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SmartLine Transmitter Boasts Modularity, Ease-of-Use

Nov. 30, 2012
Attention to Human Factors Helps Streamline Operator Tasks, Avoid Errors
About the Author
Keith Larson is group publisher responsible for Putman Media's manufacturing automation titles Control, Control Design and Industrial Networking. Corporately, he also as serves vice president of content across Putman Media's other magazine titles.

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Honeywell Process Solutions unveiled its new SmartLine series of industrial pressure transmitters at the company's 2012 EMEA user group meeting in Istanbul. The new line features a modular design and enhanced communication abilities that are intended to improve operational efficiency and reduce lifecycle costs for process manufacturers.

"We're setting a new standard with industry leading performance, lowest total cost of ownership and unprecedented host system integration," said Jason Urso, vice president and chief technology officer, Honewell Process Solutions, in his keynote address.

"We're setting a new standard.” Honeywell’s Jason Urso on the unique combination of high performance and low lifecycle costs enabled by the company’s new SmartLine pressure transmitters.

SmartLine achieves a lower total cost of ownership by reducing maintenance and calibration activities as well as allowing users to stock fewer spare parts in support of a broader variety of transmitter configurations. "We specify accuracy in one-year increments, resulting in stable and predictable performance and reducing the number of calibrations that need to be performed," Urso explained. SmartLine also allows users to upgrade or replace select components such as the communications module or HMI display in the field, without uninstalling the transmitter itself.

Advanced HMI

The unit includes an advanced, intuitive user interface that "lets you see your process the way you want," Urso continued. Process trends are displayed graphically, and formerly inscrutable error codes now are displayed as literal messages to guide field technicians in their work. A three-button interface allows speedy interaction and configuration without a handheld, and the transmitter even automatically corrects for polarity installation errors that can derail start-up and maintenance processes. "It operates correctly regardless of how you've wired it," Urso explained.

In addition to three button navigation and a graphical local display that can clearly communicate messages to field operators, Honeywell Process Solutions’ new SmartLine series pressure transmitter features a modular design that allows components to be replaced without removing the device from service.

Honeywell SmartLine pressure transmitters make it easier to support field devices and promote plant reliability with their unique efficiency-enhancing features, according to Don Maness, vice president, field products, Honeywell Process Solutions. These communication capabilities are part of the transmitter's Smart Connection Suite, and allow control room operators to send messages to the display to make it easier and faster for field operators to identify the correct transmitter and determine required maintenance tasks. 

And while designed to work with any HART-based host system, unique messaging and maintenance mode indications are available when SmartLine transmitters are used in conjunction with Honeywell's Experion PKS automation platform. Local maintenance mode indication, for example, tells field operators if the control loop is in a safe state to perform maintenance.

"Honeywell introduced the first industrial smart transmitter in 1983 and has since supplied millions of smart transmitters around the world," Maness said. "To build on this legacy, our latest generation was designed with input from our customers and distributors to provide the lowest total cost of ownership at every point in the project lifecycle. SmartLine helps customers' operations be more efficient, their processes more accurate and their plant more reliable."

More information on the SmartLine series is available at http://www.honeywellprocess.com/smartline.

About the Author

Keith Larson | Group Publisher

Keith Larson is group publisher responsible for Endeavor Business Media's Industrial Processing group, including Automation World, Chemical Processing, Control, Control Design, Food Processing, Pharma Manufacturing, Plastics Machinery & Manufacturing, Processing and The Journal.