD determined that HART provided the best solution for several reasons. First, HART minimized the
additional investment DWSD had to
make, since most of the existing
instrumentation was HART-capable
and could use existing wiring. In
addition, HART is a stable protocol
posing a low compatibility risk
for planned expansions. Furthermore,
HART enabled DWSD to digitally
extract secondary variables and diagnostic information, and the intelli-
gence built into HART instruments

enabled them to perform calculations,
freeing computing power in higherlevel platforms for other tasks.
For example, the differential pressure
cells used in the system are capable of
self-monitoring and on-board totalization, says Dan Lacy, sales executive
for Greenwood, Ind.-based Endress+
Hauser. E+H transmitters are used
throughout the water system to report
pressures in DWSDs mains and the pressures delivered to customers, which can
confirm proper operation of the communitys pressure-reducing valves and avoid
telephone calls to DWSDs Systems
Control Center.
In addition to approximately 750
instruments in nearly 300 metering pits
throughout DWSDs service area,
the system consists of a PLC/RTU
located at each meter pit. Each PLC/
RTU is connected to the pits instrumentation and is equipped with radio telemetry and a battery backup. The two DWSD
SCADA head-ends feature dual historians, each capable of maintaining up to 10
years of data for recovery and analysis.
Other components of the system
include 35 laptop computers that serve
as mobile SCADA masters for field calibration and are used to set and download instrument parameters. DWSD also
supplied its customers with approximately 90 PCs that serve as SCADA
monitoring stations, thus giving customers access to the same data that
DWSD is receiving. All laptop and desktop PCs run iFIX software and Oracle
relational database management software and can operate independently of
the DWSD SCADA headends.
Every PLC/RTU runs the identical
copy of software developed for DWSD
by Control Microsystems and EDS,
says Cliff Montgomery of Rhythm
Technologies, a Michigan consulting
firm that helped design and implement
the network. We download parameters
from a laptop PC running GE Fanuc iFIX
9/8/03
5:41 PM
Page S-26
I know these newer fieldbus technologies are the hot thing

right now, but it could have cost us twice as much money.
software to configure the PLC/RTU for

monitoring and operating a particular
meter, and we upload those operating
parameters each day and store them in
the historian, along with the HART
device serial numbers and communication statistics. That way, we know the
configuration of the system each day
and when it changes.
The AMR/SCADA system is designed
to accept readings from up to four
flowmeters and four pressure devices
at each metering point, each of which
is capable of measuring and digitally
transmitting multiple variables. In
keeping with the goal of fault-tolerance, the devices, although connected
in a common loop, are wired to the
PLC/RTUs in a star topology, so if a
single device or instrument cable fails,
it can be taken out of the loop at the
aboveground PLC/RTU.
The fault-tolerant philosophy extends
to the PLC/RTUs and the packet radio
network as well. The system operates
like the Internet, says Green. The messages going back and forth are like email. Each radio acts as a repeater for its
neighbors and automatically reroutes
messages around a radio that fails or that
is suffering interference.
The customers feel better about all this.
The municipalities that purchase water
from DWSD receive the data from their
meters directly rather than from the
DWSD head end, adds Montgomery.
This assures customers that DWSD is
not adjusting or manipulating the data.
Cesar Cassiolato, manager of pressure
transmitters for Smar, notes that his companys differential pressure transmitters
(Figure 2) are designed to retain totalization, even in the event of a power loss.
Theres no reset upon loss of power.
When the power returns, you can continue to totalize correctly, he says.
That meant DWSD could rely on
HART. So we decided to have the
HART instrument perform the integration of rate to volume, rather than the
S-26
PLC/RTU calculating a volume by scanning instantaneous flow rate values from

the HART loop, says Green. In addition, the HART instrument/meter integrates far more frequent readings than
Figure 2: Took a Load Off
HART-enabled devices allow DWSD

to distribute total flow computation
responsibilities to the processors of the
differential pressure transmitters and
the magnetic flowmeters in the vaults,
reducing the load on the PLC/RTUs.
the PLC/RTU, so the values are much

more accurate. This freed up the
PLC/RTU to do all the instrument health
monitoring and store 31 days of 5-min.
meter readings.
As part of that monitoring, HART
allows the PLC/RTUs to detect the types
and brands of instruments on the network
and collect their serial numbers each day
for a permanent record of equipment that
can be used in billing disputes and to
quickly identify faulty equipment.
So Far, So Good
Overall, the utility is happy with the
new system, but it hasnt attempted to
quantify the payback on the project.

The continuing controversies over the
accuracy of our meters can be bottomless pits in terms of time and money,
says Green. With the new system,
DWSD is seeking an end to those disputes. Estimated bills that err in favor
of the protesting customer have been
reduced substantially.
Other networking technologies such
as Foundation fieldbus and Profibus
have matured considerably since 1996,
when DWSD began piloting its system. Nevertheless, Green says that he
would still use HART, even if the project were beginning today. I know
these newer fieldbus technologies are
the hot thing right now, but it could
have cost us twice as much money,
he says. HART does the job for us,
and its done on our standard equipment that was already installed you
dont pay extra for it. It certainly was
ideal for what we wanted to do.
Looking ahead, Green noted that
DWSD is building a SCADA system
for controlling its treated water transmission system and wastewater collection system, which includes new sewer
meters. Once our customers are satisfied with the water meters of the distribution system, we want to integrate
our 54 sewer meters into the SCADA
system. Much of the equipment on the
process control SCADA system also is
HART-capable, so we definitely want
to bring them in, says Green.
For more information on this application, go to www.hartcomm.org.
How DWSD Won

The HART Plant of the Year Award is an annual award presented to companies that use the real-time communication power of their HART devices.
The HART Communication Foundation asked its members and CONTROL
magazine readers to nominate plants that are using the power of HART technology. A panel of HART Communication Foundation officials and
CONTROL editors reviewed the submissions, interviewed the finalists, and
selected the 2003 HART Plant of the Year.
Leverage Your Assets

HART Communication:
It's Not Just for Configuration Anymore
ant to run your plant

more efficiently? Would
you like to set up a better,
more automated maintenance management program? Are you trying to obtain
asset management information from
your plant instrumentation?
Maybe youd like to avoid process
disruptions. Or keep your plant from
catching fire and blowing up.
A level transmitter at a Midwest
refinery was short-circuited by condensation and created an erroneous 4-20
mA signal. The operator was suspicious, but no one could find a problem
until the tank overfilled and shut the
entire plant down. The process disruption cost $300,000.
If the system and level transmitter had
been HART-enabled, the erroneous signal could have been detected and the
operator would have been alerted to the
problem before it shut down the plant.
You can create those kinds of capabilities in your plant. You may already
have much of what you need to
get started, particularly if you purchased new smart field instrumentation in the past 10 years. Thats
because just about every smart field
instrument built these days is capable
of HART Communication.
And if you have devices with
HART Communication, you also have
a good start on what you need to run
your plant more efficiently. Youre
ready to begin an asset management
program, obtain early alarms on process upsets, and increase the reliability
of your processes.
Whats more, it wont be a
major investment to obtain the information you need, because its already
there, ready to be accessed via HART
Communication.
More Than Maintenance

Maintenance technicians appreciate
HART because it makes their jobs easier. Techs can interrogate devices
directly from the control room, eliminating many unnecessary trips out into
the plant.
The Gainesville Regional Utility,

Gainesville, Fla., uses HART Communication to diagnose instrumentation
problems and reduce unnecessary
trips to the field. The data is fed to
asset management system software
from Emerson Process Management.
Figure 1: Powerful Intelligence
HART diagnostics mean technicians at the John R. Kelley Generating

Station, Gainesville, Fla., make far fewer futile trips up the seven-story heat
recovery generator to check out questionable field devices.
What you may not realize is that

simplifying maintenance and calibration tasks is just the tip of the iceberg.
Your HART devices also have the
power to push your existing plant
instrumentation and control systems
into the 21st Century.
You can use HART technology to
get started in asset management, for
example. HART devices have all the
information you need to determine
device status, health, and the need for
field maintenance. HART devices can
also determine the health of other process equipment, such as control and
safety shutdown valves.
XI
Operators at its John R. Kelley Generating Station (Figure 1) can check

many process problems by examining
asset management data from a PC.
For example, if an operator suspects
a transmitter is not zeroing out, he can
check the asset management system
historical data. If theres a difference
of 5% or more between the process
signal and the HART data, the operator knows a problem exists, and someone must physically check the transmitter and associated equipment. More
often than not, the utility will report the
problem is a leaking valve, found
long before the consequences become
After nearly a year of working with HART, our reliance on

the asset management software continues to grow.
serious and cause a system breakdown.
After nearly a year of working with
the HART-capable instrumentation
installed as part of a re-powered 110
MW combined-cycle generating plant,
our reliance on the units asset management software package continues
to grow, says Terry Gordon, instrumentation supervisor. It enables us to
do a lot more things a lot quicker, with
fewer personnel than we could by following conventional instrument maintenance procedures.
One of the finalists for this years
HART Plant of the Year Award, a
Solutia plant in Chocolate Bayou,
Texas, that started up in 2000, has lots
of HART-enabled instrumentation.
All the HART data is logged to an
AspenTech data historian and to an
asset management system. Our
design decision was to use as much
smart instrumentation as possible,
says John Forbis, Engineering Fellow
at Solutias Integrated Nylon Div., St.
Louis. Ninety-nine percent of all
instruments are HART-enabled. The
only non-HART instruments are on
OEM systems, such as chillers and air
compressors. We tried another communication technology, and it just did
not work for us.
A British Petroleum ethylene plant
in Cologne, Germany, has about 2,000
HART-enabled instruments and about
800 HART-enabled control valves
integrated with its DCS. We plan to
use condition-based preventive maintenance implemented via the Foxboro
DCS and HART to reduce downtime,
says Helmut Schult, DCS site manager. Specifically, we are configuring the system to automatically send
e-mails describing impending problems to our maintenance department.
HART Communication is being
used by many companies to acquire
data for SCADA systems and DCSs.
Although the traditional 4-20 mA output from each HART transmitter con-
tains the basic flow, temperature,

level, or pressure signal, the digital
HART data superimposed upon the 420 mA signal contains much more
information. Depending on the device,
the digital signal can contain 40 or
more data items.
After a HART-enabled device is
commissioned and installed in a plant,
it provides those data items 24 hours a
day, continuously. All you have to do
is communicate with the device.
The HART of the Matter

What can you do with all that data?
Here are a few ideas:
Asset management: HART instruments contain data on the health and
status of field assets, plus additional
process variables. Software is available from several vendors to acquire
data directly from the HART field
devices to track calibration and configuration changes, and keep records
on instrument changes for compliance purposes. Asset management
systems can use the additional process variables to directly read flow,
Top 10 HART Apps

1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
8.
9.
10.
Configuration
Commissioning
Calibration
Diagnostics
Multivariable process data
Process/device alarms
Signal verification
Redundant signals
Data for SCADA applications
OPC-compliant data
level, pressure, and temperature data

to be used for compensation, environmental check, or other purposes.
Acquire process data: HART allows
control and other systems to obtain
digital process data directly from
field devices. For example, the Solutia plant at Chocolate Bayou uses
HART technology to acquire analog
XII
inputs for a Triconex triple-modular

redundant system used for safety
and emergency shutdowns. When
the same signal needs to go to our
control system and the Triconex
safety system, we use a signal splitter/isolator from Moore Industries,
says Bart Propst, process control
engineer. The Moore device
receives a 4-20 mA signal from a
HART instrument and sends 4-20
mA outputs to the control system
and another 4-20 mA signal created
from the HART data to the safety
system. This lets them use the same
4-20 mA sensor for control, safety,
and shutdown, and still maintain
signal isolation.
Improve product quality: HART
data can be used to improve process dynamics and product quality.
The Solutia plant in Chocolate
Bayou acquires process data from
multivariable HART transmitters.
Forbis says they use Valvelink
software to do advanced testing
and trim key valves to improve
process performance.
Manage maintenance: At the Air
Products and Chemicals plant in
Baytown, Texas, the asset management system keeps track of 1,000
transmitters and 150 valves using
HART data. Plant personnel use
asset management for routine troubleshooting of process issues, recalibration, and verifying valve operation relative to the original valve
signatures, says Mark Lusignia,
instrument engineer.
Real-time diagnostics: When problems arise with a field instrument,
the array of diagnostic information
available in HART devices makes it
possible to diagnose many problems
from a PC screen. In some plants, half
of the times an instrument tech is
asked to go out into the plant to check
an instrument, the result is no problem found. Being able to diagnose
HART data showed that the calibration cycle could be

at least doubled to every six months.
instrument problems remotely saves
time and improves worker safety.
For example, the Gainesville
Regional Utility uses HART communication to verify the condition
and operational status of instruments
on top of a seven-story heat-recovery generator and other inaccessible
points. It would take a technician
up to an hour to go out into the
plant and check a single instrument,
says Gordon.
Diagnostic alarms: When a control
system depends on a 4-20 mA signal
alone, an operator has no way to
check the accuracy or validity of data
when a problem is suspected. With
HART-enabled systems, software can
be set up to automatically look for a
device status problem or a performance problem and sound alarms
long before a problem can be detected
in the 4-20 mA loop current.
Minimize scheduled downtime: GSK
Pharmaceuticals in Irvine, Scotland,
also a HART Plant of the Year finalist, wanted to reduce the frequency of
calibration for 122 critical devices

from once every three months to
something less often. It takes four
hours to calibrate each device, and
four times per year seemed to be too
frequent, but they had no way of
knowing how often calibrations were
really necessary.
The plant used HART data to collect device information and run
online diagnostics. After a yearand-a-half evaluation period, HART
data showed that the calibration
cycle could be at least doubled to
every six months, says Ian Allen,
instrument engineer. We also got
more accurate information as to
when a device actually did fail, as
opposed to waiting for the next calibration, so it could be repaired or
replaced immediately.
Where Do You Go From Here?

For companies building new greenfield plants, the choice might be simple: buy only HART-enabled field
instruments and system components
Finding Problems
HART communication enables intelligent I/O systems to identify and diagnose process problems such as:
Loop fault: With a standard 4-20 mA signal, I/O systems can detect a problem only if the signal is outside the 4-20 mA range, and only if it is constant; they can easily miss intermittent problems. A HART system can periodically check the 4-20 mA signal to ensure its agreement with the field
I/O device. It detects intermittent problems and performs loop tests whenever needed.
Device failure: With ordinary transmitters, I/O can detect catastrophic
device failure only if the 4-20 mA signal is outside the normal operating
range. With HART, internal diagnostics can communicate the status of field
devices in real time, provide early notification of problems, and help you
take action to prevent a process disruption.
Incorrect reading: When the accuracy of the 4-20 mA signal is impaired
by, for example, a bad connection or deteriorating sensor, the host system can detect the incongruities between the 4-20 mA signal and the additional process variables communicated by the HART protocol. Early detection and analysis of these incongruities can focus maintenance operations
and prevent shutdowns.
XIII
and enjoy the benefits of HART

Communication from the beginning.
HART will simplify installation,
startup, calibration, and maintenance,
and provide a cost-effective low-risk
foundation for an intelligent instrument network for the entire plant.
For companies that already have
existing plants with legacy instrumentation, the upgrade path is different.
First, take an inventory of all the
HART-enabled instrumentation in
your plant. You probably will be surprised to find out how many installed
HART instruments you have.
Second, map out an upgrade strategy. Non-smart field instruments have
to be upgraded and replaced periodically, so make sure that new instruments are HART-enabled. Such an
upgrade path is quite easy, because
nearly every legacy 4-20 mA instrument can be directly replaced with a
HART device. Whats more, the
replacement device will require no
change to your existing control system,
because the HART devices 4-20 mA
output connects to the same terminals
as the legacy device.
When you map out the upgrade
strategy, you may find that a particular process unit needs only one or two
instruments to become an all-HART
system. In such a case, you may want
to speed up the upgrade on that
unit or swap some HART instrumentation into the system from elsewhere
in the plant.
Third, review the migration strategies we show on pages S-12 and
S-13, and see how your plant might
take advantage of its HART instruments. Then obtain a HART server,
HART-capable multiplexers, HARTenabled I/O, or a similar HARTbased system from your instrument
supplier and begin implementing an
asset management, automated maintenance, device diagnostics, or device
status alarm application.
Unleash the P
Critical Facts About HART
Traditional 4-20 mA analog signal is
used for control and/or monitoring.
Digital signal carries additional information on the same wiring.
All HART smart devices continuously provide process data for plant
operation24/7.
HART provides access to all device
data while the 4-20 mA analog signal
is being used for control.
Information about the status (health)
of the field device and quality of the
4-20 mA signal is in every message.
The Process or Primary Variable
(PV) is transmitted as a 4-20 mA signal and also as a digital value.
Many devices have measured or calculated process variables in addition
to the PV.
The more you communicate with
HART devices, the more value you
receive from your investment.
HART Device Data

Every HART device, regardless of
the supplier, comes standard with the
ability to communicate 35-40 data
items you can use to improve your
operations. These data items include:
Process Variable Values
Primary, secondary, and other values
Loop current value in milliamps
Device Status & Diagnostic Alerts
Device malfunction
Configuration change
Variable out of limits
Primary variable output fixed
or saturated
Device Identification
Instrument tag, device type, etc.
Calibration Information
Date of last calibration
Upper & lower range value
PV damping
Loop current transfer function &
alarm action
Write protect status
Point-to-Point Strategy
Part-time connection
Single device
Migration Strategies for HA

HART Rem
Cen
Off
Analog DCS/PLC
Asset m
HART for device configuration
HART-to-Analog Strategy
Real-time process variable data
Device diagnostics conversion
To analog control system

Signal extracter
Existing system I/0
Analog + HART
HART process data

converted to 4-20 mA
HART value
A Choice of Migration Strategies

There are many ways to benefit from
the power of HART communication
and leverage the intelligence in your
smart field devices. The figures show
several simple and cost-effective
migration strategies to get more from
currently installed HART equipment
Point-to-Point Strategy: This is the
most common way HART is used.
The communication capability of
HART-enabled devices allows them
to be configured and set-up for specific applications, reducing spares
inventory and saving time and money
XIV
More HART value
in commissioning and maintenance.

