Schneider Electric is releasing EcoStruxure Field Device Expert, an application that improves how engineers commission, configure and maintain field devices throughout the lifecycle of the plant. Field Device Expert's Intelligent Commissioning Wizard completely automates detection, configuration, commissioning and testing of HART field instrumentation connected to an EcoStruxure Foxboro distributed control system (DCS). Automatic binding and configuration of HART devices has been shown to reduce commissioning schedules by more than 75 per cent, leading to faster time to profit.
Hany Fouda, vice president, Process Automation Offer Management and Global Sales, Schneider Electric says: "A report by EY[1] reveals that almost two thirds of multibillion-dollar megaprojects continue to exceed budgets, with 73 per cent missing project schedule deadlines. By automating the commissioning process, Field Device Expert significantly improves time to production and reduces effort, which has an immediate impact on project profitability. In one example, the return on investment calculations showed a savings of 96 days, which was the equivalent of $24 million of additional production for that project."
Traditional, manual device commissioning methodology is manpower intensive, making it error prone, time consuming and expertise dependent. By automating the configuration and commissioning process, Field Device Expert drastically changes automation project execution by minimising hardware dependencies and custom engineering and offers more flexibility in the design, timing and sequence of activities. For example, with traditional commissioning methods, it can take up to 50 minutes to configure each asset. Field Device Expert's Intelligent Commissioning Wizard shortens that time to 15 minutes, which is a 70 per cent reduction. Once the plant is operating, Field Device Expert continues to ease field device configuration and condition monitoring throughout the plant lifecycle which means restarts, like those that occur after a maintenance turnaround or any shutdown, are also faster and easier.
As part of Schneider Electric's EcoStruxure architecture and platform, Field Device Expert improves efficiency, safety, productivity and profitability. EcoStruxure is Schneider Electric's open, interoperable, IoT-enabled system architecture and platform and delivers enhanced value around safety, reliability, efficiency, sustainability and connectivity.
Now fully integrated into the Foxboro DCS, Field Device Expert's new capabilities include:
Fouda says: "We are committed to helping our customers reap additional value from their assets and process automation investments. Our goal is to help customers progress to a safe, secure digital operation in which they can gain control of all their critical business variables - safety, security, efficiency, reliability and, most importantly, profitability. Field Device Expert and Intelligent Commissioning Wizard are perfect examples of how we continue to help our customers convert their process automation systems and solutions into the profit engines of their businesses."
Go to www.schneider.co.uk for more information about the EcoStruxure Field Device Expert.