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.