Connecting to the 4-20 mA wires, you
can interrogate a device from remote
locations for diagnostic information.
HART-to-Analog Strategy: Signal
extractors communicate with HART
devices in real time to convert the
intelligent information in these
devices into 4-20 mA signals for
input into an existing analog control
system. Add this capability one
device at a time to get more of the
power of HART.
HART-Plus-Analog Strategy: New
HART multiplexer packaging solu-
ower of HART
Serve HART to Plant Networks
HART-enabled DCS/PLC/PAS
Full HART Implementation Strategy
Real-time and integrated data
HART data part of DCS
Full HART data access
RT Integration
-Plus-Analog Strategy
ote device access
tralized device diagnostics
f-line data access
HAR
T
dat
HART-enabled I/0
anagement system
HART data
I/O with mux
HART-to-Plant-Network Strategy
HART data to LAN
OPC-compliant
Enterprise-wide access
SCADA
HART
Historical trending
OPC
SPC/SQC
Ethernet
MIS/ERP
OPC clients
Ethernet-TCP/IP
data
HART
HART OPC server
RS-232 interface
I/O with mux

HART-enabled I/O
Maximum HART value
tions make it easy to communicate

with HART devices by replacing your
existing I/O termination panels. Your
analog control signal continues on to
the control system but the HART data
is sent to a device management system providing valuable diagnostics
information 24/7. Although the control system is not aware of the HART
data, this solution provides access to
device diagnostics for asset management and process improvements.
Full HART Integration Strategy:
Upgrading your field or remote I/O
system provides an integrated path to
continuously put HART data directly

into your control system. Continuous
communication between the field
device and control system allows
automatic detection of problems
so corrective action can be taken
before there is negative impact to the
process operation.
HART-to-Plant-Network Strategy:
HART OPC server software tools
provide a simple, cost-effective
means of passing HART data onto
your plant Ethernet network to OPCcompliant applications anywhere in
the plant.
XV
The HART Communication Foundation has developed the HART Server

Tool to facilitate serving HART data to
plant networks and other high-level
OPC-compliant applications. The tool
provides easy access to HART device
data anywhere on a plant network.
Allows several applications to
simultaneously access data in a
HART device.
Enables popular HMI and trending
packages to access HART data.
Connect to one or a thousand devices
using common HART I/O systems
and interfaces.
Cost-effective and easy to set-up
and use.
Can put HART data on your desk
top, PDA, e-mail system, etc.
Created and supported by the HART
Communication Foundation.
What to Do?
HART communication technology is
simple, easy to use, low-risk, and costeffective. As with any journey, taking
the first step is important. Heres how
to get started:
Visualize one or more of the many
ways HART communications could
improve operations in your plant.
Identify your installed HART
devices to confirm that key measurements are included. If not, map
out a plan to make all devices
HART-capable.
Provide HART technology training
to your staff.
Explore HART solutions with your
suppliers to determine your best
migration strategy.
Contact the HART Communication
Foundation or visit the Foundation
web site, www.hartcomm.org, for
more information and for specific
cost-effective solutions you can use
to Unleash the Power of HART.
Powerful Connections
New Products Seamlessly Connect
HART Field Devices to Any Control System
n essence, HARTs value proposition is moving more data from the

process into the control system with
an infrastructure you already own, then
leveraging that information to increase
plant efficiency. A range of connection
options make it relatively easy.
If your plant has a DCS connected
to a large number of HART-enabled
instruments and field devices, the
HART signal superimposed on the
4-20 mA wiring is readily available and
contains a wealth of useful process and
device diagnostics information.
Control Systems Get HART

Most of the major DCS and control system vendors already have HART Communication capability in their newer
systems, and many have upgrade paths
for older systems. For example, in May
the Foxboro division of Invensys
announced new I/A Series HART modules. Each module can accept up to eight
4-20 mA inputs and fully integrates
HART Communication.
The Foxboro upgrade has already
been used to implement asset management and preventive maintenance at a
British Petroleum ethylene plant in
Cologne, Germany. The plant has
about 2,000 HART-enabled instruments and about 800 HART-enabled
control valves. We purchased new
input and output modules and installed
the newest version of the Foxboro I/A
software, says Helmut Schult, BPs
DCS site manager at the Cologne plant.
We then installed the modules, and
configured the I/A system to recognize
the modules. There was no need to
change field devices since they were
already HART-capable.
This kind of system offers full-time,
real-time HART data integration with
the control system and higher-level systems. While the several-second latencies
of other approaches are usually quite
acceptable in process applications, control systems optimized for HART Communication can reduce latency times to
about 0.4 sec. per point, depending on
the network configuration.
Honeywells Experion PKS control
system offers eight-channel HART analog-input and analog-output modules.
Both modules scan the standard 4-20
mA analog signal and the HART digital signal. The HART digital data is
made available to the control system
over ControlNet.
HART device information is
scanned from each device and made
available for display, logic, control, or
trending, says Joe Serafin, Experion
HART instruments are connected to

the Industrial IT I/O system, explains
Martina Walzer, marketing manager
of fieldbus technologies for ABB.
HART information is then tunneled
to the controller via Profibus. HART
Communications is also available
on ABBs legacy control systems
including Advant, Symphony, and
Freelance 2000.
HART devices can communicate
with Siemens systems through its
compatible remote I/O, HART modem,
HART interface, or HART multiplexer
products, and a HART I/O module
is offered as part of the APACS+
control system.
Emerson Process Management delivers its DeltaV automation systems with
HART as a standard. We feel so
Figure 1: Multiplexers Link HART to Any PC
DIN rail-mounted multiplexers can be interconnected to provide communication with as many as 7,905 HART devices.
PKS product manager for Honeywell

Industry Solutions.
ABB supports the HART protocol
through its Industrial IT controllers.
XVI
strongly that HART is a good protocol

for those not considering Foundation
fieldbus that the DeltaV automation
system analog I/O is only sold with
Signal extractors can access portions of HART data from a

device and send it to your plant control systems.
HART capability, says Ron Eddie,
vice president of technology for FisherRosemount Systems.
HART functionality is also available
on Westinghouse Ovation systems and
on Provox and RS3 systems. On older
generations of Provox it is only necessary to upgrade the I/O terminal strip
and the analog I/O card. For the older
generations of RS3 systems, it is necessary only to upgrade the I/O electronics.
Clever Devices Fill Gaps

If your existing DCS is not HARTenabled, and if immediate plans do not
call for a new DCS or an upgrade to
your DCS to make it HART-capable,
there are many other options. Signal
extractors can access portions of HART
data from a device and send it to
your plant control system via 4-20 mA
signals and/or discrete outputs.
The 2002 HART Plant of the Year
(page S-21) makes extensive use of
process variable values, the status and

diagnostic alerts, and the device identification information contained in the
HART data.
Many control systems already have
the capability to communicate via a
digital fieldbus or an OPC interface.
A low-cost way to connect HART
instruments and control valves to these
control systems is through a communications gateway. Multiplexers, RS232 interfaces, and gateways that connect HART to Ethernet, Modbus, and
Profibus are widely available.
The Viator HART PC modem from
MACTek, for example, attaches to
a PC serial port and allows the PC
to communicate with HART devices.
The modem is a good interface for
Siemens Simatic PDM and other asset
management software.
Pepperl+Fuchs has a choice of
HART multiplexers that convert
HART data to RS-485. This serial data
Figure 2: At Your Service

SCADA
Historical trending
SPC/SQC
MIS/ERP
OPC clients
Ethernet-TCP/IP
HART
HART OPC server
data
RS-232 interface
I/O with mux

HART-enabled I/O
The HART OPC server provides a standard interface between HART devices
and any OPC client.
Moore Industries SPA loop monitor

and alarm. Signal extractors like the
SPA extract the HART data superimposed on a 4-20 mA signal and retransmit virtually any combination of the
can be recognized by a number of PCbased software programs including

AMS from Emerson, Cornerstone from
Applied Systems Technologies, and
Pepperl+Fuchs PACTware. A typical
XVII
connection scheme combining master

and slave multiplexers (Figure 1) can
connect as many as 7,905 HART field
devices to a PC.
OPC Serves It Up
A more versatile and powerful method
of connecting HART instruments and
control valves to existing control systems is through the OPC-compatible
HART Server Tool (Figure 2). Inexpensive and simple to implement, all
that is required is a PC, OPC server
software from the HART Communication Foundation, and a multiplexer or
serial modem.
The PC can be anything that runs
Windows 95/98/NT/2000, from a fullblown desktop machine to a rackmounted device. The PC does not
require a keyboard or a display to run
the HART Server Tool software program, so it can be very compact, industrially hardened, and designed for low
power consumption.
The HART Server Tool software
communicates with the HART devices,
and converts HART data to OPC data.
This OPC data can then be communicated to any software package with OPC
client communications.
Virtually all HMI, asset management,
and soft logic software has a built-in
OPC client interface, so the HART
Server Tool can be used to connect just
about any application to HART field
devices. The HART server also allows
several systems to access data from a
HART device at the same time, and it
can even be used to transmit data to
handheld wireless devices such as PDAs.
Whether starting small by extracting
HART data on a limited basis for a specific purpose or diving in with a fully
HART-capable DCS, using the information you already have available from
your installed base of HART field
devices is a powerful, cost-effective way
to leverage your plants assets into the
21st Century.

DuPont Uses HART Data to Satisfy Safety Interlock
System Valve Test Requirements
or its recognized success with

HART-enabled instrumentation,
as well as its commitment to
future system enhancements using
HART technology, the DuPont chloride-processing facility in DeLisle,
Miss., has been selected the 2002
HART Plant of the Year.
The HART Communication Foundation asked CONTROL readers and its
members to tell us about plants that are
leading the way in using the power of
HART technology. Many worthy nominations were received. A panel of Foundation officials and CONTROL editors
reviewed the submissions, interviewed
the candidates, and selected the HART
Plant of the Year.
Three main factors led the judges to
select this DuPont application as this
years winner. First, the plant uses the
power of HART even though it does not
have a HART-enabled control system.
Second, HART Communication is used
full-time in daily operations. Finally, the
plant is migrating to using HART information for additional cost-effective solutions that deliver significant benefits to
the enterprise today and into the future.
The DeLisle plant produces DuPonts
proprietary R-104 Ti-Pure titanium
dioxide (TiO2). TiO2 is a white pigment
used in paint, plastics, and products
where color retention is desired. TiO2
absorbs ultra-violet light energy and it
also possesses light-scattering properties that enhance whiteness, brightness,
and opacity.
TiO2 production requires a sophisticated manufacturing process that
includes chemical reduction, purification, precipitation, washing, and calcination of titanium, iron, and other metal
sulfates. DuPont determined that the
best way to control and monitor these
Fail-Safe System Relies on HART Communication

Most safety interlocking at the DeLisle plant is implemented through a
dedicated DCS controller, but certain processes must be equipped with a hardwired relay safety shutdown system. Many of these processes use HARTenabled pressure and temperature transmitters. Each of these transmitters
sends a 4-20 mA process variable signal to a Moore Industries SPA loop monitor that decodes the HART data superimposed on the 4-20 mA signal.
The SPA then sends a process variable signal derived from the HART data
to the DCS, and it also sends fail-safe alarm contacts to the hard-wired relay
safety shutdown system. These alarm contacts are set to indicate high-level,
low-level, and the presence or absence of the HART signal.
HART-enabled instruments allow DuPont to operate the plant in a safe and
efficient manner. HART and the SPAs provide a solution that unlocks a wealth
of diagnostic and process information in the positioners and transmitters,says
DuPont project manager Joe Moffet. This information is used to increase reliability and minimize the duration of required plant shutdowns.
DuPont is using this highly efficient TiO2 processing site as a benchmark

for other facilities because of its outstanding compliance with safety, health,
and environmental requirements. DuPont plans to fully exploit the available
HART data with an asset management system that will provide automated partial valve-stroke testing, predictive maintenance alerts, and comprehensive
management of the plant instrumentation system.
processes was with HART-enabled

instrumentation, says Joe Moffet, project manager with DuPont. Virtually all
of the plant instrumentation is HARTenabled, and this includes instruments
used to monitor and control temperature,
pressure, level, and flow.
The DeLisle plant control and instrumentation system uses the HART communications protocol in a variety of
ways. HART data is used as an input to
XXIV
the safety interlock system and as an

input to the control system. Like most
other users, DeLisle personnel use handheld HART communicators for configuration, calibration, and troubleshooting. And as well see, future plans call
for HART data as a key input to an asset
management system.
Normal plant operations are controlled by a Honeywell TDC-3000
distributed control system (DCS), and
Virtually all of the plant instrumentation is

HART-enabled...temperature, pressure, level, and flow.
the DCS is also used with a hard-wired
relay system to control safety shutdown
systems. Although future generations of
Honeywell DCSs will be able to directly
receive and transmit HART data, the
present DCS does not have HART communications capability.
DuPont needed to add intermediate
instrumentation to extract relevant data
connected to the DCS via a 4-20 mA

signal sent from the DCS to control the
valve position. HART data is superimposed on the 4-20 mA connection, and
the SPA loop monitor and alarm extracts
the valve-stem position from the HART
data. The SPA then sends the actual
valve-stem position data to the DCS via
an additional 4-20 mA connection.
Major Benefits of HART Communication for DuPont

1. Expedites testing of safety interlock valves, shortening plant shutdowns.
2. Provides fail-safe inputs to the hard-wired relay safety interlock system.
3. Allows remote configuration and ranging of virtually all instrumentation.
4. Reduces the number and duration of shutdowns by using partial
valve-stroke testing.
5. Establishes the foundation for an asset management system.
from the plants HART instruments,

and Moore Industries SPA HART
loop monitor and alarm is used for
this purpose.
One of the main reasons DuPont
selected the SPA instrument is that
Moore Industries submitted the SPA to
an independent third party for failure
modes, effects, and diagnostic analysis
(FMEDA). FMEDA is a detailed circuit and performance evaluation that
estimates the failure rates, failure
modes, and diagnostic capabilities of a
device, explains Bud Adler, director of
business development with Moore
Industries. Using the reliability data
from the SPAs FMEDA report, DuPont
is able to verify that required safety
integrity levels (SILs) are attained.
HART Increases Uptime

TiO2 production involves many critical
and potentially hazardous processes, so
reliable operation of the safety shutdown systems is of paramount concern.
DuPont uses HART to provide key
safety interlock inputs to the DCS and
to the hard-wired relay system.
The safety interlock system has a
number of on/off control valves, each
equipped with a HART-enabled valvestem positioner. Each control valve is
The DCS compares the valve control

output signal to the HART valve-stem
position data to ensure proper positioning. This data is used to verify correct
functioning of the valve in normal operations, and to test the valve when
DuPont performs periodically required
plant shutdowns to verify operation of
the safety shutdown system.
The HART data allows DuPont to
test valve safety interlock operation
from the control room. Control room
operators place the appropriate DCS
output in manual mode and adjust the
4-20 mA control valve output signal to
open and close the valve. The SPA
sends a 4-20 mA signal derived from
the HART data back to the DCS to verify valve position.
Consider the alternative: If the valvestem position data was not available at
the DCS through HART and the SPA,
DuPont would have to station an instrument technician at each valve to
observe valve operation. The technician
would have to observe valve travel, and
communicate this information to control room personnel. There are over
100 control valves equipped with
Moore SPA loop monitors, so valve
safety interlock testing would be a
labor-intensive and cumbersome oper-
XXV
ation without HART Communication,

observes Moffet.
Online Tests Reduce Outages

DuPont has plans to take valve testing
to another levela level that will
reduce the number and lengths of outages required for safety interlock testing. Certain valve testing requirements
for safety interlock systems can be met
with partial valve-stroke testing of
emergency shutdown valves during
normal operations. Performing those
tests during normal operations means
fewer shutdowns are required, and the
required tests take less time so the shutdowns can be shorter.
Partial valve-stroke testing during
normal operations is a procedure,
either manual or automated, used to
stroke a valve over a small percentage
of the valves total travel range. For
example, a safety interlock valve
might be fully closed during normal
operations. Partial valve-stroke testing
could be used to move the valve to a
slightly open position. This would verify valve operation without affecting
normal operations.
The present system could be used to
undertake manual partial valve-stroke
testing, or an upgraded system could be
used to implement automated partial
valve-stroke testing.
We are currently evaluating device
management system that would be able
to directly accept data from all of our
HART instruments, Moffet says, and
the system could be used to implement
automated partial valve-stroke testing.
Other plans call for using additional
SPA capabilities to monitor the diagnostic status of the valve-stem positioners,
to provide alarm on low valve-operating
air pressure, and to provide relay contacts for open and closed valve position.
For more critical applications, one-outof-two (1oo2) and two-out-of-three
(2oo3) configurations can be used to
increase availability and reliability.
Use the Power of HART

Your Wish Is HARTs Command
ook under your nose.

