FOUNDATION Fieldbus™ - the fieldbus for process engineering

FOUNDATION fieldbus™ allows digital communication over existing two-wire architectures and fulfils all the requirements that are placed on a modern bus system.

Plant Asset Management and Predictive Maintenance are topics that have a decisive influence on the planning of process plants. Today, more than twenty percent of users employ asset management systems and over fifty percent are planning their use. The technology employed by Fieldbus Foundation™ has been specifically designed to meet such user demands.

With FOUNDATION fieldbus™, device data become an integral part of the control and operating system. The technology provides the optimum interface for planning and maintenance programs running in your plant.

Are you interested in knowing more? Then ask us - we will be pleased to answer your questions.

Please contact your nearest Endress+Hauser Sales Center.

More economy

	Easy access to all device measurement and diagnostic data.
	Full interoperability of all certified FOUNDATION fieldbus™ devices.
	More flexibility in production through improved plant productivity.

Increased safety and reliability

	Reduces downtime by increasing the availability of the plant.
	Allows instant access to all important data, ensuring that the process automation is transparent.
	Increases loop integrity by allowing control loops to be built and driven at field level.
	Supports preventive maintenance by providing reliable diagnosis data.
	Allows devices to be used and exchanged in explosion-hazardous areas.

Improved information flow

	Transmits additional device data, e.g. status and service information, with the measured value.
	Increases the data exchange rate between the field devices and the supervisory system, e.g. a PLC or DCS, resulting in quicker, more reliable process automation.
	Gives the process control system access to all field devices for set-up and diagnosis.

More openness

	The FOUNDATION fieldbus™ standard IEC 61158 provides a full, open, manufacturer-independent and stable basis for your fieldbus investments.
	More than 330 member companies support the Fieldbus Foundation™ with over 170 products.

Direct connection to a control system using a FOUNDATION fieldbus™ H1 connection card, power supply, bus terminator resistance and power conditioner. The power conditioner adjusts the internal resistance of the power supply to the impedance of the fieldbus network.

Alternatively a linking device can be used to connect the H1 segment to a system backbone using e.g. Fieldbus Foundation™ High Speed Ethernet (HSE). Functions:

	Adaptation of the transmission system to FOUNDATION fieldbus™ H1 (IEC 61158-2)
	Adaptation of the data transfer rate

FOUNDATION fieldbus™ is suitable for use in explosion hazardous areas. Endress+Hauser devices are of intrinsically safe FISCO design, ensuring a low current consumption and reverse polarity protection.

Click here for an example of a Foundation fieldbus™ network architecture.

Every FOUNDATION fieldbus™ transmitter has several function blocks:

	Resource function block describes the attributes of the fieldbus device, e.g. device name, manufacturer and serial number.
	Transducer function block contains all device information such as calibration data and sensor type. A device may have several transducer blocks, e.g. diagnostic, process variable or display.
	Analog input function block is a universal interface that puts the process variable including status information on the fieldbus. It ensures that all devices, irrespective of type and manufacturer, publish their information in exactly the same way.
	Control function blocks allow control to be performed by fieldbus devices. Every manufacturer is free to implement the blocks he prefers.

For example, Endress+Hauser has implemented a digital output block in its flowmeters that allows device functions to be changed during normal operation by the control system.

Click here for an example of a Foundation fieldbus™ network architecture.

All FOUNDATION Fieldbus™ device drivers and ITK-Certificates for single products can be downloaded from the Download Area.

	Endress+Hauser FOUNDATION Fieldbus™ device drivers and ITK-Certificates More information...

	Endress+Hauser FOUNDATION Fieldbus™ Device Description Files for AMS. More information...

Interoperability with FOUNDATION Fieldbus™ devices and Allen-Bradley ControlLogix.

	A specific Interoperability Statement (Certificate) can be obtained from the Endress+Hauser Download Area. More information...

FOUNDATION Fieldbus™

Process automation with digital fieldbus technology

Competence Brochure

CP003S/04/EN

FOUNDATION Fieldbus™

Installation and Commissioning Guidelines

BA013S/04/EN

Testing of Endress+Hauser FOUNDATION fieldbus™ system components and devices

A major focus of the Fieldbus Laboratory is testing Endress+Hauser FOUNDATION fieldbus™ system components and devices.

	Interoperability tests made in a multi-vendor environment ensure that field devices operate in control systems from all major FOUNDATION fieldbus™ suppliers.
	Function block tests: Optimal performance is assured by testing all function blocks in different systems, including ControlCare from Endress+Hauser.
	Performance tests: The performance of ancillary equipment, such as power conditioning systems and connection boxes, is checked thoroughly.
	System integration ensures that users get the best possible performance from Endress+Hauser devices operating in third party systems, e.g. AMS.

All Endress+Hauser devices must pass these rigorous tests before they can be placed on the market. 

Take a Virtual Tour through our Fieldbus Test and Competence Center "System World"  at Endress+Hauser Process Solutions AG, Reinach (Switzerland).

Endress+Hauser maintains a competence centre for digital communication that offers the following services and solutions:

	FOUNDATION fieldbus™ training courses by specialists, for specialists.
	Network design.
	Customer interoperability tests.
	Support in the commissioning of all systems

Endress+Hauser offers a comprehensive range of FOUNDATION fieldbus™ instrumentation for pressure, temperature, level and flow.

	All our devices have passed the Fieldbus Foundation™ ISK test.
	We test our devices in all major control systems: ABB Fieldcontroller, Allen Bradley Control Logix, Emerson DeltaV, Honeywell, SMAR System 302, National Instruments