We have a customer that is considering a Foundation Fieldbus system. They'd like our new machines to comply. Does anyone have ideas on how to handle discrete inputs/outputs, e.g., position switches, solenoid outputs, etc.? We both would prefer to stick with one communications protocol rather than using FF for analog signals and something else for discrete signals. I heard some vendors are developing a module that accepts discrete inputs/outputs onto FF. Does anyone know if this is on the market? If so, any results to date?

 

Smar has a family of DF2 modules who can accept Discrete I/O. Also National Instruments has the FieldPoint family of modules who accept Discrete I/O. Regards, MBA Ing. Jimmy Saldivias TECSIM Phone: 591-4-523438 Fax: 591-4-523413 http://tecsim.trading.net

 

Did you find the discrete I/O for fieldbus? National Instruments has a line called Fieldpoint that works with Foundation Fieldbus. This FieldPoint has discrete I/O of several types. The network module for Fieldpoint that speaks FF is the FP3000. See www.ni.com/fieldpoint


Preston Todd Johnson
Interspace Electronics
[email protected]