Though rarely in the
news, HART has the
largest installed base
of all digital field communications
protocols in the process industries. A
significant percentage of the field
devices in your plant are probably
HART-enabled, and you almost certainly are or will soon be under pressure to bring more information from
those devices to your control, asset
management, and enterprise systems.
But many end users havent made
the connection. HART can do much
more than serve as an occasional
information bridge for device configuration and troubleshooting. In many
applications it can serve as the primary means of two-way communications for system integration.
Using the power of HART communication is like letting the genie out
of the bottle.
Resources Are Rising

When HART technology was introduced in the early 1990s, control engineers realized information from intelligent devices was valuable, but at the
time there was no easy or clean way
to integrate this data into control systems. For years, valuable information
in these devices has languished in
parts of subsystems, in limited applications such as maintenance and loop
check-out tools, or ignored altogether.
Meanwhile, the business situation
in the process industries has changed
dramatically, creating the need to
maximize any and all investments
and assets. Reduced manpower, budget cuts, higher profit requirements,
and increased global competition
have users looking at all possible
means of capturing information that

can improve the operation and financial results of their plants.
Highly visible discussions have
promoted fieldbus capabilities and
the value of additional information
from remote communications. But
access to information is one thing
the ability to get it full-time and without pain is another.
Over the past 10 years, companies
of all sizes have created HART-capable devices that operate in a hybrid
fashion. These devices offer a powerful bridge between the analog and
digital worlds by using the 4-20 mA
signal to feed the control system as
initially designed, and simultaneously
carry digital HART information
which in most cases is freewith
additional process variables, enhanced
alarms and diagnostics information.
(HCF) members around the globe
have created a cadre of instrumentation that collectively provides all the
pieces of the puzzle needed to address
the many needs of process control.
And the HART protocol continues to
evolve as a global standard. Members
recently approved new HART 6 specifications that expands communications capabilities and is compatible
with existing instrumentation.
In addition, the HCF has initiated
a significant program to educate both
users and suppliers/members on the

value of full-time HART communication. The HCF web site, www.hartcomm.org, has been redesigned to
make it more user-friendly as well as
to provide more user-application and
user-oriented information.
What to Do
Take another look at HART as it
applies to your companys needs.
Review your installed base of instrumentation and your current buying
requirements as they are likely to show
you have a significant investment in
and potential to harness HART.
Talk with your suppliers about how
their products support the full power
of HART. If they dont, ask why. Discuss your current installation with
your suppliers to ascertain the degree
of HART compatibility of your system. Then map out a plan to use your
assets to the fullest.
There is a growing need to use intelligent data from the field to address
enterprise improvements such as performance, quality, safety, reliability,
profitability, maintenance, and management. No one bus or communication technology is perfect for all
applications, but HART may be the
simple, cost-effective, low-risk, highvalue solution you need for improved
process controland odds are youve
already got it.
Ron Helson, Director

512/794-0369
[email protected]
Call for Information

HART Delivers Process Data to SCADA, ERP, and Asset Management Systems
Automation gas chromatographs and calculates compressibility constants using AGA8 calculations. This
information is downloaded to the HART-compatible
Rosemount 3095FT flow transmitters via the HtNode
every three hours. Production data is also acquired from
Daniels 2500 flow computers and RTUs, adds Tandy.
The HtNode is a protocol translator that allows HART
devices to communicate via Modbus.
The 3095FT flow transmitter was chosen by Calumet
because it provides high accuracy, is physically smaller
than most flow computers, and has a competitive price.
It provides differential pressure, absolute pressure, and
temperature inputs on the same transmitter. The HART
protocol is used for communication of process variables
ost users were attracted to HART

for instrument calibration and maintenance, but many dont realize the
protocol has the power to be the
main digital communication bus for applications such
as SCADA, ERP, and asset management. HART provides
a wealth of the type of data required by these highlevel applications.
Corporations have spent billions of dollars over the past
few years installing ERP and asset management systems.
A tremendous amount of pressure is now being applied to
process plant managers and engineers to provide data to
these systems. SCADA systems must also be upgraded to
improve performance and reduce costs.
Existing HART instruments can accomplish these tasks
in a cost-effective and low-risk manner.
Figure 1: Get Connected
SCADA Can Do More With HART

The market for SCADA applications continues to grow.
According to Russ Novak, director of consulting for the
ARC Advisory Group, Dedham, Mass., The worldwide
SCADA systems market for the oil & gas and water &
wastewater industries exceeded $650 million in 2000. This
market will reach almost $780 million by the end of 2005,
growing at an annual rate of 3.5%. HART devices can
be expected to play a significant role in this growth.
Periodic instrument adjustment is a necessity in process plants, but continuous monitoring can be a requirement for certain applications. One of these applications
is a SCADA natural gas metering system designed by
Arcom Control Systems, Kansas City, Mo., for the Tejas
Calumet gas plant in Louisiana (Tejas is an affiliate of
Royal Dutch Shell).
The Calumet gas plant receives raw natural gas from
offshore pipelines and separates out liquids such as
propane, ethane, and methane. The plant consumes natural gas in the process and is charged for the energy usage
by its suppliers. Our firm designed a gas flow measurement system for Calumet to internally verify the amount
of energy used in various parts of the process. Calumet
needed to provide check metering for gas usage, says Jon
Tandy, a project engineer for Arcom.
The gas flow measurement system uses a combination
of protocols to gather and process data. Our SCADA
system acquires gas composition data from Applied
HART-enabled field devices like the ones in this safety system

offer both a conventional analog signal (for control) and a
digital signal (for information).
and for the acquisition of device-specific historical and

configuration data.
Accurate measurement of gas flow with the flow transmitters is only possible with continuous composition feedback. The gas chromatographs yield information with
respect to gas composition. The SCADA system uses this
data to continuously calculate correct parameters for the
flow transmitters. These parameters are sent to the flow
transmitters via the HtNode so that that the flow calculations are adjusted dynamically based on composition of
the natural gas, Tandy says.
Another SCADA application makes use of HARTs
capability to simultaneously transmit both 4-20 mA and
digital signals. HART devices were the best choice for
a safety shutdown system installed in a process plant.
Two independent control systems were required because
II
Tests validate the condition of the field device

and often eliminate unnecessary trips to the field.
The AMR system uses spread-spectrum radio and
satellite communication to extend the HART network
beyond the traditional 10,000-ft. distance limitation.
Spread-spectrum radios from Freewave Technologies provide the wireless link between the gateway and the HART
instruments. The radios allow great flexibility in network
architecture through multipoint and repeater configurations, as well as providing reliable data transmission
of the HART messages, Tandy adds. With the use of
repeaters, HART units can be brought into a single multiplexer from a radius of 80 miles or more.
By implementing the HART-based AMR system, the
pipeline company was able to realize cost savings in several ways. The paper chart recorders previously had to be
collected and tabulated manually for each monthly billing.
digital fieldbus protocols have not been approved by the

standards organizations for shutdown applications,
observes James Gray, director of I/A systems marketing
for Invensys Process Systems, Foxboro, Mass.
In this application (Figure 1), each field device must
have the capability to transmit a signal to each of the two
independent control systems. A Foxboro I/A system is
the DCS and a PLC was used for the safety shutdown
system. In the I/A system, the fieldbus module interfaces
to the HART digital communication signal from the field
device. The PLC uses the 4-20 mA signal from the field
device for its analog I/O as the primary input of the safety
shutdown system, continues Gray.
The DCS analyzes the HART signal information and
distributes this information throughout the control system. The HART protocol is used for diagnostic information from the field device. This information can provide an active status word to the system and alert the
operator of a device fault before it impacts the performance of the process. The status word is integrated into
the analog input block of the control system and propagated throughout the control strategy if an error or device
fault is detected, adds Gray.
If an error is found, the DCS can interact with an operator to correct the problem. Once an error in the field
devices is detected, the operator or technician can interrogate the field device from the console. Using the tools
of the I/A systems Technicians Workbench, a poll command is sent from the operator console to the field device
to read or perform a series of diagnostics, Gray says.
These tests validate the condition of the field device and
often eliminate unnecessary trips to the field.
HART capabilities can also be extended to wireless
SCADA applications. A major Midwest gas pipeline company planned to replace paper chart recorders on its natural gas pipeline with an automated meter reading (AMR)
system. The AMR system would have to be capable of
acquiring data from devices within a radius of up to
80 miles, publishing this field data from locations throughout the Midwest to a central host in Tulsa, and integrating
the data with an existing measurement system.
The system architecture diagram (Figure 2) illustrates
the design of the wireless SCADA system. Multivariable
flow transmitters provide flow measurement and data
logging capabilities. These transmitters communicate
via HART over a wireless radio link to a network gateway/
multiplexer from Arcom. Our Director gateway satisfied
all the requirements for the project, says Tandy. The
Director uses HART to acquire real-time and historical
information. Data is then published to a central host via
satellite.
Figure 2: HART Works With Wireless
A gateway/multiplexer in this gas metering application acts as a

HART master and publishes data using TCP/IP.
This is now done automatically with ongoing savings

estimated at $1.25 million per year. Because the HART
signal is transferred over the radio link, there is no need
for a separate remote terminal unit (RTU) or multiplexer
at each meter site. One multiplexer serves as a master to
32 HART meters and allows data consolidation.
Wireless communication avoids costly cable runs to
each HART meter. The multivariable flow transmitters
effectively combine a traditional flowmeter and three discrete instruments into a single instrument, yielding hardware cost savings of almost 30% per site. TCP/IP communications allow remote diagnostics and configuration,
reducing the need for on-site technical support. HART
provides the communication tool to create an extended
meter-reading network via spread-spectrum radio and
satellite communication.
III
The status and diagnostic information available from each HART

device can be used to automatically verify proper operation.
ERP Needs HART
Initial device configuration establishes a baseline for

each instrument that can be compared to later readings
to create a history for the instrument. The baseline
includes not only calibration information, but also device
information such as a user-designated tag number, a
user-defined descriptor, and manufacturers information.
One specific issue in calibration management that is
addressed by the HART protocol is the ability to positively confirm the identity of the device being calibrated.
Prior to smart devices, there was no inherent method
available to confirm the unique device identification,
which is obviously required to validate the calibration
history, observes Alexander.
This observation is seconded by Aventis. Using Cornerstone with the HART interface has helped us tremendously in getting new instruments configured and calibrated quickly, adds Humphreys. Cornerstone also has
ERP and e-business systems from vendors such as SAP,

Baan, and Oracle cannot perform as designed without
extensive information from plant-floor control systems.
This information is often available through existing
HART devices. Plant engineers can extract data from
these existing devices and provide it to ERP systems. The
expenses of purchasing and installing new devices often
can be avoided.
Many food and pharmaceutical processes require extensive recordkeeping with respect to batch parameters.
These parameters can include process variables such as
pressure, temperature, and level. The multivariable capabilities of HART devices can be exploited to extract these
secondary variables from existing devices.
Batch records should also indicate if each field device
is operating properly. The status and diagnostic information available from each HART device can be used to
automatically verify proper operation. The only alternative in most cases is to have a field technician check and
verify device operation.
Figure 3: Manage Change
HART Helps Manage Assets

Recordkeeping also extends to instrument calibration
activities. Asset management programs can use HART
capabilities to automate much of the calibration and recordkeeping required for critical processes.
One provider of Windows-based instrument asset management software is Applied Systems Technologies, Fort
Lauderdale, Fla. Its Cornerstone software is a family of
Microsoft Windows-based process instrument maintenance management tools.
Aventis Crop Science uses Cornerstone software at
its plant in Institute, W.Va., to configure and manage
its HART-compatible instruments (Figure 3). Each
instrument is configured and trimmed in the Aventis
instrument shop prior to putting the device into service,
says Brad Alexander, Applied Systems president. The
HART protocol makes it easy for the device to be automatically added to the Cornerstone database when the
first connection is accomplished.
Three of the instrument shops at the site use Cornerstone,
and Aventis plans to convert the rest of the shops in the near
future. We use the HART interface with Cornerstone to
configure the instruments for our use and to track any
changes that are made to these instruments, says Denny
Humphreys, an instrument/electrical technician with the
equipment reliability group at Aventis. These changes
might be made in the field through a documenting calibrator, in the field though a field communicator, or
through Cornerstone itself.
Instrument maintenance management software can use HART

data to track calibration and configuration changes.
a database that is password protected and that automatically documents every change that takes place at our site.
Aventis uses the software in conjunction with HART
instruments to provide complete management of instrument calibration and maintenance. Alexander says, The
Cornerstone HART maintenance station makes it possible to confirm existing configurations, to automatically
detect any configuration changes introduced in the field,
to prepare configuration edits for download to an instrument upon next connection, and to reconcile any variances
between the instrument database records and the devices.
The software can also be used to provide remote diagnostics by periodically polling each instrument to access
device status. This information can then be used to alert
the instrument shop and generate repair orders. We use
the Cornerstone monitor feature with our HART Instrument. This allows us to quickly spot any problems with an
instrument including signal spiking, ground loops, or a
IV
The HART interface is not proprietary so

we are not tied to one instrument vendor.
process uptime can be increased by delivering field-based
data directly to an EAM. When AMS is integrated with
an EAM system, early predictive maintenance warnings
can be provided about potential equipment problems.
Trial-and-error preventive maintenance can be
replaced by prioritized work orders based on actual evidence that a repair or replacement is required. Rather
than scheduling field devices for maintenance based on
the calendar, the EAM system receives notification from
AMS that service is necessary and a work order to that
effect is generated.
Integration of an online AMS with an EAM system
lowers overall maintenance costs and increases process
uptime by providing advanced warning about potential
equipment failures. By combining these important
maintenance tools, companies can establish a predictive
maintenance environment to keep plants running at
higher efficiency with less technician involvement.
Potential problems can be corrected before serious
damage occurs, and the cost of maintenance can be
significantly reduced.
Syncrude Canada, Calgary, Alberta, is using HART and
the AMS system at its oil refinery in Fort McMurray,
Alberta. During the design of our most recent
process unit, a 305,000 barrel-per-day vacuum distillation
unit, we decided to install all HART smart instruments
and hook them up to the AMS through a Honeywell DCS,
says Gil Hurtubise, process automation specialist with
Syncrude in Calgary.
The AMS system works with HART devices to
improve plant efficiency. The largest economic payback
is the maintenance efficiency gained by being able to
access the equipment diagnostics in order to make our
maintenance more predictive, adds Hurtubise. Equipment diagnostics also allow us to keep a history of control valve signatures. This becomes a very valuable tool
as the equipment ages and also assists in planning which
equipment must come out for maintenance during a
planned process unit outage. It is important, however,
that this tool [AMS] be set up as a working system initially and later supported on a dedicated basis through
organizational structure.
Another benefit of HART was realized during plant
startup. Using the HART component of the signal
allows you to be much more efficient during final construction checks, commissioning loop checks, and
startup, adds Hurtubise. It allows you to forgo many
of the point-to-point wiring checks that you would normally make with analog instruments, by making use of
the digital network to prove the integrity of the wiring
instantly for the entire loop.
problem with the primary element, continues Humphreys.

The HART protocol and maintenance management
software allow Aventis to use instruments from many
different vendors. The HART interface is not proprietary so we are not tied to one instrument vendor or one
type of documenting calibrator. Cornerstone is also able
to handle many vendors through the use of model
libraries and calibrator libraries that can be used anywhere on the LAN, Humphreys says. I have been completely sold on the HART interface for years, but it was
not until I discovered Cornerstone that the benefits
became so very apparent.
Application Optimizes HART

Condition and diagnostic information generated by field
instruments can be captured from control networks by
online applications and integrated with an enterprise asset
management (EAM) or computerized maintenance manFigure 4: Leverage Assets
Bringing data from HART instruments into enterprise asset

management (EAM) systems allows automatic generation of
work orders based on actual device conditions.
agement system (CMMS).

