Monitoring role for wireless adapters

Lafarge Plasterboard monitors critical field instruments remotely from the plant control room following the introduction of FieldKey wireless adapters from ABB.

The Bristol factory took part in a trial of prototype wireless adapters and has followed up with the installation of several commercial FieldKey units.

These are used to check the performance of critical instruments, and are moved around the site to monitor any instruments that engineers suspect may be experiencing a problem.

FieldKey adapters are easy to fit to any instruments equipped with 4-20mA HART communications. On the Lafarge site they are used with equipment from at least three different manufacturers. They are small and have a rotating antenna, enabling them to be fitted into tight spaces if necessary. They use energy harvesting, taking power from the 4-20mA loop, so they don't need batteries. With no need for hardwiring to the network, each FieldKey can be installed in less than 3min, avoiding plant shutdown.