Endress+Hauser recently supplied a complete monitoring and inventory control solution that offered accurate control and billing of compressed air to a government-owned
locomotive maintenance plant in Bloemfontein.
The need for an accurate inventory control system arose from the privatisation of individual departments in the locomotive plant. As a result, compressed air, which is supplied from a central location to surrounding departments, needs to be precisely monitored in order to establish an accurate pricing and billing structure. To do this, reliable readings of each department’s use of compressed air needs to be ascertained and monitored.
The complete solution consisted of the installation of nine thermal mass flowmeters (65I), and nine FXA520 Fieldgate units. The Fieldgate product offers a comprehensive bridge between measurement and management, allowing data to be monitored remotely, through standard Internet browsers. This allows users to accurately monitor data provided by any process instrumentation in the field as long as the respective instrument has a 4-20 mA or Profibus interface.
“The benefits of using the Fieldgate system are many. Not only does it allow users to monitor data gathered remotely by field instruments, it also allows remote diagnostics, as well as enabling them to configure sensors remotely,” says Danie Wentzel, project engineer, Endress+Hauser. “This system grants the customer access to fully automated monitoring of actual inventory levels, which in turn optimises productivity by providing the data necessary for accurate forecasting and planning.”
The Fieldgate is available in three different connection configuration options. The Fieldgate Ethernet, which can be connected directly to a local area network (LAN) or wirelessly from up to 150 m away through the use of legacy wireless LAN (WLAN) components. The Fieldgate Analogue, which connects to the Internet through the phone line; and the Fieldgate GSM which connects wirelessly to the Internet using the cellular network.
Data is gathered from Fieldgates operating in the field automatically, by Fieldgate Data Access scheduler software. The Fieldgate DA scheduler can scan an almost limitless amount of devices regularly. The software can be configured to scan according to a predetermined schedule, or preconfigured scan times. In addition, data sent from a Fieldgate can be received on specific events, such as a drop in pressure, or levels dropping below a predetermined point.
Secure access from outside the company to Fieldgates is established through the Endress+Hauser Fieldgate portal. This sets up a virtual private infrastructure through the company’s existing firewall, through port 80. This port is commonly used to browse the Internet, and ensures that LAN administrators can grant access to registered users, without the use of propriety software, using nothing more than a standard Internet browser.
The combination of Fieldgates and Endress+Hauser’s instrumentation has provided a cost-effective monitoring and management system for the customer, allowing them to have instant access to data, which in turn allows them to make informed decisions as the circumstances dictate.
Endress+Hauser offers comprehensive IT auditing as a value add service, ensuring that the right solution for a company’s network is always implemented.
For more information contact Hennie Blignaut, Endress+Hauser, +27 (0)11 262 8000, [email protected], www.za.endress.com
| Tel: | +27 11 262 8000 |
| Fax: | +27 11 262 8062 |
| Email: | [email protected] |
| www: | www.endress.com |
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