One such online application is Asset Management Solutions (AMS) software from Emerson Process Management,
Austin, Texas. AMS provides the interface between
fieldbus devices and maintenance management systems
(Figure 4). This allows automatic generation of work
orders based on actual device conditions.
The online asset management software gathers data
from HART instruments and stores it in a device-oriented
database. The data is then processed, organized, and
presented in graphic displays. The information can be used
to speed unit startups, streamline routine maintenance, and
provide early warning alerts of component failure.
Overall maintenance costs can be further reduced and
Hidden in HART
Field Devices Offer Much More Than the Process Variable
ost users know HART provides for limited accuracy for storage tank weighing systems. These
communication of multiple data systems often measure weights up to 200,000 lbs. and
items between field devices and require high precision to resolve the total weight to an
a host controller or computer. acceptable level.
Many existing and most new HART devices have mulMany also know that integrating additional field device
data into control or maintenance strategies can improve tivariable measurement capabilities. This is true of many
pressure and temperature devices; most flow, level, and
system performance.
What most HART users dont know is there is an analytical devices; and all valve positioners and valve conincredible amount of data that can be communicated trollers. Table I lists common types of multivariable
between their existing HART devices and control systems. devices and typical outputs available from these devices.
Up to three secondary process variables in addition to
Typical user estimates of available data items range from
three to 10 values in addition to the process variable. The the primary process variable (total of four) can be simulactual number is 35 to 40 values depending on the type of taneously transmitted from a HART device to a host in a
HART device (see sidebar, Data Items Available for single message. This multivariable capability can be
exploited in a number of ways.
Communication Between HART Devices and a Host).
There is tremendous value in the data available from
HART devices. Many users have little or no idea of the Multivariables Provide Multi-Benefits
measurement and process improvements that can be imple- Multivariable transmitters with a digital HART interface
mented through HART devices, says Warren Meyer, prin- offer tremendous functionality and application diversity
cipal marketing specialist with The Foxboro Co., Foxboro, compared to instruments with only a 4-20 mA output.
Mass. These improvements typically require minimal Unfortunately, the average user of HART devices only
engineering and can be implemented quickly and at very low
Table I: Common Multivariable Devices
cost. These HART devices are
Device
Primary and Secondary Process Variables*
like icebergswe only see
Pressure transmitter
Pressure, temperature, differential pressure
about 20% of the functionality
pH transmitter
Electrode output, compensation temperature, sensor impedance
and 80% is hidden from view.
Coriolis meter
Mass flow, density, temperature, totalized flow
The most important data items
Valve positioner
Target stem position, actual stem position, actuator pressure,
available from HART devices
output signal to actuator
are the process variables. The
Temperature transmitter
Temperature, cold junction compensation value
primary process variable is conDP level transmitter
Level, pressure at cell 1, pressure at cell 2,
tinuously transmitted in two
temperature of capillary fluid
formats: 4-20 mA analog and
*HART supports up to 256 process variables in a device. However, only four of them
can be transmitted in a single HART message.
digital as part of the HART protocol. The primary process variable is also transmitted as a percent of range. Finally, the scratches the surface in terms of using the information
loop current in milliamps can also be accessed. The loop available from them.
current reading can be used to validate the signal being
One of the best ways to improve plant profitability is
received by the controller.
to use the on-board temperature sensor located in virtuThe primary process variable digital value is expressed ally all HART devices. This sensor measures the internal
as an IEEE floating-point number with up to 32-bit preci- temperature inside the field device, not the ambient or
sion. This far exceeds the standard 12-bit precision offered process temperature. The manufacturer uses internal
with most PLC and DCS analog input modules.
device temperature to characterize the output during wide
High precision can be especially useful in weighing and temperature fluctuations, thereby eliminating most of the
scaling applications. Twelve-bit resolution yields very temperature-related error of the device. A user can also
VI
One clientsaved over $300,000/year since 1989 using the

free temperature measurement for alarming.
digitally transmit the on-board device temperature to the
control system using the HART protocol.
Our clients often use the on-board temperature sensor
for freeze protection alarming, says Meyer. During the
winter months in cold climates, every process plant has
some type of freeze protection on various production lines.
The protection can be electric heaters, steam, or just insulation to keep the process fluid from freezing.
The conventional solution is to purchase and install a
temperature sensor inside the freeze-protection housing.
This can be very expensive and may not be cost-effective
for many applications. When our clients use the internal
temperature measurement already available over the
HART interface, all that is required is a software change
to set alarm points, adds Meyer. One client in northern
Canada with approximately 2,000 microprocessor-based
transmitters estimates they have saved over $300,000 each
year since 1989 using the free temperature measurement
for alarming as compared to the previous installation with
4-20 mA transmitters.
Another use of the internal instrument temperature is
for ambient temperature error compensation on a dual-seal
level transmitter. The ambient temperature error of the differential pressure transmitter is virtually eliminated with
factory compensation using the internal temperature sensors. The problem is that the compensation is done before
the dual seals are installed on a vessel, and this installation can introduce temperature errors.
The temperature errors of the dual seals tend to offset
each other because the error on one side is canceled by a
similar error on the other side. But there still is one error
that is not compensated: a shift in the output caused by a
temperature-driven change in the density of the fluid
inside the capillary between the two seals. As the ambient capillary temperature changes, the change in the fluid
density creates an error.
The low-cost solution is to take the on-board temperature inside the basic differential pressure transmitter as a
good approximation of the seal fill fluid temperature. A
user can then program a software compensation block with
a table of the fill fluid density vs. temperature. A few basic
math calculations using the distance between the seals, the
span of the level measurement, and the density vs. temperature chart greatly enhance level measurement accuracy.
A hydrostatic tank gauging system can be configured
using pressure transmitters with a temperature secondary
variable. We multi-drop two or three pressure transmitters, each with secondary temperature variables, to create
a tank level measurement system. This system is marketed
as our Hydrostatic Interface Unit, says Jim Cobb, marketing manager for Austin, Texas-based Emerson Process
Management, formerly Fisher-Rosemount.

Multivariable instruments often can use multiple variables to calculate process information. A differential pressure flowmeter, for example, uses pressure taps upstream
and downstream of an orifice plate, and the square root of
the differential pressure is proportional to the flow. A multivariable transmitter could transmit the flow value, the
upstream pressure, and the downstream pressure. Calculations performed at the instrument level can provide
better accuracy and can off-load central controllers from
these math-intensive tasks.
Valves Vie for Attention

The multivariable features of HART are used extensively
for valve control. The management of final control elements through digital communication offers significant
advantages, says James Gray, director of I/A systems
marketing, Invensys Process Systems, Foxboro, Mass.
Intelligent valve positioners provide real-time feedback
of valve position, measurement of pneumatic supply pressure, and measurement of the positioners output signal
to the actuator. Operators can use the secondary variable
Figure 1: Bring Full Closure
A smart HART loop monitor used with a HART communicating

valve positioner provides a reliable and cost-effective alternative
for online emergency shutdown valve testing.
information to perform remote diagnostics on valves.

HART valve positioners can monitor actuator pressure
(Figure 1). Excess friction in a control valve often leads
to surging conditions that can result in dangerous process
upsets, says Bud Adler, director of professional development for Moore Industries, North Hills, Calif. Our
HART loop monitor can be configured to alarm on loss
of actuator pressure (a secondary variable) that often
results from a clogged air filter or a torn diaphragm.
Emergency shutdown valves can use the multivariable
VII
The management of final control elements through

digital communication offers significant advantages.
A prudent strategy is to upgrade the valve with a smart
HART positioner and a HART loop monitor, says Adler.
With this combination, the presence of adequate air supply can be verified and the valve can be partially stroked
on a regular basis to ensure its ability to move off of the
seat. The loop monitor reads the HART secondary variable and provides stem position feedback to ensure that
the valve is only partially stroked.
capabilities of a HART valve positioner. Potentially

catastrophic results can occur when an emergency shutdown valve does not close when triggered by a dangerous
process upset, Adler says. These critical valves often go
for months or even years without being stroked to assure
proper operation.
Users do not stroke these valves because partial valve
actuation without position monitoring can be hazardous.
Data Items Available for Communication Between HART Devices and a Host
Process Variable Values1
Status and Diagnostic Alerts2
Primary Process Variable (analog)

4-20 mA current signal continuously
transmitted to host
Device Malfunction
Indicates device self-diagnostic has
detected a problem in device operation
Primary Process Variable (digital)

Digital value in engineering units, IEEE
floating point, up to 24-bit resolution
Configuration Changed
Indicates device configuration has
been changed
Upper Range Value

Primary variable value in engineering
units for 20 mA point, set by user
Percent Range
Primary process variable expressed as
percent of calibrated range
Cold Start
Indicates device has gone through
power cycle
Lower Range Value

Primary variable value in engineering
units for 4 mA point, set by user
Loop Current
Loop current value in milliamps
More Status Available

Indicates additional devices status
data available
Upper Sensor Limit

Set by manufacturer
Secondary Process Variable 1

Digital value in engineering units
available from multivariable devices
Commands From Host to Device
Primary Variable Analog Output Fixed

Indicates device in fixed current mode
Primary Variable Analog Output Saturated
Indicates 4-20 mA signal is saturated
Secondary Variable Out of Limits
Indicates secondary variable value outside the sensor limits
Primary Variable Out of Limits
Indicates primary variable value outside
the sensor limits
Set Primary Variable Units

Set Upper Range
Device Identification
Set Lower Range
Instrument Tag
User defined, up to eight characters3
Set Damping Value

Set Message
Set Tag
Descriptor
User defined, up to 16 characters
Set Descriptor
Manufacturer Name (Code)

Code established by HCF and set
by manufacturer
Perform Loop Test

Force loop current to specific value
Device Type and Revision

Set by manufacturer
Initiate Self Test

Start device self test
Device Serial Number

Set by manufacturer
Get More Status Available Information

Codes vary by manufacturer/device
Sensor Serial Number

Set by manufacturer
Set Date
Calibration Information for 4-20 mA

Transmission of Primary Process Variable
Date
Date of last calibration, set by user
Lower Sensor Limit

Set by manufacturer
Sensor Minimum Span
Set by manufacturer
PV Damping
Primary process variable damping
factor, set by user
Message
Scratch pad message area
(32 characters), set by user
Loop Current Transfer Function
Relationship between primary variable
digital value and 4-20 mA current signal
Loop Current Alarm Action
Loop current action on device failure
(upscale/downscale)
Write Protect Status
Device write-protect indicator
1. Quality indicators for process

variable data added with HART 6.
2. On/off values, eight bits, always
defined as shown. Set by device selfdiagnostics. Device status alerts
increased to 16 bits with HART 6.
3. Additional tag with up to 32
international characters added
with HART 6.
VIII
This strategy provides differentiation between a sensor

problem and potentially dangerous process condition.
Handheld communicators can access this information
when connected to the instrument loop, but most applications would benefit from continuous monitoring of
these status bits.
This monitoring function is provided with some DCS
and HMI software packages, but not all control and monitoring systems have this functionality. Moore Industries
The inherent capability of HART valve positioners to

provide diagnostic and preventive maintenance information has proven invaluable in an installation at the Aylesford Newsprint manufacturing mill in Aylesford, England.
The mill recently constructed a new de-inking and pumping plant and installed a modern newsprint machine.
The mill uses the Smart Adviser plant health monitor
from Thermo Measurement, Winchester, England, to
enhance the existing process monitoring and control system and to provide significant benefits in three areas:
valve maintenance, valve failure, and multiplexing. A
large number of valve positioners with HART communication are in operation at the mill, reports Peter Vincent,
sales and marketing director for Thermo Measurement.
Some are installed on minor applications but many perform critical safety tasks.
The advantage of using HART-capable devices is their
ability to communicate digitally on top of the traditional
4-20 mA line and transmit a wealth of data rather than
only one process variable. Additional parameters that can
be monitored by a HART-capable valve positioner include
requested valve position, actual valve position, temperature, and actuator pressure.
During normal operation, HART communication
provides a cost-effective and time-saving method for identifying problematic valves and valve positioners. Instrument performance is monitored by extrapolating the digital
data readings related to the requested valve position and
the actual valve position and comparing the two readings
(Figure 2).
The software analyzes valve positioner performance
and alarms when an abnormal condition occurs. If the
difference between the two readings falls outside of the
normal tolerance of the valve (i.e. valve deviation), Smart
Adviser logs it as a fault, Vincent says. The dead band
or hysteresis facility is used to determine the normal delta
and this is adjustable up to 25% of span to cover nearly
all conditions.
In addition, should the valve deviation exceed the programmed alarm point, the critical alarm mode provides
instantaneous indication of valve failure. When the maintenance schedule is drawn up, the log is studied to see
which valves are frequently working outside of normal
tolerances. Smart Adviser can also function as a multiplexer,
collecting up to 24 channels of field data from smart valve
positioners and sending it to the control system.
Plenty of Devices
Device Category1
No. of Companies
No. of Devices
Actuator
Analytical
12
58
Analyzer
Cabling
Calibrator
Control
DCS
Density
19
Flow
24
78
Gateway
Handheld
I/O system
23
Interconnect
Interface
IS barrier
44
IS isolator
Isolator
16
Level
31
60
Modem
Modem IC
Monitor
Positioner
18
28
Pressure
32
66
Services
15
Software
17
19
Temperature
26
41
Tools
15
Total
2382
560
1. per HART Communication Foundation web site

2. 111 different companies
provides loop monitors that are typically panel-mounted

and connected just like a handheld calibrator. When a
HART status bit changes, the loop monitor provides both
LED indication and a relay output, says Adler.
The relay output can be connected to an existing control and monitoring system, and the loop monitor can also
Available: Advanced Diagnostics

HART devices provide eight diagnostic status bits (16 bits
with the new HART 6 enhancement). These status bits can
be used to provide early warning of device problems.
IX
There are more than 30 diagnostic parameters

available to maintenance to determine the health of a valve.
branches, Hage says. Windows-based software allows
setup choices like input type and range, output zero
and span, output damping, upscale/downscale drive, and
display parameters to be easily viewed, selected, and
downloaded to a HART instrument with a few clicks
of a mouse.
Configuration via a computer is especially advantageous for multiple instruments with the same parameters.
provide a 4-20 mA signal based on one of the HART process variables. This allows a HART instrument to be interfaced to a control system simply and quickly.
The performance of temperature transmitters can be
improved by using the status and diagnostic information
provided by HART devices. Most temperature transmitters incorporate sensor diagnostics to drive the 4-20 mA
output either upscale or downscale upon sensor failure. In
a safety-critical application, this high or low action would
often trigger an expensive and perhaps unnecessary process shutdown, says Adler.
HART compatible temperature transmitters can be
used to avoid a process shutdown. A HART loop monitor can be configured to use the status bits to provide a
relay output indicating sensor failure, Adler adds.
This strategy provides differentiation between a sensor problem and potentially dangerous process condition. For more safety-critical applications, a dual nonvoting scheme or a two-out-of-three scheme provides
even more reliability.
A transmitter can lock at a fixed output value if it is
placed in a manual mode for tests and not returned to automatic operation. HARTs Primary Variable Analog Output Fixed status bit can be used to detect this condition
and alert an operator.
Distributed control systems such as Foxboros I/A can
automatically detect and use HART diagnostic information. HART status and diagnostic signals can be transmitted in digital format and used by the control strategy and
operator displays, says Gray. In addition, there are more
than 30 diagnostic parameters available to maintenance to
determine the health of a valve. These are available through
our Technicians Workbench I/A system module.
Figure 2: Requested vs. Actual

Valve becomes
sticky or not fully
positioned
Accepted Delta/tolerance
(dead band/hysteresis)
Time
Delta between
'requested' and 'actual'
valve position
Event is time and

date stamped and
written to alarm
log, alarm is set
Valves can be monitored by comparing requested vs. actual

position data via HART.
Another significant advantage of the PC over a handheld

is that once developed, a PC configuration can be stored
to disk and downloaded to multiple transmitters. The more
transmitters with the same or similar setup, the more time
you save, concludes Hage.
Periodic instrument adjustment is a necessity for all
processes, but continuous adjustment can be a requirement for certain applications. These applications virtually
necessitate a digital data interface to a smart instrument.
If the composition of the fluid or gas that is being measured changes continuously and if this change in composition affects setup parameters, then continuous reconfiguration is required to maintain the accuracy of
process measurements.
Smart instruments equipped with HART capability can
enable continuous adjustment by receiving data from
instruments with respect to fluid or gas composition, using
these data to automatically calculate settings, and downloading these settings to the affected instruments.
Asset management software programs make extensive
use of the device identification information available
through HART. This information is read by the asset
management program and stored in a database, allowing
the program to automatically populate the database with
pertinent information related to each instruments tag
number, manufacturer, device type, final assembly number, and serial number.
Configuration Is Easy With a PC

Most HART users are aware that HART instruments can
be configured remotely from any point on the HART data
highway. This can be performed with handheld calibrators or through a host computer.
Calibration performed with a host computer offers
many advantages over calibration via a handheld unit.
HART transmitters feature programming options that go
far beyond relatively common universal input capabilities. The arrival of simple and highly functional Windowsbased calibration and configuration software allows faster
set up and more precise settings than is possible with a
handheld communicator, observes Joseph Hage, vice
president of engineering, Moore Industries.
Setup is simplified and time is saved by using a host
computer for calibration. Handheld calibrators often
require a user to scroll through lengthy configuration
Put It to Work
Take Advantage of HART Communications by Connecting Instruments
to Control Systems, Laptop PCs, or Wireless Networks
s we saw in the article, Call for Information, processing companies are using
HART information in SCADA, asset
management, optimization, and ERP
systems. In the article, Hidden in HART, we saw the
multitude of information available in field instruments, all
of which is available for the taking. Heres how to access
all that valuable information.
You will be happy to learn that not only is instrument
information readily available, it is downright easy to get.
Whats more, you dont have to be a programmer. Well
walk you through the various options available, starting
with handheld terminals and working up to the most complex networking systems.
Calibrating Field Devices

