The New Pepperl+Fuchs WirelessHART - Wireless Communication Systems make Communication Easy

Automated Control Engineering (ACE) introduces the new WirelessHART components from Pepperl+Fuchs - free communication from the need of wires, while integrating conventional field devices into the wireless world. With the WirelessHART standard, wireless communication is now reaching the process automation world. WirelessHART is based on the established HART protocol, which makes it easy to integrate it into any existing fieldbus infrastructure and uses a 2.4 GHz band as a transfer medium for several radio technologies.

WirelessHART™:
· Is an open and interoperative standard
· Is based upon the established HART protocol
· Uses known tools and procedures for configuration, maintenance and diagnosis
· Allows wireless access to existing field devices

WirelessHART uses a flat mesh network where all radio stations (field devices) form a network. Every participating station serves simultaneously as a signal source and a repeater. The original transmitter sends a message to its nearest neighbor, which passes the message on until the message reaches the base station and the actual receiver.

In addition, alternative routes are set up in the initialization phase. If the message cannot be transmitted on a particular path, due to an obstacle or a defective receiver, the message is automatically passed to an alternative route. So, in addition to extending the range of the network, the flat mesh network provides redundant communication routes to increase reliability.

The communication in the Wireless Network is coordinated with TDMA (Time Division Multiple Access), which synchronizes the network participants in 10 ms timeframes. To avoid jamming, WirelessHART uses also FHSS (Frequency Hopping Spread Spectrum). All 15 channels as defined in IEEE802.15.4 are used in parallel; WirelessHART uses FHSS to “hop” across these channels. Channels that are already in use are blacked out to avoid collisions with other wireless communication systems.

The combination of 10s synchronization and 15 channels allows 1500 communications per second.



For more information about the P+F WirelessHART please email on the ACE staff sales@aceg.com.au or visit the ACE website.