Bailey Infi90 remote control

J

Thread Starter

Joe Malter

I'm looking to control a number of process areas that are remotely located from a Infi90 system.

The systems (3-5) are located approx 5 miles away. I'm not sure if I can remotely locate the controller and I/O and communicate back to the main control center using radio. I'm tempted to use PLC's at the remote sites and use a modbus interface of the Bailey to talk to the remote sites. Does anyone have experience controlling radios off a serial interface on the Bailey system?

The other option is to place a frontend communciation processor at the Bailey. The device would require the capability to poll the remote sites and interface with the Bailey.

The remote sites must continue to operate (control) if communcations to the host is lost or interrupted.

Thanks in advance for your advice.
 
There are several ways to implement what you are trying to do. One is using Infinet to Infinet remote gateways, in this case you need as many remote ring (infinet) as remote locations away from your central ring (loop 1). In other way, you may have remote I/O´s. But the less expensive option is using PLC´s and MFP0x´s with modbus. Using Bailey stuff, secure configurations should include test quality check. With PLC´s and modbus, there must be a "heart beat" signal doing fron MFP's to PLC's. In any casy, when the quality is bad or heartbeat signal is on or off more than a preset time, the PLC's must take any action. Our experience with radios shows that the path is the only point of failure, and a field survey that certifies the path must be done.
 
G
Joe,

What type of controllers are being used at the remote process areas?

Gord...

===========================================
Gord Ellis, P.Eng.
Northern Dynamic Inc.
J103-155 Frobisher Drive
Waterloo, Ontario
Canada N2V 2E1
Tel/Fax: (519) 725-2071/2072
www.nordyn.com
 
J
Thanks for the reply.

Our plan is to use PLC's at the remote sites. I just wanted to make sure there wasn't an obvious advantage with the Bailey.

You mention using the MFP0x´s with modbus. I assume this is a foreign device interface for the Infi90. How controllable is it? I was planning to use a PLC at the host end as a data concentrator to simplify interface with the Bailey. The PLC would have either a serial or ethernet interface to the DCS (MFP0x). The PLC would handle the radio system and polling. This way the DCS sees a single device instead of a bunch of remote devices.
 
R

Richard King

Hi Joe,
We have interfaced a MOSCAD radio telemetry system to the serial port of the Bailey Infi90 System.

It monitors multiple remote sites. I think it has a 30 second update, not good for control, though a single remote site would have a faster poll rate.


regards,
Richard King.

Alesa Alusuisse Engineering Australia Pty Limited.
Phone: +61 7 3218 3555
Fax : +61 7 3236 0155
Email: [email protected]
Web : http://www.alesa.com.au
 
M

Michael McClain

I used to work in Technical Support for Bailey Controls and for a while after ABB bought them. The Harmony system, if still available, provided a means to talk and control the loop using a TCP/IP interface called a Harmony Network Communications Coupler. This coupler sits on the control loop as a node via the coaxial connections. It works ONLY in Controlway though. While sitting on the loop, the HNCC has a loop, node and module address and also a IP address on the company network. Simply setting the IP address in the HNCC and mapping to it like mapping to any PC on a network, allows someone to do anything just as if they were at an EWS (engineering workstaion) directly on the loop. I used the HNCC many times logging in from home and dialing into the company network with ease. This can be accessed from anywhere in the world and used if access to the company Ethernet is possible. Hope this helps out some.
 
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