I'm working on a commissioning project and beginning to use Foundation Fieldbus devices extensively for the first time in my career.
I am accustom to the ability to simulate a device signal from AMS Device Manager on HART Devices to test my DeltaV logic from as close to the field as possible, without actually using the device sensor. Apparently this is not as easy to do with the Fieldbus Devices.
I've read in the manual that there is a "Simulation" switch, or jumper, in the devices…
I want to ask the community how testing can be done on the system from the device. Does it require a trip out to the device to set the switch/jumper? Once this is done, the manual discusses using the "Software", does this mean DeltaV? The parameter names referenced are not quite the same as in DeltaV or AMS-DM.
How is system logic tested when there is a Fieldbus shadow block involved? Is there a better way to go about it than simply creating a parameter to be used as a value to be fed to the logic?
Thanks to everyone in advance,
Brian
Brian McWhorter ISA:CAP OPC:SI PE:CSE
Dear Brian,
Both 4-20 mA/HART devices and FOUNDATION fieldbus (FF) devices have a hard protection jumper inside the transmitter housing which has to be enabled in order for simulation to be possible. This is a protection mechanism because there are critical applications as well as custody transfer applications where simulation shall not be permitted.
Once simulation is enabled, you can simulate a PV from both 4-20 mA and FF transmitters. For FF transmitters simulation is done from the SIMULATE parameter in the AI block. It can be done from DeltaV.
If you are in an FAT and need to test hundreds of thousands of I/O point, I suggest you take a look at the MIMIC simulation software which allows you to simulate all the system I/O virtually, with all logic and graphics, without having to connect even a single device to DeltaV.
Cheers,
Jonas