Virtually everyone who owns HART instrumentation
knows how to connect a handheld terminal to calibrate or
diagnose a field device. Essentially, you find any convenient location along the 4-20 mA signal linebetween
the instrument and its termination in the control room or
remote data acquisition systemand clamp on an adapter.
The adapter is able to read the analog and embedded digital signal without affecting the signal in any way.
Many of the handheld terminals are based on Emerson
Process Managements 275 HART device, which it supplies to many HART vendors as a house brand. It was
designed years ago, but it still works just fine. Newer
handhelds from companies such as Smar are becoming
available with Palm user interfaces. According to Jonas
Berge, manager of Smar Asia-Pacific Operations in
Singapore, the Palm-based devices have a Windows-like
user interface. This comes in handy, as newer-generation
HART devices have more diagnostics information than
ever before, says Berge. Some information is better
visualized graphically on a large screen than on just a textbased screen like the older units.
About 80% of all process controller and field instruments have a HART interface these days, and practically
every maintenance technician, operator, instrument engineer and control engineer knows how to use a handheld
HART terminal to change the zero and span, or check status. In probably 99% of the process installations, this was
why HART devices were bought in the first place.
That was most definitely true 15 years ago, when
HART-based smart instruments first appeared on the

scene. Back then, being able to work with a handheld terminal to remotely change, calibrate, and diagnose a field
instrument was all the rage. Today, engineers and technicians still use this capability out in the field, but now they
dont have to. Instead of getting wet or huddling in an
instrument shed, engineers and operators can interrogate
and change parameters from the comfort of the plants
control room, using software loaded on any Windowscompatible PC. All they have to do is connect the PC to
the HART device network, and install a simple software
package that emulates a handheld terminal.
Siemens and Emerson Process Management both offer
software packagesSimatic PDM and AMS respectivelythat run on a PC. Both can connect directly via
RS-232 to a HART multiplexer (see below), and provide
all the configuration, setup, calibration, and diagnostic
functions of handheld terminals.
At this point, Device Descriptions (DDs) enter the
picture. While a handheld terminal or PC software package has the ability to configure any HART device, DDs
make the procedure much simpler, because they provide
the necessary parameter locations. Every vendor that
makes a HART instrument also writes a DD that can be
loaded into a handheld terminal. Typically, an end user
loads handheld terminals with DDs for all the field instrumentation in the plant so engineers and technicians can
work with anything.
Owners of the 275 HART terminals often send the unit
off to the manufacturer to have the necessary DDs loaded.
This is much easier for some plants than loading DDs
locally. Fortunately, the latest handheld terminals and PC
software packages are able to load from CD-ROMs, disks,
or Internet sources, simplifying the update process. At present, there are more than 250 unique HART instruments
from 70 vendors, all with individual DDs.
Getting Connected
For a simple connection, a HART modem interface from
MACTek will connect your PCs RS-232 port to a
HART field device. The modem connects to the 4-20 mA
signal line just like the handheld communicators, and
provides an RS-232 signal containing all the digital
HART information.
If more than a few HART devices are involved, then
XVIII
The HART Server starts working immediately. Users can

start gathering HART data in a matter of minutes.
The HART Server is a plug-and-play device; that is, once
it is connected to the HART network via a modem, it automatically recognizes and communicates with all HART
devices it can find on the network. This includes HART
devices directly connected via RS-232 as well as devices
connected through various control networks, multiplexers,
and I/O systems. Once it establishes communication, the
HART Server automatically retrieves device information.
Each OPC client that connects to the HART Server can
request information at any rate desired. The client can
specify update frequency, dead band, and so on. The
HART Server will update information as requested and
send it to the client.
To see how easy it is to use, download a free evaluation
version of the HART Server. Just go to www.hartcomm.
org, select the End User Info box, then click on HART
Server. From there, you can request a demo evaluation kit
that allows you to download server and related software
modules on your PC and simulate the complete server
functionality, free of charge for 30 days. This kit includes:
HART Server software
Xmtr-mv instrument simulation software (Windows
NT only)
GnHost diagnostic software
To use these modules, simply load the software into a
Windows NT, 98, or 2000 environment, associate and
jumper the correct COMM ports on your PC (for example, COMM 1 for the server, COMM 2 for Xmtr-mv) and
follow the instructions in the kit. You may also use your
own instruments in the simulation by connecting a HART
modem to the serial port.
RS-485 multiplexers from companies such as Arcom,

Elcon, MTL, Pepperl+Fuchs, Stahl, or Thermo Measurement can be used (Figure 1). Up to 31 multiplexers can be
connected, each with 32 loops, for a maximum of 992
devices. Some multiplexers support a multi-tier architecture that allows you to connect thousands of field devices
into a single virtual network. The point is, no matter how
many HART devices you want to connectfrom one to
thousandsthe connection to your PC is simple and
straightforward. All you need is a modem and a cable. And
a server, of course.
The HART Communication Foundation (HCF) recently
announced the availability of the HART to Enterprise
OPC server, or HART Server. Load this software into your
PC, hook up to HART devices with a modem, and you
gain real-time access to all the process-related informaFigure 1: Serial Killers
Multiplexers can be used to bring a virtually unlimited number

of HART field devices into serial ports.
tion available in HART devices. With HART Server software and a $350 RS-232 link or a $2,000
multiplexer, you may have all the connective functionality
youll ever need.
The HART Server is OLE for Process Control (OPC)compliant, so it can obtain information from HART devices
and pass it along to any OPC client applications, such as
SCADA/HMI software, an Internet web browser, an Excel
spreadsheet, SQC and SPC software, and ERP systems. For
example, real-time flow transfer data obtained from a
HART device can be delivered to an Excel spreadsheet.
No special skill or customized software is needed.
Using simple drop-down screens (Figure 2), fill-in-theblanks functions, and tag names, the HART Server can be
configured to automatically collect real-time information
from any number of HART devices and deliver it to any
OPC client application. Once configured, the HART
Server starts working immediately. Users can start gathering HART data in a matter of minutes, rather than several hours or days.
Hooking Up a HART Multiplexer

If you have more than one HART device, connecting them
to your control system can be done in one of two ways.
The first is to run the HART signals to a HART I/O board
in your control system.
The second way to obtain HART data is to use a HART
multiplexer. This is ideal for end users with control systems that do not yet support HART digital data for control and monitoring purposes. Users with legacy control
systems also are in this situation.
David Hohenstein, manager of the hardware marketing
group at Pepperl+Fuchs, Twinsburg, Ohio, explains that
hooking up a HART multiplexer is easy. Just run the
4-20 mA signals from HART field devices into a HART
multiplexer, explains Hohenstein. The multiplexer strips
off the digital HART data, then sends the 4-20 mA signal
on its way.
The original 4-20 mA signal is unaffected, so it can connect to a normal analog input board at a control system.
XIX
The multiplexer strips off the digital HART data,

then sends the 4-20 mA signal on its way.
Meanwhile, the multiplexer sends the digital HART data
to the control system via a serial link, typically
RS-232 or RS-485.
The only trick to using a HART multiplexer is that it
must be compatible with the control system, says
Hohenstein. The connection to all HART instruments
is standard, but every control system is different. You
have to purchase a HART multiplexer with an I/O interface that works with your particular control system. Pepperl+Fuchs has 40 different HART multiplexers, with
models ranging from 32 to 255 channels.
Once connected to the control system, the multiplexer
becomes a passive device, serving merely as a conduit of
information. When asset management or HART Server
software in the control system wants data from a HART
instrument, it sends the device a HART command. The
command signal goes to the HART multiplexer which
embeds the digital signal into the 4-20 mA loop. The command arrives at the HART device where it is acted upon.
The HART device embeds the requested information into
the 4-20 mA signal, and the multiplexer strips out the digital data and sends it on to the control system.
Issues to be considered with HART multiplexers primarily involve speed. A multiplexer with 255 channels
and a single modem operates much slower (on a channelby-channel basis) than does a 32-channel multiplexer with
one modem. If a control system needs faster access to data,
it can use smaller, eight or 16-channel multiplexers, or
you can purchase multiplexers with multiple modems.
ment information available to any OPC client device

(Figure 3). This includes web browsers, SCADA systems,
ERP systems, and software that drives cell phones, handheld computers, personal digital assistants (PDAs), and
wireless equipment.
A control system designed and installed by SysInc
Engineering to support multiple plants, process areas, and
loading facilities makes extensive use of HART devices.
A Windows 2000 HART OPC Server at each plant is connected directly to an Arcom 32-channel HART multiplexer via an RS-485 serial port.
Approximately 70 two-wire and four-wire HART
devices per plant are connected to the multiplexer. These
devices include SAAB and Krohne radar level gauges, Inor
Getting More Complex
and Smar temperature transmitters, Micro Motion mass

flowmeters, and Endress+Hauser volumetric flowmeters.
Most of the HART devices are wired in a multi-drop
configuration and connected to the HART OPC Server.
Other HART devices feed into four-channel ProLinx
HART/Modbus gateways that in turn feed into the
Modbus OPC server. The OPC server provides a clean
interface to custom as well as off-the-shelf SQL and
web-based applications.
Most of the devices are set up on multi-drop networks
and do not use the 4-20 mA signal available from each
device. The faster update time of a 4-20 mA signal took
a back seat to the accuracy of the HART digital signal for
this application.
According to the system integrator, the client plans to
take advantage of many HART features. Our client will
use the multivariable, status and diagnostics, and remote
calibration capabilities of the HART devices. The most critical capabilities for this application are multivariable and
device status, says Curtis Butt, electrical engineer, SysInc.
The long-term manageability of the system required us to
Figure 2: Drop-Dead Easy
The HART Enterprise OPC server offers drop-down screens,

fill-in-the-blanks functions, and tag names.
So far, weve only looked at HART networks that connect

to a single PC. Much more capability is available for a
serious user. Its possible to connect your HART instruments into most major networks, the Internet, and even
into wireless systems.
Arcom, for example, sells a series of multiplexers that
plug into Modbus networks. At Shells Tejas Calumet gas
plant in Louisiana, data from Rosemount HART flowmeters is stored in Modbus registers in an Arcom HtNode
multiplexer, allowing any Modbus host to access the
information. A SCADA system in a PC accesses the flow
data every five minutes by interrogating the HtNode
device over Modbus.
HART multiplexers are available that support Ethernet
TCP/IP connections. Such a system could easily connect
into the Internet, a plant intranet, OPC systems, or other
plant network schemes based on Ethernet. In such a case,
a PC or workstation equipped with HART Server software
can access HART instruments anywhere on the network.
With a HART Server in your PC, you can make instru-
XX
The HART protocol will help us achieve better

repeatability and higher accuracy.
provide not only remote access to basic variables, but also
remote diagnostics and configuration.
The client and SysInc expect to see a significant
improvement in the reliability of the data coming from
the devices. The old system had only local displays at
each instrument, says Butt. Operators did not trust the
system and would often revert to manual operation. Part
of this was due to devices being in remote locations,
which led to difficulties in calibration and verification of
proper operation.
Figure 3: Opened to OPC
The HART Server can make process data available to any

OPC-compliant device: web browser, SCADA system, ERP
system, cell phone, PDA, wireless, etc.
Operators will now be able to remotely access devices

and receive accurate information. The new system will
provide complete access to all devices including status,
calibration, and configuration information, Butt concludes. Use of the HART protocol will help us achieve
better repeatability and higher accuracy, both in the process area and in the bulk storage/inventory area.
You may never need such complex communication
schemes, but it is comforting to know that HART instruments fit right in.
Connecting to Controls
HART devices can connect directly to control systems and
devices, allowing users to make use of instrument data for
monitoring, alarming and control purposes.
Allen-Bradley, Wickliffe, Ohio, provides a HART
interface module for its PLC 5 and SLC programmable
controllers that allows a PLC to see HART data. Installed
as a remote I/O device, the module acquires data from a
HART instrument, strips out the HART signals, and puts
the data into a format that can be addressed by ladder
logic programming.
XXI
Pat Moyer, product manager at A-B, explains that the

system is supplied with preconfigured instructions that
support HART commands. We provide several basic
HART commands, but a user is free to write additional
commands in ladder logic to perform whatever functions
are needed, such as data logging, alarm checking, or monitoring device status. Moyer says the HART module is a
big hit among certain A-B customers. We have users in
the food and oil and gas industries that use the module
extensively, she says.
Yokogawa Corp. of America, Newnan, Ga., offers hardware and software that acquire HART data and make it
available to its Centum control systems. Bruce Jensen,
manager of systems marketing, explains that a Centum
can acquire data from a standard HART multiplexer or
from its own FIO 4-20 mA input modules. The FIO
devices have a HART module that extracts the digital
HART data from the 4-20 mA signal and provides both
analog and digital data. FIO devices are available in eight
or 16-channel versions.
Yokogawas Plant Resource Management software formats the HART data and makes it available to the HMI and
controls software, where it can be monitored, trended,
logged, and displayed. Jensen says most customers use the
capability to automate instrument maintenance functions
because the software supports all the standard configuration and calibration functions from an HMI screen.
We have several users, mostly in the pharmaceutical
industry, who are starting to take advantage of HART data
for more sophisticated purposes, says Jensen, but most
of our users are not familiar with all the capability available within HART.
Virtually all major process control companies support
HART, so it should be relatively easy to connect your control system to your own HART devices.
Dave Sheppard, vice president of I/A Systems at
Foxboro/Invensys, Foxboro, Mass., says Foxboro has supported HART for maintenance purposes for years. We
support the connection of HART multiplexers from several suppliers, he explains, and we bring the HART data
into a dedicated PC where third-party software can obtain
data for maintenance calibration and equipment configuration functions.
At ISA/2001 in Houston, Foxboro will unveil a new
eight-channel analog I/O board with a HART module that
splits out the digital signal and feeds it into standard equipment control block (ECB) modules. The HART data will
be made available to Foxboros HMI and process control
software like any other process variable, so it can be used
for control, data logging, monitoring and so on, says
Sheppard. We are taking orders now for delivery in the
HART data will be available like any other process variable,

so it can be used for control, data logging, and monitoring.
second quarter of 2002.
Honeywell, Phoenix, is on a similar track. We offer
standard HART multiplexers from Pepperl+Fuchs or
MTL, says Joe Serafin, product manager for Plantscape
I/O. The MUX connects to the serial port of a PC, which
runs Cornerstone or some other third-party HART software for maintenance and instrument calibration.
Honeywells customers have been asking for additional
HART capabilities, so Honeywell has a HART I/O card
in the works, scheduled for introduction in the near future.
The new card will strip off the HART digital data from
the 4-20 mA signal and make it available to the control
environment, says Serafin.
Meanwhile, if you dont want to wait for products to
become available, you can take matters into your own
hands and implement a system using the HART Server.
that is supported by all software packages that claim to be

OPC clients or servers, such as HMI/SCADA systems.
When you get the HART system connected to the
HART Server, simply go to the part of your HMI or
SCADA system that defines I/O points. You will be
adding the HART instruments the same way you configured your plant when you first installed the HMI/SCADA
system: that is, youll probably use a menu-based configuration screen to define the path, device, tag name, and so
on, and your HMI/SCADA system will lead you through
the process.
Figure 4: Dig Out All the Data
By the Numbers
Heres a step-by-step procedure for getting started with
the HART Server. This should get you up and running in
a matter of just a few minutes:
1. Load and install the HART Server software on your PC.
You can download it from the Internet or load it from
a CD-ROM.
2. Configure your PCs COM port to communicate with
the HART network. You need to tell the PC port if it
will be seeing RS-232, RS-485, or RS-485 with an Ethernet adapter. The HART Server configuration screens
help you do this.
3. Configure the HART Server to set up links between the
data sources and the data users (what programs want to
see what data?). Again, the HART Server configuration
screens ask the right questions.
4. Verify and test the HART Server using the GnHost diagnostic software tool, supplied by the HART Foundation.
Most of the configuration menu screens are similar to
Windows Explorer. With a series of mouse clicks, you
should be able to complete the configuration quickly. The
HART Server will automatically detect and learn the HART
devices connected to the port. At the end of the configuration process, two-way communication between the HART
Server and the HART instruments will be fully established.
The HART Server pass-through software lets OPC
client applications send HART commands to HART
instruments. Therefore, any software such as configuration or valve analysis packages that run on handheld terminals can run on a PC equipped with HART Server.
Likewise, HMI and SCADA software can access data
using standard OPC functions. The OPC client browses
the data items available from the server and subscribes to
the data items of interest. This is a standard OPC function
XXII
Loop monitors can read all the data from HART field devices
and convert it into additional signals for control systems.
You will also be able to define how often you want each
parameter or groups of parameters updated, or turned on.
When a group is turned on, the HART Server will publish
the data items (i.e., update, acquire, and send the group to
the client). This allows processing packages from loop controllers to process historians to obtain instrument information from the field as often as necessary, simply by making
the appropriate definitions in an OPC software package.
Using Specialty Devices

Several HART instrument vendors have developed specialty processors and loop monitors that perform unique
diagnostic and analysis functions. In many cases, this
allows you to take advantage of the information contained
in your HART instruments without making a network connection or using PC software. In other words, you can
solve local problems without involving the plants main
control system.
An annoying problem in many plants involves sticking
valves and worn-out positioners. Such problems are usually difficult to detect for most control engineers, maintenance technicians, and even the best process control and
SCADA systems. Most all these entities are usually at a loss
We will be able to use [HART 6] for at least

