Honeywell (Morris Township, N.J.) launched its wireless network system last week at the Honeywell Users Group Americas Symposium in Phoenix.
Shipping next month, the OneWireless is a mesh network that supports multiple wireless devices throughout a facility. In addition, the network supports multiple industrial protocols (e.g., HART, Modbus), offering a single wireless network that is easy to manage.
As time goes on, technology will come to the forefront of process control, says Jack Bolick, Honeywell Process Solutions president. That time is now.
Scalable to 30,000 devices, OneWireless supports the 500 customer sites already using the existing Honeywell XYR5000 wireless transmitters and the companys new line of XYR6000 transmitters that include corrosion, gauge pressure, differential pressure, high-level input and temperature transmitters. The solution also supports wired transmitters, mobile worker devices such as IntelTrak PKS and Mobile Station, and standard Wi-Fi and Ethernet clients.
According to Honeywells director of business development Dave Kaufman, the network will be fully compliant with the SP100 standard when it becomes available. Customers that deploy OneWireless now, will be provided with an easy migration mechanism when the final standard is offered. OneWireless is designed to not only show what an eventual SP100 network and device system could be, but also to make available technologies likely to be incorporated into the final standard with its expected release in 2008.
The incorporation of all the existing industrial protocols makes the network scalable and flexible. You need to remember to separate the network from the protocol, says Kaufman.
Honeywell is offering a starter kit for $7500 that consists of two transmitters and one multimode gateway with all the associated operating hardware and software.
The company also introduced the Honeywell Instant Locator System (HILS) that works with the OneWireless network and provides a real-time location solution for personnel as well as assets. HILS can track employees and visitors through personal tags attached to their clothing. An asset tag is used on equipment.
Integrated with Experion, Honeywells process automation system, HILS can use equipment and personnel geo-location information to improve plant safety. HILS can be integrated with the existing system, but it is really designed for the future, says Soroush Amidi, marketing manager for wireless applications.
The product will ship in the third quarter.
