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New plug-in migration solution for control system technology
Foxboro Automation, a unit of Invensys Process Systems, has announced the introduction of a new family of plug-in I/A Series migration cards for Moore APACS systems. The migration cards enable Moore users to easily upgrade their legacy APACS ACM and ACM+ control systems to advanced Invensys technology, including the latest generation of I/A Series distributed control system (DCS) and Invensys' InFusion enterprise control system (ECS) technologies.
Using the plug-in migration approach, this DCS upgrade can be accomplished without having to replace existing field wiring, termination assemblies, system enclosures, or power supplies. Invensys replaces the old APACS input/output (I/O) modules with new Foxboro I/A Series I/O modules specially designed to plug right into the existing system racks. The system switchover can be accomplished in hours with proper upfront planning, database conversion, and off-line testing, with minimal process downtime. To reduce engineering costs, the existing APACS per-channel configurable I/O approach is retained. This eliminates the need for complicated I/O mapping.
In order to save on engineering and operator training requirements associated with the migration, the existing APACS ProcessSuite graphics can be re-used within Invensys' advanced InFusion View human machine interface (HMI). InFusion View can be seamlessly layered over the new I/A Series DCS components to provide users with both a familiar HMI and an initial building block toward implementing a complete InFusion ECS.
Betty Naylor-McDevitt, director of the Foxboro Automation unit of Invensys Process Systems, states: ‘Invensys brings new meaning and value to the term migration. Not only do we make it a relatively easy, low-risk, and cost-effective proposition for users of legacy DCSs to migrate to a state-of-the-art I/A Series system to help immediately improve plant performance, we also position those same users to be able to take advantage of the latest InFusion ECS technology, which is designed to help improve overall enterprise business performance.’
The new I/A Series migration modules for APAC systems (which meet or exceed original specifications) support the latest Foxboro I/A Series system capabilities, including:
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rugged, optionally redundant/fault-tolerant 200 Series I/O for nonstop analog, discrete, and HART digital field communications
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high-performance, optionally-redundant/fault-tolerant ZCP- and FCP-270 control processors provide the power, flexibility, and reliability needed to implement today's demanding unit- and plant-wide process control strategies
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the new I/A Series Field Device Manager takes advantage of both EDDL and FDT fieldbus technologies to reduce configuration, commissioning, and ongoing support costs for intelligent field devices over the instruments' entire life cycles
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One GB Mesh Control Network takes full advantage of proven commercial networking technologies to help ensure unconstrained performance and nonstop communications over the process control network
Using the company's plug-in migration approach, Invensys has already helped more than 400 customers around the world upgrade their legacy Honeywell TDC2000 and TDC3000, Bailey NET 90 and INFI 90, Fisher PROVOX S10 and S20, Westinghouse WDPF, Siemens Moore APACS, and Foxboro SPECTRUM and SPEC 200 systems to current Foxboro I/A Series technology.