10 or 15 more years, or even longer.
to explain a valves bad behavior when it starts hunting,
sticking, and performing poorly. The answer in most
plants is to pull the valve out of the line for maintenance.
A HART-based smart valve positioner has all the information you need to analyze valve performance. HART
data can tell how many times the valve opens and closes,
how much the stem has traveled, if actuator pressure has
changed, and a host of other variables that are available
through HART, but are never monitored in most plants.
The positioner itself can perform its own analyses. For
example, the Smar FY301 performs diagnostics, collects
operational statistics, and stores information pertinent to
the management of the valve and actuator.
But how do you get to this data, and what do you do
with it? You can install a HART loop monitor to monitor any of these variables, and to sound an alarm if it sees
a condition that could result in dangerous process upsets.
For example, excess friction in a valve can lead to surging conditions. Loss of actuator pressure from a clogged
air filter or torn diaphragm can cause a dangerous or
costly control offset. A loop monitor can be set to alarm
on any of these conditions.
Aylesford Newsprint in Aylesford, England, has many
HART-based smart valve positioners and it uses Smart
Adviser from Thermo Measurement to check for faults
and problems. The module accepts data from up to 24
valve positioners, performs a variety of calculations to
compare the requested position to the actual position,
compares it against a deadband, monitors pressure to the
pneumatic actuator, and sounds an alarm if it detects a
fault. The module can also act as a HART multiplexer;
that is, it can collect data from the valve positioners and
send it to a PC via an RS-232 link.
Control systems that are not fitted with a HART
modem and HART Server cannot obtain any data other
than the 4-20 mA signal from HART instruments. Here,
loop monitors can serve as an intermediary. For example, Moore Industries SPA monitor can read all the
data from a HART device, extract digital data, and produce additional signals (Figure 4). It provides up to four
independent relay outputs that can be used as alarms
when process conditions fall outside of user-selected
high or low limits. It can also pick off any of the four
dynamic (analog) variables from the HART data and
transmit it to the control system as a 4-20 mA signal.
For example, it could take the density value from a
Coriolis flowmeter, the stem position for a valve, or it
can calculate an analog variable as a function of two or
more other variables.
Rosemounts Tri-Loop monitor, for example, can
extract the remaining three process measurements and
create three additional 4-20 mA analog signals from a

single HART message. The HART 4-20 mA signal goes
to a control system flanked by three additional 4-20 mA
signals. This makes it possible to extract gross flow, net
flow, mass flow, and process temperature from a Brooks
Instruments TRi-20 flowmeter; or valve position, actuator pressure, controller process variable, and controller
setpoint from Fisher, Masoneilan, Neles, Samson,
Flowserve, and other valve actuators.
Multivariable devices such as these are becoming available to solve specific problems and help maintenance and
operations engineers obtain the most information possible
from their HART devices.
The best part is that all this diagnostic, status, and operations information has been available all this time, so it
requires no additional investment by end users. All they
have to do is go get it with handheld devices, multivariable loop monitors, or PCs and HART Servers.
HART Marches On
Although HART has been available for 15 years, like Ethernet it is showing no signs of getting old. The current version is HART 5, but HART 6 has recently been approved
by the foundations members.
HART 6 is an augmentation of the existing standard
that allows the installed base to continue while incorporating new features, says Ben Cianfrone, engineering
development manager, Fluke Corp., Everett, Wash. We
will be able to use this for at least 10 or 15 more years,
or even longer.
The upgrade was necessary because HART instruments are getting smarter all the time, incorporating
more self-diagnostics, saving more operational history
data, and reporting on the quality of the data they obtain.
Someday, HART devices may even have other HART
devices embedded within, such as flow computers and
multi-channel temperature monitors. HART 6 makes all
this possible, without making any previous HART
instruments obsolete.
Some of the new functions include Extended Device
Status, which alerts users to situations such as, device
needs maintenance; Device Variable Status, which
allows field devices to self-validate and provide quality
indicators on process data (good, poor, bad, fixed); Long
Tags, which allows international characters and longer
tag names; Configuration Change Counter, which determines if a field device configuration has been changed;
and Block Data Transfer, which moves large blocks of
data between masters and field devices. The new spec
should be available for all to review at the ISA Show
in September.
XXIII
Get Started
The HART Foundation Will Help You Extract Information From Your Field Instrumentation
he preceeding articles have shown how HART

is much more than just a way to calibrate
flowmeters. It provides an enormous amount of
plant-floor information not obtainable through
any other means, and you dont need a complicated fieldbus system to get to that data. In fact, since most of your
instruments, valves, and controllers already have a HART
interface, obtaining real-time process information is not
only easy, it is very inexpensive. All you need to do is
learn how to use it.
When it comes to calibration and diagnostics with handheld terminals, HART technology is so easy to learn that
vendors often teach their customers over the telephone.
Bud Adler, director of professional development at Moore
Industries, North Hills, Calif., says he often walks people
through a quick course. It is fairly easy to lead someone
through a procedure over the phone, says Adler. The
technology is simple and the procedures are straightforward. We do it all the time.
Jon Tandy, sales engineer at Arcom Control Systems,
Kansas City, Mo., agrees. Im the one who usually
deals with HART customers from sales through tech
support, and I generally educate them over the phone, he
explains. Often, they have some basic understanding of
HART already.
When you need to go beyond handheld terminals, it gets
a bit more difficult. Moore Industries Adler travels around
the country giving HART seminars at trade shows and
Lunch-and-Learn sessions, where employees from a
chemical or process plant get a sandwich and a seminar on
HART. We get everyone from instrument engineers to
maintenance technicians, says Adler, and most are
amazed to find out what the instruments already installed
in their plant are capable of providing.
Some companies conduct on-site training during installation. Thermo Measurements signal conditioning
product manager, for example, trained people at Aylesford Newsprint on-site.
All this vendor activity is useful and helpful, but what
the industry really needs is a better and more consistent
way to teach end users about HART.
that time, HCF left all the end user promotion to the marketplace while it concentrated on helping the vendors
design and develop new instruments, software, interfaces,
calibrators, and similar devices. All of HCFs educational
efforts and training classes have been designed for vendors, and all of its efforts toward standardization have
been aimed at solidifying and enhancing HART products.
Its accomplished that, in spades. Today, HCF has
more than 130 vendor members all over the world that
offer a large number and variety of HART-compliant
products (Figure 1). Virtually every process instrument
built today has a HART interface. In spite of all the publicity garnered by the various fieldbuses, the fact remains
that HART has the largest installed base in the industry,
and it is growing every day. This is in part because many
Figure 1: A Global Standard
North America
46% (65)
Europe
44% (62)
Australia
0.7% (1)
Asia
9.3% (14)
Total companies: 142
There are HART Communication Foundation member companies

almost everywhere youd want to go.
fieldbus-compatible instruments and devices also have a

HART interface. Fieldbus users may discover they actually
have two plant networks built into their devices: fieldbus
and HART.
The HCF realizes its future lies in educating, enlightening, and engaging users, so it has launched an End
User Program. This program will teach users about the
benefits of HART, establish a training curriculum, bring
end users into the HCF, and involve them in the HART
interface for everyones benefit.
Educational Support
Regarding Users in a New Light
The HART Communication Foundation (HCF) has been
strictly a vendor group since its founding in 1993. During
Learning more about networking and HART Servers is a

little bit beyond a five-minute phone call from the rep.
You need training and non-vendor technical literature.
XXVI
The HCF realizes its future lies in educating, enlightening,

and engaging users, so it has launched an End User Program.
HCF understands. Heres what they have in store for you:
The Complete HART Guide on CD-ROM: This is an
excellent way to learn how HART works, in a format
that is easy to pass on to fellow workers and bosses.
The CD-ROM was recently completely revised to
include new topics such as HART 6, asset management,
and the HART Server. The new CD-ROM is available
for free from HCF, and you should be able to get a copy
at the HART Foundation booth at the ISA or Interkama
shows this year. To obtain a free copy via the Internet,
go to the HCF web site (see next bullet). You can also
call the HCF office in Austin, Texas.
Web site: The HCF web site at www.hartcomm.org has
been completely updated to include a new end user focus
on applications, education, downloads, Q/A forums, and
a newsletter. An end user can pick up a large amount of
technical, product, and application information by simply
browsing through the web site and following the links.
End user training: The HCF plans to offer a comprehensive two-day HART technology education class, starting in 2002. Two pilot classes will be held in 2001. The
classes will be taught by HCF staff and will cover the
technology, using DDs, applications, device configurations, communications, and using the HART Server.
To find out more about specific dates and times, contact HCF or visit the web site.
After HCF runs the pilot classes, it plans to finalize
the training materials so that users will be able to conduct classes themselves. This will put training out in
the field, closer to end users.

The HART Communication Foundation (HCF) is an independent,
non-profit organization that provides worldwide support for the
HART protocol. Established in 1993, HCF is the technology owner
and standards-setting body for the HART protocol. HCF manages
the protocol standards, ensures the technology is openly available for the benefit of the industry, and educates users by providing training and support for application of the HART protocol.
HART Workshops
Workshops are an excellent value since an engineer can often
spend weeks of valuable development time overcoming the learning curve of the protocol. A workshop provides all the needed
information in a two or three-day session. Workshops include:
HART End User Workshops: During the latter part of 2001,

the HCF will begin training courses for end users.
HART Fundamentals Workshop: The HART protocol is

relatively easy to implement, but can have a steep learning
curve. This provides all the information and tools to efficiently
develop a HART-based device.
Writing Device Descriptions (DDs) Workshop: The Device

Description Language (DDL) provides significant benefits to slave
developers, end users, and host manufacturers. This workshop
explains how to use DDL to write DDs for a product. Participants
leave the workshop with a prototype DD for a HART device.
Memberships
HART Communication Foundation memberships are open to suppliers, system integrators, end users, and others interested in the
use of the HART protocol. Regular/associate and sponsor memberships are structured for corporate members. Information-only
Coming on Board
memberships are available for non-profit educational institutions,
The HCF also realizes that end users will determine the
future of HART. Already, many experienced users are
asking for additional capability and functions. Although
HART has been available for 10 years for field communications, it is just now entering the early adopter step in
its lifecycle as a networking system. At this point in
HART development, user input is critical.
The HART Foundation is considering forming an end
user core group to provide it with input on key issues such
as HCF activities, technology issues, applications, product needs, and other ideas. If you are interested in participating, contact HCF.
While fieldbus efforts are struggling to deal with a
large number of unrelated and incompatible networks,
HART offers an excellent alternative. The HCF and its
vendor members have built a technology that works, but
end users are needed now to make sure that HART continues to meet all the information and network needs of
the process industry.
research institutes, and government agencies. End user companies can join as a regular/associate member, and individual control engineers may join as information-only members.
Members are able to attend foundation meetings; participate
on committees; obtain free specification updates; get 100 free
copies of the quarterly newsletter; access engineering support
services; and receive discounts on workshops, development tools,
protocol licenses, and device description registrations.
A membership application form is available on the web site.
Contact Information
9390 Research Blvd., Suite I-350
Austin, TX 78759
Tel: 512/794-0369; Fax: 512/794-3904
Web site: www.hartcomm.org
E-mail: [email protected]
XXVII
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these non-primary measurements, it calculates mass
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Take Full Advantage of In-Place
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HART CONTENTS/INDEX
Wireless HART
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WirelessHART releases the information trapped in your field devices by

offering 100% backward-compatibility
12
What Wireless HART

Can Do For You
When facing new operational challenges, innovative companies find

solutions using wireless technologies.
24
How to Get Unchained

with Wireless HART
WirelessHART offers several advantages over other wireless alternatives. Heres how to get started.
with your installed HART devices.
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Expanding the Possibilities

By Ron Helson, Executive Director, HART Communication Foundation
s the technology owner and standardssetting body for the HART Protocol, the
HART Communication Foundation was in a
unique position to develop a wireless communication
standard for process measurement and control applications. We were able to draw on the technical resources
and expertise of more than 200 member companies to
create a new technology that expands the capabilities of
the HART Protocol while protecting the global installed
base of 24+ million HART devices.
WirelessHART Communication is a new
capability defined in the HART 7 specifications
that establishes the first open and interoperable
wireless communication standard for the process
automation industry. WirelessHART focuses on
the needs of the industry by providing a simple,
reliable, and secure technology for wireless transmission of
process and diagnostic data from intelligent field devices.
This new wireless standard builds on established and
field-proven technologies, including the HART protocol,
IEEE 802.15.4 radios, frequency-hopping, and mesh
networking. These standards allowed us to create a
solution that is easily deployed by instrumentation professionalspreserving the HART-enabled devices, tools,
training, and work procedures used today.
WirelessHART is fully backward-compatible with
existing instrumentation, extending the value of installed
HART-enabled devices. It complements, but does not
replace, wired HART technology, providing an additional
capability that can benefit both your existing wired applications and new monitoring and control applications.
Why wireless? Wireless provides a cost-effective additional communication path for many legacy control
systems, enabling access to the intelligent information
in field devices. And new measurement and control
devices can be quickly and easily deployed without the
physical limitation and expense of signal wire.
Soon suppliers will introduce HART 7-enabled devices
that will provide a new way to monitor, manage,
and diagnose existing and new measurement and
control instrumentationallowing your intelligent field instruments to communicate valuable
information to provide significant operational
cost reductions, enable process improvements,
and facilitate regulatory compliance.
HART Communication is stronger than ever. Millions of HART-enabled devices are purchased and
installed each year. The HART protocol continues to
be the technology of choice for smart instrumentation. WirelessHART is yet another example of how
the Foundation continues to strengthen and enhance
the technology to ensure that it supports your needs
and protects your investment.
The following articles provide an overview of the new
enhancements to the HART Protocol standard. You will
learn what WirelessHART is, where it can be used, how
it expands the benefits of HART technology, and what
you need to know to start expanding the possibilities!
For more information on WirelessHART, go to www.controlglobal.com/articles/2007/184.html.

HART and WirelessHART are trademarks of the HART Communication Foundation.
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Page 1
Envision a plant . . .
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Reliability + Maintainability = Availability

The Yokogawa FieldMate Versatile Device Management System is a new PC-based
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CTHart_FPA.indd 7
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unchain your data!
WirelessHART
Information Unchained
WirelessHart releases the information trapped in your field devices with
100% backward-compatibility with your installed HART devices.
f the 24 million-plus HART-enabled devices currently installed around the globe,

only about 10 percent are delivering their
full diagnostic potential, a state of affairs that
is poised for change, says Ron Helson, HART
Communication Foundation (HCF) Executive
Director. Development of the WirelessHART,
standard, along with the new enhanced DDL
capabilities, opens the door to the untapped functions in HART devices and simplifies the task of
integrating instrumentation from multiple vendors
into plant asset optimization systems.
Enhancing HART
Since 1990, millions of HART devices have been
installed, and most remain in service today. Protecting that installed base was paramount when
the HART Foundation, with the assistance of end
users and ABB, Adaptive Instruments, Coronis,
Dust Networks, Elpro, Emerson Process Management, Endress+Hauser, Flowserve, Honeywell,
MACTek, Omnex, Pepperl+Fuchs, Phoenix Contact, Siemens, Smar, and Yokogawa, defined the
requirements for WirelessHART.
Emerson Process Managements director of HART
and Fieldbus Technology, Marty Zielinski, says, The
WirelessHART standard effort has produced a fully
digital protocol that uses consolidated mechanisms
to reduce communications overhead and adds important capabilities to the HART standard, including
alarms, alerts, status with measurements, and time
synchronization, just to name a few.
The results are seen in the key technical features of the recently released HART Protocol
Revision 7 (HART 7) standard:
WirelessHART using IEEE STD 802.15.42006-compatible physical layer and MAC PDU
to produce both mesh and point-to-point wireless networks;
Worldwide appeal using 2.4 GHz frequencyhopping, spread-spectrum technology;
Enhanced data publishing modes, including oneway publishing of process and control values;
spontaneous notification by exception; ad hoc
request/response; and auto-segmented block
transfers of large data sets;
Dedicated bandwidth for high priority and periodic communications;
Shared bandwidth to provide elasticity for event
traffic and ad hoc request/response maintenance
and diagnostic messages;
Time-stamped data gathered at time of measurements in order to provide improved signal
processing and control;
Time-triggered actions/measurements for synchronized operation across multiple devices (e.g.,
vibration sensors);
Highly secure communications using AES-128
bit encryption with individual Join and Session
Keys and Data Link Level Network Keys;
QoS messaging applied to all messages to ensure
complete and prioritized delivery;
Clear Channel Assessment channel-hopping,
blacklisting, and adjustable transmit power
support to maximize coexistence between
WirelessHART networks and other ISM-band
equipment;
Multiple sequential data points of the same process variable in a single data packet;
Command aggregation for embedded multiple
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CT0709_Hart.indd 8
8/22/07 2:00:52 PM
read commands in a single transaction, giving

faster configuration uploads;
Backward-compatibility for the 24-plus million
installed HART devices;
Multiple power options capable of using long
life batteries, solar, loop, or line power sources.
HART FOR PROFIT: USING THE DATA
From its very beginning, the HART protocol has
provided far more capabilities than configuring
field devices. First, it provides real-time device
diagnostics as well as multivariable device information. When effectively used, HART information
has repeatedly enabled companies to lower operating cost and increase plant availability and reliability, thereby improving plant competitiveness.
Yes, were going to move into WirelessHART,
says Rob Brooks, process control supervisor,
PPG Industries, Lake Charles, La., who has been
experimenting with wireless for three years. We
already have an AMS system. Ease-of-use-wise
and cost-wise, wireless is the way to go.
In a traditional hardwired HART installation, a
pair of wires connects the HART field instrument
with a host system. On that pair of wires are two
signals, a 4-20mA analog signal that carries the
Wireless Access to
HART Device
Information
Easy Access to Intelligent
Device Information
Existing HART
Device
Wireless
Adaptor
primary process measurement flow, pressure,

temperature, etc. Simultaneously riding on that
same pair of wires is an all-digital signal that
contains HART device information secondary
measurement values, device health, and other
process and diagnostic information.
The release of the HART 7 standard added
WirelessHART as an additional means of communicating the all-digital HART diagnostic and
multivariable device information and even the
basic process variable, if required.
While developing the WirelessHART standard, the committee remained vigilant of two
key requirements, says Wally Pratt, the HART
Communication Foundations chief engineer. It
must be easy to deploy, and it must be easy to use.
There should be no need for users to learn about
radio technologies, communication linking or
become antenna experts.
With the help of experts in process applications,
wireless technologies and the HART protocol, the
HCF thoroughly investigated wireless technologies, assembled the best elements, and added them
to the popular HART specification. The result is
that WirelessHART complements wired HART;
it does not replace it.
WirelessHART
Device
Wireless
Gateway
HART Data
Enabled by
Wireless Adapter
Device Status, Diagnostics,
Configuration and more
PV Data
4-20 mA
Signal
Analog
Only I/O
Legacy
DCS
Device
Management
Application
CT0709_Hart.indd 9
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UNCHAIN YOUR DATA!
Wireless Access to
Additional Process
Measurements
Wireless Gateway
Connection to Plant Systems
Minimal Installation
Cost - No Wires
Battery, Solar or Field
Powered Devices
Field Powered
Wireless
Gateway
PV + HART
Data
Solar
Powered
Host
Applications
Battery
Powered
HOW IT WORKS
Hesh Kagan, Invensys director of technology, explains, WirelessHART and SP100 use
the same radio and mesh networking stacks.
Though WirelessHART has some underlying
differences, it could certainly be run as one of
SP100s protocols.
WirelessHART technology is based on
the international radio technology standard,
IEEE802.15.4 2.4GHz. These are low-power
radios, making them ideal for industrial environments, and they are cost-effective and available
from multiple sources. Conforming to international regulations, a +10dBm amplifier is used
that allows a device-to-device communication
range of approximately 650 ft. (200m). All
WirelessHART field devices are required to be
capable of routing messages from one device to
another, effectively increasing the reach of a network beyond a single transmission link.
Major features of the WirelessHART protocol include:
Time Division Multiple Access (TDMA) This
technique provides scheduled transmissions over
the network in a series of 10ms time slots. This
coordinates data transmissions, reduces power
consumption, and eliminates data collisions
within the network, effectively using bandwidth
and reducing communication latency.
Frequency-Hopping These techniques continually switch transmissions among different bands.
This prevents potentially disruptive radio signals
from blocking WirelessHART transmissions.
WirelessHART uses the IEEE-defined media

