The Johannesburg branch held its Technology Evening on 8 June, where Gary Friend, chairman of the Foundation Fieldbus Southern African Marketing Committee (FFSAMC), presented an overview of Foundation fieldbus and the efforts of the FFSAMC to ensure that there is proper training available so that users and potential users gain maximum benefit from this technology.
Johan Grobler (l) with Bjorn Matthews of the University of Pretoria, recipient of the Schneider Electric/SAIMC award for his thesis on robots and artificial intelligence
Foundation fieldbus has been around for many years, but has not had much publicity in South Africa until recently. Part of the problem is lack of knowledge about the advantages that the technology can offer.
It is an all-digital, serial, two-way communications system that serves as the
base-level network in a plant or factory automation environment. Based on an open architecture developed and administered by the Fieldbus Foundation, it is targeted for applications using basic and advanced regulatory control and for much of the discrete control associated with those functions, mostly in the process industry.
Foundation fieldbus was originally intended as a replacement for the 4-20 mA standard and today it coexists alongside other technologies such as Modbus, Profibus, and industrial Ethernet. Today it enjoys a growing installed base in many heavy process applications such as refining, petrochemicals, power generation, food, beverage, pharmaceuticals and nuclear applications.
SAIMC Zambia SAIMC
SAIMC News
SAIMC Zambia marked its 21st anniversary with the annual SAIMC Banquet, held on 29 November 2025 at Mukwa Lodge in Kitwe, Zambia.
Read more...SAIMC: Durban branch SAIMC
SAIMC
The SAIMC Durban Branch closed off its 2025 technology meetings with an exceptionally well-attended session on selecting and applying signal transducers.
Read more...SAIMC: Durban year-end dinner SAIMC
SAIMC
The SAIMC Durban branch hosted its much-anticipated annual year-end dinner at the Mount Edgecombe Country Club on 22 November 2025. Durban’s summer weather provided the perfect backdrop for a warm, ...
Read more...Durban branch
SAIMC
At the Durban branch of the SAIMC held in October, Mitch Naidoo took the attendees on an interesting journey on Asset Health Management: Tracking The Pulse Of Your Plant.
Read more...SAIMC: Durban branch SAIMC
SAIMC
At the Durban branch of the SAIMC held in October, Mitch Naidoo took the attendees on an interesting journey on Asset Health Management: Tracking The Pulse Of Your Plant.
Read more...SAIMC: Johannesburg branch SAIMC
SAIMC
The SAIMC Johannesburg Branch technical evening was hosted by Proconics Advanced Solutions. The topic of the session was ‘Turning Big 3D Data into Actionable Engineering Insights – Challenges and Smart Solutions’.
Read more...SAIMC User Advisory Council Annual Summit 2025 SAIMC
SAIMC
October 2025 marked a pivotal moment for the South African automation and manufacturing community as the SAIMC User Advisory Council hosted its first annual summit under the SAIMC banner.
Read more...SAIMC: Johannesburg
SAIMC
The Johannesburg Branch of the SAIMC hosted a successful Technology Evening on 10 September. The event was well attended and generously sponsored by Phoenix Contact.
While every effort has been made to ensure the accuracy of the information contained herein, the publisher and its agents cannot be held responsible for any errors contained, or any loss incurred as a result. Articles published do not necessarily reflect the views of the publishers. The editor reserves the right to alter or cut copy. Articles submitted are deemed to have been cleared for publication. Advertisements and company contact details are published as provided by the advertiser. Technews Publishing (Pty) Ltd cannot be held responsible for the accuracy or veracity of supplied material.
printer friendly version