Simplicity and flexibility for fieldbuses

An ABB Automation Tech (LV Products) product story
Edited by the Engineeringtalk editorial team Nov 19, 2004

ABB said it has launched a new concept designed to bring simplicity and flexibility to fieldbus applications.

ABB said it has launched a new concept designed to bring simplicity and flexibility to fieldbus applications.

The FieldBusPlug (FBP) allows devices to be quickly connected to any bus for OE plug and produce.

Instead of having to offer multiple variants to suit a large number of industrial fieldbuses, such as Profibus DP, DeviceNet, AS-i and so on, ABB is now able to offer control equipment such as its new FBP motor controllers and starters in one standard version, with a neutral fieldbus-independent interface.

All the installer has to do is attach the appropriate ready-made bus-specific FBP connection cable to suit their fieldbus said the company.

The FBP establishes the connection of the individual switching and automation devices to the process controller.

The design of the plug is very simple ­- a fieldbus-neutral plug is fitted at one end of the cable and a plug with the fieldbus-dependent interface is located at the other end.

Intelligent electronics have been built into a compact plug to convert the neutral device data into a language that the process fieldbus (such as AS-I or DeviceNet) can understand said ABB.

The company said it will offer plugs to suit all the major fieldbuses on the market and claimed that a major advantage of the FBP concept is that ABB is not inventing its own additional bus, but is utilising the many fieldbuses already available.

Also, since it is an open system, the FBP can embrace any PLC system used by a customer.

Because ready-made plug-in connectors are used to attach the device to the fieldbus and the supply voltage, there is no need to cut, isolate and prepare cables.

The first family of ABB products to benefit from the FBP are motors and controllers including Motor Starter Direct MSD11-FBP, which is a compact fuseless motor starter unit with mounting features for the operation of a motor in one direction, for line current from 0.1 to 12A.

Motor Starter Reverse MSR22-FBP switches and protects individual motors and their connecting cables in both directions of rotation.

An installation width of 45mm is said to make it particularly suitable for applications where space is restricted.

Motor Fieldbus Interface MF121-FBP can be expanded to form a complete starter by coupling onto the MS325 motor protection switch up to 25A.

Integrated motor control functions and a preventative diagnostic function make it especially suitable for sensitive process areas and it incorporates three digital inputs at 24V DC and three digital outputs (relays) claimed ABB.

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