access control (MAC) header, further ensuring
robust, reliable co-existence with neighboring
wireless networks.
Fully redundant mesh networking WirelessHART permits each device to transmit its
own data and relay information from other
devices in the network, giving highly reliable
end-to-end data communication. Each transmitting device has two routes to send data to the
network gateway. The alternate (self-healing)
route is automatically established anytime a portion of the primary route is temporarily blocked
either physically or by electrical interference.
Enhanced security WirelessHART employs
robust, industry-standard authentication security
techniques that help ensure that both the network and its data are protected at all times. This
includes message confidentiality (end-to-end
encryption), message integrity checking, authentication (message and device), and secure procedures for devices requesting to join a network.
Thomas Holmes, president of MACTek describes the potential of WirelessHART, saying,
It expands the possibilities for users to gain
access to valuable device information already sitting in their installed field devices. Access to this
information provides the key to lowering operating costs while remaining competitive. In many
cases, WirelessHART will allow users to have
access to critical diagnostics and alarm information that would not be available using traditional
wired HART technology.
CT0709_Hart.indd 10
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8/22/07 1:51:16 PM
Wireless Cuts the ChAIns
What WirelessHART
Can Do For You
When facing new operational challenges, innovative companies
find solutions using wireless technologies.
irelessHART is not just another piece

of manufacturing blingthe equivalent
of the newest must have cell phone
or MP3 player that, in reality, consumers can do
just fine without. Rather, it extends the power of
wired HART and has the potential to become an
essential part of your process plants communications network. It opens up new possibilities for
measurement, testing, quality control, asset management, and safety. What follows is an exploration of some of these potential uses.
Not just part-time help
The truth is, and always has been, that HART
communication does aid device commissioning
and troubleshooting, but it is a full-time resource, providing multivariable process data as
well as device status and health information. And
now, with the introduction of WirelessHART,
each and every one of those features and benefits
are easier than ever to collect.
Gareth Johnston, a Fieldbus communication
specialist with ABB, says The low cost of installing WirelessHART will result in the end user
being able to install short-term or ad hoc process
measurements to improve the view of the process,
perhaps to solve quality issues.
Marty Zielinski, Emerson Process Managements
director of HART and fieldbus technology, concurs.
WirelessHART can also be used to add new
wireless measurement points at up to 90 percent
lower installed cost than conventional wired points.
Whether you need additional monitoring, easier
ways to calibrate field instruments, better records
of instrument configuration changes and calibration records, online insight into instrumentation
status, health and performance, assistance in
diagnosing and troubleshooting instrumentation,

speedier commissioning, monitoring of critical
data, or even supervisory process control, wired
and now WirelessHART is able to meet each
and every one of those requirements.
The Way it could be
Some major industrial users, such as BP and PPG,
are installing prototype projects. Both companies
have installed Emersons wireless systems, that
company spokespersons have said are intended to
be pre-standard WirelessHART devices that can
easily be upgraded once the standard is completely
released and certified devices are available. Other
vendors, such as ABB, Honeywell, and Yokogawa,
have also had beta test sites.
But because WirelessHART is so new, realworld examples are not available. So to explore
the benefits of WirelessHART, we have provided
four fictitious companies with real problems
found in real process operations and that demonstrate the kinds of solutions WirelessHART can
provide. Here are the real-world challenges faced
by these fictitious companies.
Everyday Chemicals wants to expand its product offerings and quickly learns that it also needs
better visibility into its processes.
Faced with aging instrumentation, no visibility
about instrumentation health and performance,
and ever-increasing customer demands for water,
Mega-Metropolis Water Treatment needs a reliable, cost-effective solution that can be updated
over time and will reuse as much of its existing
instrumentation infrastructure as possible.
When Really Cool Colored Inks hires a new
plant manager away from a competitor, it learns
why its competitor is more efficient, agile, and
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Pipes-Wireless_Horiz_FullPg.qxd:Control Spread
8/20/07
5:21 PM
Page 1
Rosemount Flow
Measurement
Rosemount Level
Measurement
Rosemount
Pressure
Measurement
Wireless
1420 Gateway
Rosemount Temperature
Measurement
AMS Suite:
Intelligent
Device Manager
Start bouncing signals today. SmartPack starter kit

Call 1-800-999-9307 or go online to EmersonProcess.com/SmartPack
The Emerson logo is a trademark and a service mark of Emerson Electric Co. 2007 Emerson Electric Company
CTHart_FPA.indd 14
8/21/07 9:43:39 AM
A wireless signal has no way through obstacles.

It will just bounce around.
At least the smart one will.
Introducing Emersons Smart Wireless the secure, robust, self-organizing wireless network
thats as easy to use as it is smart. With Smart Wireless, all the devices in the network can
communicate with each other. Whether it meets a permanent obstacle or a temporary barrier,
the self-organizing network automatically routes the signal around it. Smart Wireless is not
just flexible, its dependable proven to deliver greater than 99% data reliability. To find why you should rely
on Smart Wireless from Emerson go to EmersonProcess.com/SmartWireless.
CTHart_FPA.indd 15
8/21/07 9:43:50 AM
going the distance
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CTHart_FPA.indd 16
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8/20/07 4:51:47 PM
Host Application
Network
Field Devices
Host Application
Gateway
Handheld
Network
Manager
Process Automation
Controller
Existing HART
Devices
Gateway
Adaptor
profitable: Its using asset management software to

access process and instrumentation information.
Really Cool wants to move in the same direction.
Giganto Refining wants to extend the interval
between planned maintenance shutdowns, but to
do so and remain OSHA (Occupational Safety
& Health Agency)-compliant, it needs a way to
extend the full proof-testing intervals of its safety
instrumented systems (SIS).
AD HOC MEASUREMENTS
Sometimes the addition of new measurement points
can help improve product quality, process reliability or plant safety. Many modern analytical
instruments provide multiple variables that are
accessible via WirelessHART. By replacing
obsolete, single-purpose instrumentation with
HART-aware devices and adding self-powered
WirelessHART adapters, new and/or secondary
process measurements can be provided easily

and cost-effectively.
For example, Everyday Chemicals will replace
several single-measurement temperature transmitters with dual-measurement tools. For each new
transmitter, the original (primary) temperature
measurement used the existing wiring and I/O
channel and appeared on the operators graphic
exactly like the old temperature measurement. The
new (secondary) temperature measurement will be
collected and reported via WirelessHART communication. Because of the ease of installation,
Everyday Chemicals will be able to replace the
old transmitters with new ones while the process
remains operational.
When Everyday analyzes the cost savings of not
having to add long runs of conduit and wire, not
having to shut down the process, not having to
re-do control system upgrades and configuration,
CT0709_Hart.indd 17
8/22/07 2:02:23 PM

and not having to retrain operators, it will be able
to add several WirelessHART process measurement points that increase process visibility. Armed
with new process insights, the operators will be
able to significantly improve Everyday Chemicals
product quality.
Aging instrumentation
When you read articles in trade publications or attend conferences and user group events, its easy to
forget that not everyone has installed cutting-edge
digital fieldbus. In fact, there are still many plants
with decades-old pneumatic instrumentation.
A significant number of process control installations have yet to make it to the 4-20mA analog
electronic era, and there are boatloads of preHART 4-20mA instruments and another boatload
of HART instruments that are under-utilized
throughout the world.
Because WirelessHART is fully backwardcompatible, it opens up all sorts of opportunities
to use those thousands of miles of existing wire to
ease replacement of aging instrumentation as well
as begin using HART information to improve process reliability, availability, and plant utilization.
Like many utilities and municipalities, MegaMetropolis Water Treatment cannot justify a
rate increase to cover the cost of upgrading to
digital fieldbus technologies. However, it also
cannot afford to maintain the status quo; it
needs a reliable, cost-effective solution that can
be updated over time and reuse as much of the
existing instrumentation infrastructure as possible. Enter WirelessHART.
By conducting an in-depth instrumentation
audit, Mega-Metropolis will be able to develop
Safety Expert Weighs In
When asked about the benefits of using HART process and
device information to extend safety system proof-testing
intervals, exida founder and recognized safety instrumented system expert, William Goble, said, I believe that the
use of HART in SIS for purposes of performing proof-testing
or semi-automatic proof-testing could be very valuable.
I see an increasing number of SIS manufacturers adding
HART AI/AO input modules. The downside of HART is that
configuration variables can be accessed and changed via
handheld communicators. Some safety transmitters require
that HART be disconnected during safety operation, as the
devices software and hardware do not provide specific
protection against that possibility.
an upgrade plan that can be accomplished within

existing budget constraints.
Mega-Metropolis will develop a three-year plan
to replace aging, but critical existing instruments
with new HART instruments, each fitted with
WirelessHART adapters.
Less critical instruments will be placed in the
replace-on-failure-pay-out-of-maintenance
category. Anytime one of these instruments fails
or otherwise qualifies for replacement, Mega-Metropolis will purchase a HART instrument with
a WirelessHART adapter and pay for it using
money from its maintenance budget.
Because this plan uses existing wiring, instrument replacements will be easy to install, calibrate,
and commission. After a minor upgrade to existing
handheld configuration devices, MegaMetropolis also will be able to configure the new
WirelessHART parameters. With rare exceptions,
a measurement will be offline for less than one
hour. Armed with new process information, MegaMetropolis Water Treatment will find it can improve filter efficiency and thus filter maintenance,
thereby maximizing chlorine effectiveness. The
ability to analyze HART information also will enable Mega-Metropolis to reduce filter maintenance
frequency, thereby freeing up more maintenance
dollars to purchase additional HART instruments.
Managing assets
The efficient management of a businesss assets
is really what CEOs are expected to do, and how
well they do it is what Wall Street analysts use to
reward or punish a companys stock.
Asset management information is a critical
predictive maintenance component, but thats only
one of its benefits. It can also capture important
institutional knowledge.
Like an increasing number of companies, Really
Cool Inks specializes in producing designer products; that is, products designed to meet specific
customer and/or niche markets. The upside of designer products is the potential for greater profits;
the downside is that frequently a significant amount
of time elapses between production batches, and
product formulations arent well-documented or
universally understood by operators.
Really Cool Inks new plant manager understands
that in order to capitalize on the upside of designer
products, his plant needs to minimize the downside
impacts, and that means establishing a robust asset
CT0709_Hart.indd 18
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11:07:42 AM
CTHart_FPA.indd 19
8/23/07 9:44:11 AM

management infrastructure that can capture the
deep process knowledge that resides in experienced
operators, maintenance technicians, and senior
automation engineers.
Using a similar, but a more aggressive approach
than Mega-Metropolis Water Treatment, Really Cool Inks plan includes using the control
system and a robust process-variable historian to
identify the gold production standard for each
product, with full recognition that because some
products are so infrequently produced, it will
take years to develop the entire gold-standard
library. Nevertheless, Really Cool Inks initiative
isnt about quick profits; this asset management
endeavor is viewed by the entire company as
strategic to its long-term success. Therefore, the
chief executives are committed to the tactical
implementation of the plan.
To ensure that as much in-process information
as possible is captured, Really Cool Inks is identifying the critical measurements and replacing all
the non-HART instruments with HART-enabled
and WirelessHART devices and adapters. During
the initial instrumentation audit, Really Cool Inks
has been pleasantly surprised to find that many
of its instruments are already HART-capable, but
because they had been installed to help simplify
commissioning and calibration, device diagnostic
and process information has not been collected
from a single instrument.
Really Cool Ink is still in the early stages of
its plan to capture exactly what is required to
become more efficient, agile, and profitable in the
delivery of designer products. However, it knows
one thing for sure; WirelessHART is one of the
critical components to its success.
Mix & Match? No Problem
Few, if any, process plants use only one instrument communication means. Older plants still have miles and miles
of wire. Plants using digital fieldbus communications (i.e.,
DeviceNET, Foundation, Profibus, etc.) likely have installed
different communication protocols to meet different
requirements. The result is often a plant with a little-ofthis and a little-of-that, which when examined as a whole,
produces the simple question, Is there an easy way to get
information from these multiple communication protocols
into one collector (repository) device?
Now, with the introduction of industrial wireless, the
answer has become much simpler; You bet there is and
WirelessHART is part of that solution!
Safety instrumented systems

During the past couple of years, process industry safety standard IEC 61511/ANSI/ISA 84.0.1
and its related safety instrumented systems (SIS)
have been grabbing more and more headlines. At
the same time, ever-increasing energy demands
are forcing companies like Giganto Refining to
seek ways to extend the interval between planned
maintenance shutdowns (outages) while remaining
OSHA regulation-compliant.
While examining what will be required to
extend the interval between planned outages, one
of the problems Giganto engineers have identified
is the safety criteria used to design its SISs. Unless
Gigantos engineers can find a way to extend the
interval between when the SIS is fully proof-tested
a complex test that requires the process to be
shut down it will not be possible to extend the
interval between planned outages.
Consistent with good engineering practices,
Giganto uses hardwired instruments as SIS inputs.
To facilitate commissioning and calibration efforts, HART instruments have been purchased and
installed. Though Gigantos engineers are aware
of the process and device diagnostics available in
HART devices, efforts to collect and analyze the
information have yet to be undertaken.
Now, with an urgency to extend the interval
between full proof-testing, Gigantos engineers are
taking a hard look at HART information, especially clause 3 of the IEC 61511 standard.
Clause 3 defines, among other things, the safe
failure fraction (SFF): the fraction of safe failures
and dangerous detected failures in relation to the
total failures. After consulting with safety system
consultants, Gigantos engineers are convinced
that by adding asset management software and
WirelessHART adapters to its existing SIS
HART devices, they will be able to use the HART
process and device diagnostics to improve the
systems SFF and thereby extend the time between full proof-testing.
What makes the WirelessHART adapters especially attractive is that each can be added anywhere
along the transmitter wires, and the new devices do
not introduce any common-cause faults.
To minimize the possibility that the HART configuration variables of the safety system transmitters might be inadvertently changed via a handheld
communicator, Giganto engineers will place each
safety system transmitter in a double-locked instru-
CT0709_Hart.indd 20
8/22/07 2:02:50 PM
ment enclosure and place one key under the control

of the maintenance shop foreman and the second
under that of the operations supervisor.
Through the use of WirelessHART, asset
management software and some clever physical
transmitter configuration security plans, Giganto
Refining will be able to improve the SFF of its
safety systems, thereby extending the interval between full proof-testing and, in turn, extending the
interval between planned maintenance shutdowns
(outages), all while remaining OSHA regulationand IEC 61511- conformant.
Additional wireless opportunities
Though early deployments of WirelessHART are
expected to be adaptors installed on hardwired
devices, the HART 7 standard does provide for
fully wireless HART deployments.
Beyond process monitoring, wireless is a natural
fit to provide a cost-effective means for health, safety,
and environmental monitoring in such areas as area
gas detectors, water effluent, gas emissions, relief
devices, steam traps, and safety showers.
Area gas detectors
Many process plants require numerous gas detectors throughout the plant to ensure that the air is
safe to breathe and to work in. Wireless detectors
will not only provide an efficient means of providing an alert to operators, but also to monitor the
operational status of the devices.
Water effluent, gas emissions,
and relief devices
The quality of any liquid or gas leaving a process facility is vitally important to maintaining
environmental quality. Regulations are requiring
more measurements at more frequent intervals
to ensure compliance and decrease the number of fugitive emissions. Specifically, WirelessHART devices could be used to monitor
the opening of relief valves or the condition of
rupture disks. By connecting the wireless data
to the environmental monitoring software for
the plant, WirelessHART devices can provide
an easy, cost-effective way to audit the required
measurements without extensive modifications
to existing control systems and plant wiring.
Since many effluents arent located conveniently
close to the center of the plant, the ability of
WirelessHART devices to operate on batteries
and completely wirelessly makes these measurements possible after all.

