HART WITHOUT THE WIRES
WirelessHART is a wireless communications protocol for process automation applications. It adds wireless capabilities to HART technology while maintaining compatibility with existing HART devices, commands, and tools. By design, WirelessHART using mesh networking technology. Each device in a mesh network can serve as a router for messages from other devices. In other words, a device doesn't have to communicate directly to a gateway, but just forward its message to the next closest device. This extends the range of the network and provides redundant communication routes to increase reliability, particularly in the difficult radio environment found in process facilities.
Each WirelessHART network includes three main elements:
- Wireless field devices connected to process or plant equipment. This device could be a device with WirelessHART built in or an existing installed HART-enabled device with a WirelessHART adapter attached to it.
- Gateways enable communication between these devices and host applications connected to a high-speed backbone or other existing plant communications network.
- A Network Manager is responsible for configuring the network, scheduling communications between devices, managing message routes, and monitoring network health. The Network Manager can be integrated into the gateway, host application, or process automation controller.
For flexibility to meet different application requirements, the WirelessHART standard supports multiple messaging modes including one-way publishing of process and control values, spontaneous notification by exception, ad-hoc request/response, and auto-segmented block transfers of large data sets. These capabilities allow communications to be tailored to application requirements thereby reducing power usage and overhead.
Find out how you can expand your possibilities using WirelessHART
WirelessHART Security
WirelessHART employs robust security measures to protect the network and secure data at all times. These measures include the latest security techniques to provide the highest levels of protection available.
WirelessHART User Case Studies
WirelessHART offers 30%-60% lower installation costs than adding traditional wired instruments. This alone enables adding more points for measurement and optimization of existing plants previously considered unachievable. Since no additional instrument wiring is needed, deployment can be completed very quickly.
Registered Products
FieldComm Group’s Product Registry provides a current list of Registered FDI, FOUNDATION Fieldbus and HART products from a multitude of manufacturers and categories. Products that carry the registration mark(s) have been tested in our lab to ensure conformance to the standards for interoperability and functionality regardless of manufacturer.
Specifications
All HART development requires the use of the HART Communication Protocol Specifications. The HART Protocol Specifications kit is a collection of 17 documents that specify the different aspects of the protocol and test procedures for field devices.
Developer Tools
FieldComm Group provides test and registration services for developers of HART technology based products. We provide software and hardware tools to help simplify the development process and provide the best chance of compliance with test specification.