Steam traps
As energy prices rise, it becomes increasingly
important to limit the amount of energy wasted.
Plants often have many steam traps, and these
can be easily monitored for unusual steam flows,
allowing notification of a need for correction of
faulty operation that might otherwise go unnoticed for some time.
Were doing some temperature profiling on a
stagnant steam line that is out in the middle between two major parts of the plant, says PPGs
Rob Brooks, where there arent even junction
boxes. WirelessHART-enabled sensors can
save thousands of dollars in steam costs for
very little outlay.
Safety showers
In the United States, OSHAs First Alert Response
guidelines require that plant operators be alerted
within 10 seconds of an activated safety shower.
Many remote safety showers are located in hazardous locations with no existing signal wiring. A
self-powered WirelessHART pressure transmitter could be used and would only be required to
switch on its radio when the safety shower is operated or for remote diagnostic checking.
Proceed with confidence
WirelessHART is an extension of the wellknown, widely accepted and proven-in-use
HART Communication Protocol that has helped
improve thousands of process control facilities
worldwide. You already have the instruments;
now you can unchain the data in them. By updating the device description file, the same tools you
already use become suitable for use with WirelessHART devices. WirelessHART devices can
be configured wirelessly too. WirelessHART
uses the experience and knowledge gained using
HART to minimize training and simplify maintenance and support activities.
With WirelessHART you are assured of the
same attention to interoperability and robustness
youve come to expect of wired HART. You get to
use the same instruments in the same way, and you
get the extra benefits. Like its wired counterpart,
WirelessHART technology ensures your investment will be protected well into the future.
CT0709_Hart.indd 21
8/23/07 9:56:57 AM
Getting Unchained
How to Get Unchained

with WirelessHART
Deploying any industrial wireless network requires addressing physical
and security related issues, however WirelessHART offers several
advantages over other wireless alternatives.
any control systems do not

provide access to HART data,
says Yokogawas Manager, Field
Instruments, Kaoru Sonoda, and wireless technology can be a practical and cost-effective solution.
The solution is not to require control system
vendors to revise, or end users to rip and replace
existing control systems, but rather to enable
them to do an end run around the problem. But
increased demands on operators and maintenance
demand a simple, effective solution.
Enter wireless.
Wireless technology has now been tested, Sonoda continues, and we believe it is capable of meeting
the critical demands of the process industries.
Gareth Johnston, fieldbus communication specialist
with ABB, says, WirelessHART has been designed
to simplify commissioning and lifetime support. The
specification team always had it in mind to keep it as
simple as 4-20mA. The result is that users can employ
Mesh network architecture
Figure 1. WirelessHARTs mesh network architecture allows relatively easy installation, often without an extensive
site survey. The self-organizing and self-repairing nature of a
mesh network is well-suited to the industrial environment.
existing knowledge and software tools to support

WirelessHART instruments and adapters.
Flexibility by design
According to Guido Stephan, director technology
and processes, automation, and drives, sensors
and communication, R&D technology & processes, Siemens AG, WirelessHART communication will not replace wired HART, but it will
offer access to diagnostic features of field devices
and will allow additional applications not possible with wired devices.
WirelessHART, part of the new HART 7
standard, provides four ways to acquire data from
field devices.
The first two are the traditional wired methods,
with the primary physical variable on the 4-20
mADC loop, and the digital data (diagnostics,
secondary physical variables, alarms, etc.) carried
on the wire and pulled off at the control system or
by a handheld calibrator.
The two new ways are
1) Wireless adapters for existing field device,
2) WirelessHART field devices, with or
without wires.
The wireless adapter is designed to retrofit
any of the more than 24 million existing HART
devices and provides wireless access to both the
primary process variable and all the digital data
from the device. A WirelessHART field device
can be installed with or without 4-20 mA loop,
can operate on battery power, and provides the
same data access as the adapter. The wireless data
is transmitted to a gateway, which connects to the
control or asset management system.
CT0709_Hart.indd 22
8/22/07 2:03:18 PM
Planning
Though the underlying technology of WirelessHART all but eliminates the need to conduct
complex site surveys, no one is so nave as to
believe that network robustness, maintenance,
and ease of future expansion (scalability) can be
achieved without some degree of up-front planning.
To ensure a WirelessHART installation meets
performance expectations, users should examine
these four areas:
1) Physical layout,
2) Reliability, security and coexistence,
3) Commissioning,
4) Operation and maintenance.
Physical layout
When users begin planning an industrial wireless
network, a plant walk-through reveals the physical
difficulties of achieving clear-path transmissions of
Mesh network architecture

4-20mA
with HART
4-20mA
with HART
4-20mA
with HART
Field
JB
4-20mA
with HART
Marshalling panel
As with all previous upgrades to HART standards,

HART 7 and WirelessHART are completely backward compatible to any installed field device.
Now is probably a good time to reiterate that
HART information diagnostics, health, secondary variables, etc. is communicated digitally
on the same pair of wires as the 4-20mA primary measurement signal. Implementing WirelessHART simply provides another means of
accessing that same HART information and more.
WirelessHART technology is based on IEEE
802.15.4 2.4GHz radio technology. The low power
requirements of radios designed to this standard
make them inherently suitable for low- power mesh
networks, and because of international standards,
these radios are cost-effective and available from
multiple sources. To ensure conformance to international regulations, each radio includes a +10dBm
amplifier that supports a clear-path transmission
range of approximately 650 ft. (200m). Additionally,
to extend the reach of the wireless network, each
field device is required to communicate its own data
messages, as well as being capable of passing on data
messages received from neighboring devices. (See
Figure 1.) The flexibility of WirelessHART provides
multiple options for device placement to extend both
the reach and reliability of the network.
WirelessHART
4-20mA
with HART
Figure 2. Fully developed, a HART network uses WirelessHART to unchain the valuable diagnostic and process
data locked inside existing systems and provides for future
expansion with a choice of wired or wireless field devices.
even a few hundred feet. Beta testers have reported

that they have installed a gateway and carried a
wireless instrument around to check location and
quality of signal, rather than doing an extensive
survey. Typically process plants have both intermittent and permanent obstacles that are likely to
reduce, often times significantly, a users ability to
establish wireless communication between fieldmounted devices. WirelessHARTs mesh network
simplifies this issue by providing multiple paths
around obstacles, including the ability to go pointto-point, not just mesh.
Having the flexibility to locate HART wireless
adapters anywhere along the wire can simplify
installation, maintenance, and security significantly, as in the case of the wireless adapters inside
a marshalling cabinet where distances are minimal
and intrinsic safety isnt an issue (Figure 2). Likewise, a transmitter can be placed in an otherwise
inaccessible location, say, under a large reactor,
and the adapter located in a location where clearpath transmission is available. No other wireless
methodology provides this flexibility.
Once a physical WirelessHART device layout
plan is developed, the next step is to examine reliability and security requirements.
CT0709_Hart.indd 23
8/22/07 2:03:47 PM
Getting Unchained
Getting Your Feet Wet
You may have 50 or 5000 HART-enabled devices in your plant,
and all of them are working, doing their jobs. You might not want
to do anything to disturb them while they work until you have
some more experience with the new WirelessHART technology.
So what to do?
You can gain experience with unchaining your HART data one
of two ways. First, you could find a place where youd like to
monitor process variables, but because of the expense, youve
never been able to justify doing it before.
One of the beauties of the

WirelessHART standard is
that the wireless
adapter does not need to be
located at the transmitter.
This field device is installed at PPG Industries Lake Charles,

La., facility and transmits HART data entirely wirelessly. (Photo
courtesy of Emerson Process Management)
BPs Cherry Point, Wash., refinery did that in the most publicized beta test of Emersons SmartWireless system.
SmartWireless was designed as a WirelessHART precursor;
that is, the system was designed to take HART data wirelessly,
using hardware and firmware that approximated a best estimate
about the final standard. Emerson publicly stated at the time and
has reiterated since, that SmartWireless was capable of and intended to be upgraded to WirelessHART as soon as the standard
was released and products were certified and available for sale.
Marty Gering, wireless data collection coordinator and wireless worker administrator for the refinery, was in charge of the
demonstration installation. Although Cherry Point is actually
the second-newest refinery in the U.S., there are many locations
where large bodies of uncaptured data exist.
"This data is valuable," Gering said at Emerson Exchange 2006
when he discussed the installation, "but we can't touch it because
of the expense of wiring and running conduit. Lube oil and bearing
temperatures, among other values, are just left out of the picture."
Gering is at work on another project now: the tank farm.
Cherry Point was built to be a 95,000 bbl/day refinery and
Reliability, Security & coexistence

Understandably, reliability and security ranked
high among end-user concerns during initial
discussions about deploying wireless technologies within the process industry. To that end
WirelessHART addresses reliability and security
concerns by using robust, well-proven, and highly
effective techniques. In fact, when combined with
built-in good neighbor/tolerant neighbor coexistence features, WirelessHARTs use of fully
proven mesh network routing techniques make
it highly reliable.
Like any good neighbor, WirelessHART devices try to avoid bad behaviors, such as talking
(transmitting) too loudly, talking too often, talking
too long and/or using the entire frequency band,
that affect others. Tolerance is a second characteristic of being a good neighbor. Within a wire-
less network, tolerance means that receiver nodes

tolerate interference caused by other nearby radio
frequencies or the occasional mistake, doing what
is necessary to prevent data loss. WirelessHART
transmitters can also use a power turn-down feature to reduce the reach and/or range of the signal
to avoid network conflicts.
WirelessHARTs robust security measures
protect the network and its data at all times.
They include message confidentiality (end-toend encryption), message integrity checking,
message and device authentication, and secure
procedures for devices joining the network.
Industry standard techniques are used to
provide authentication and encryption. WirelessHART also gives users the flexibility to apply
their own network security strategy while preventing security from ever being disabled.
CT0709_Hart.indd 24
8/22/07 2:04:22 PM
To control
system
Asset
Management
Sysytem
HART data to
PC via OPC or
other protocol
Control
Loop
Controller
WirelessHART
gateway
WirelessHART network
using adaptors for
existing instruments
has now become a 245,000 bbl/day refinery just by increasing

throughput and optimization. The tank farm was built with
only level and, in some cases, temperature sensors, and Gering
wants to access that information wirelessly.
"We're beginning a new project to connect those tanks wirelessly with backup level. We also have hundreds of valves that we'd
like to have positioner information on, as well as other pressures
and temperatures," Gering announced. "We have mixers with motors we'd like to monitor current on, and lots of other things. We're
looking at 300 points. We want to finish the engineering this year
and have a big start on implementation by the end of 2007."
In addition to the wireless field device Gering is using,

the second path to unchaining HART data is only now becoming available. One of the beauties of the WirelessHART
standard is that the wireless adapter does not need to be
located at the transmitter. It can be located anywhere along
the 4-20 mA current loop.
As soon as adaptors become certified for compliance, youll
be able to buy and try them out on existing wired HART instruments where you already know you want the data inside them.
This will require NO rewiring and will not require taking the
instruments or control valves out of service at all.
As you prepare to install and then commission

WirelessHART systems, remember that your experience, training, and tools used for HART-enabled
devices apply to WirelessHART.
WirelessHART devices are configured and
installed in much the same way as they have
been in the past, protecting your investment and
maintaining the HART experience of being easy
to use. After the WirelessHART adapters are installed, commissioning can begin. Actually there
are two parts of commissioningnetwork commissioning and device commissioning.
each one joins the network.

But first, the network manager, which may or
may not be hosted in the gateway device, must be
configured with the correct network ID and device
password(s). Once that is done, the network
manager will automatically adjust the networks
schedule based on the requirements reported by
each device as it joins the network.
Because WirelessHART provides an additional
means of collecting HART information, the commissioning procedure is similar to that for wired
systems. Using existing HART configuration tools,
such as a HART handheld configurator or personal computer (PC) application, users only need
to configure three additional parametersdevice
password(s), network ID and device refresh rate.
Existing handheld or PC applications can also
provide a status display of the joining process
NETWORK COMMISSIONING
Network commissioning begins when the gateway
device is powered up and begins advertising. Being
the first device in the network, the gateway establishes its own schedule that synchronizes nodes as
CT0709_Hart.indd 25
8/22/07 2:04:41 PM
Getting Unchained
and will quickly help pinpoint any communication issues. These devices also can provide access
to diagnostics and supporting device calibration
and maintenance operations.
Device commissioning
The final step to commissioning a WirelessHART network is to complete device
verification and conduct a loop test of any wired
devices. WirelessHART devices need no 4-20
mA loop, and have a maintenance port for testing. Commissioning and maintenance are done
via standard commands or DDL.
When so specified on the purchase order, device
manufacturers put device tags and other identification and configuration data requested the user
into each field instrument prior to shipment. After
installation, the instrument identification (tag and
descriptor) can be verified in the host system using
a configurator (handheld communicator or PC).
Some field devices provide information on their
physical configuration (e.g., wetted materials). These
and other configuration data can also be verified,
thereby ensuring the installed instrument is suitable
for the application. Such verifications are important
for regulatory health, safety, and environmental conformance, as well as ISO quality requirements.
Loop integrity is important when commissioning a device. For HART-enabled devices, analog
loop integrity can be checked using a loop test
feature, available in many HART devices. The
loop test feature enables the analog signal from a
HART transmitter to be fixed at a specific value
so total loop integrity from device to indicators,
recorders, and operator displays is correct.
Additional integrity can be achieved if the ana-
log value of the primary variable (PV) is compared

to the digital value being reported from the device.
For example, someone might have provided an
offset to the 4-20mA analog value that has not
been accounted for in the control system. Comparing the digital value of the PV to the analog value
verifies the entire loop is properly calibrated.
Consistent with wired HART, theWirelessHART specification allows wireless devices
and wired devices using adapters to simulate a
process value to accommodate loop testing, allowing verification of data across the network,
through the gateway, and into a host application.
A wireless device can be set to transmit a fixed
value in order to conduct this important test.
Many HART configurators provide easy ways of
collecting, archiving, and/or printing commissioned
device information. Because WirelessHART uses
the same configurators as hardwired HART, existing
procedures for collecting and recording as-installed
device configuration data, calibration records, and
other device records remains essentially unchanged.
WirelessHART is the first open and interoperable wireless communication standard designed to
address the critical needs of process industry users.
It has been carefully designed and thoroughly
tested to provide reliable, robust, and secure wireless communication in real-world industrial plants.
WirelessHART provides new ways to gather
information on process parameters and monitor
the performance of plant assets in areas that have
previously been difficult to achieve either technically or cost-effectively. It extends the power of
HART into areas that were difficult to reach with
conventional wired systems, and it provides lowcost digital access to existing HART devices.
Affordable DD Based Configuration Using Your PC

ProComSol, Ltd designs and manufactures both the hardware and software needed
to perform complete HART device configuration and monitoring using your PC.
DevCom2000 software uses the registered DDs from the HART Foundation, allowing
full access to all device parameters, including Methods. The HM-USB USB HART
modem and the HM-BT-BAT Bluetooth HART modem offer significant cost savings
and productivity benefits. Units meet industry standards for USB, Bluetooth, and
HART connectivity. Order this affordable solution online using our secure website.
ProComSol, Ltd
Process Communication Solutions

Tel. 216.221.1550 Fax 216.221.1554 www.procomsol.com [email protected]
CT0709_Hart.indd 26
8/22/07 2:05:03 PM
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Eliminate rework with reversible polarity.
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Pulling out and reinstalling a reversed dP takes time
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Copyright 2007 ABB.
This side up_HART.indd 1
CTHart_FPA.indd 27
8/15/07 12:51:38 PM
8/20/07 4:52:16 PM
4HENEWINTEROPERABLEWIRELESSCOMMUNICATIONSTANDARD
FORTHEPROCESSINDUSTRIES
WIRELESSHARTCOMMORG
(!24AND7IRELESS(!24 4-ARETRADEMARKSOFTHE(!24#OMMUNICATION&OUNDATION
CTHart_FPA.indd 28
8/20/07 4:52:34 PM

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2005 HART Communication Foundation

Copyright 1999-2005 HART Communication Foundation. All rights reserved.

For additional information contact:

HART APPLICATION GUIDE

2003 HART Communication Foundation

2003 HART Communication Foundation

HART is a master-slave communication protocol, which means that during

Some HART devices support the optional burst communication mode.

2003 HART Communication Foundation

Frequency Shift Keying

Figure 1: Simultaneous Analog and Digital Communication

2003 HART Communication Foundation

In point-to-point mode, the traditional 420 mA signal is used to

Note: Instrument power is provided by an interface or external power source

Figure 2: Point-to-Point Mode of Operation

2003 HART Communication Foundation

Control System or Other Host

Figure 3: Multidrop Mode of Operation

2003 HART Communication Foundation

Common practice commands provide functions implemented by many, but

Device-specific commands represent functions that are unique to each field

Common Practice Commands

Read manufacturer and

Read selection of up to four

Read or write low-flow cut-off

Read primary variable (PV)

Write damping time constant

Read or write density calibration

Read current output and

Calibrate (set zero, set span)

Read up to four predefined

Write device range values

Perform master reset

Start, stop, or clear totalizer

Choose PV (mass, flow, or

Write polling address

Table 1: HART Commands

Note: Table 1 is a partial list of HART commands. See Appendices B, C,

2003 HART Communication Foundation

Some HART host applications use device descriptions (DD) to obtain

2003 HART Communication Foundation

BENEFITS OF HART COMMUNICATIONS

Benefits of HART Communications

2003 HART Communication Foundation

BENEFITS OF HART COMMUNICATIONS

Improved Plant Operations

HART-based field devices can be installed and commissioned in a fraction

The HART protocol supports the networking of several devices on a single

Multivariable devices reduce the number of instruments, wiring, spare

2003 HART Communication Foundation

BENEFITS OF HART COMMUNICATIONS

Improved Plant Operations

HART-communicating devices provide accurate information that helps

Figure 4: Examples of Device Parameters Sent to Control Room

Some HART devices perform complex calculations, such as PID control

2003 HART Communication Foundation

BENEFITS OF HART COMMUNICATIONS

Improved Plant Operations

The diagnostic capabilities of HART-communicating field devices can