FieldComm Group Holds Successful 2017 General Assembly

Members of the global industrial automation industry converged on Long Beach, California, to take part in FieldComm Group’s 2017 General Assembly. Held October 16-20 at the Hilton Long Beach Hotel, the event focused on the latest developments in HART, WirelessHART, FOUNDATION Fieldbus, and FDI technologies.

This year’s General Assembly was comprised of four separate activities:

1. End User Seminar (Oct. 16) - FieldComm Day Event
2. Annual Business Meeting (Oct. 17) - Member-only Meeting on FieldComm Group Business Affairs (including financials and board elections)
3. Technical Working Groups (Oct. 17-20) - FieldComm Group membership and technology developers.
4. Board of Directors Meeting (Oct. 19) - Closed meeting of the Board Members of FieldComm Group

[sidebar id =1]The General Assembly attracted more than 200 attendees and featured a tabletop exhibition of the latest products from the world’s major automation equipment suppliers. Representations from leading end-user companies were also on-hand for the event.

Based on the theme “Engage Today to Empower Tomorrow,” the General Assembly’s FieldComm Day End User Seminar addressed the state of digital transformation in the industrial sector. Leading experts looked at current automation technology advancements, including implementation of FOUNDATION Fieldbus- and HART-based solutions for process plant operations.

[sidebar id =2]The End Users Seminar began with an address by FieldComm Group President and CEO Ted Masters. His presentation, entitled “Instruments, Systems, and Protocols in the Age of the IIoT,” examined the importance of having well-trained personnel that can take advantage of existing plant capabilities today to empower the workforce and plant as a whole to lead the industry tomorrow. Masters described how digital technology augments, but cannot replace an invested and capable workforce.

Other seminar presentations included:

Alex Kaiser, Head of Product Management, CodeWrights –
“NAMUR Open Architecture – Embracing the future, while respecting the past”

Sean Vincent, Director of Technical Services, FieldComm Group –
“What’s in a Checkmark? Value of Registered Products”

Achim Laubenstein, Director of FDI Technology; and Nick Garrett, Marketing Project Manager, FieldComm Group –
“Simplifying Device Integration with FDI”

[sidebar id =3]Mike Clark, Director, BusCorp Inc. –
“Plant Reliability and the Smart Instrument Paradox”

Martin Zielinski, Director of HART and Fieldbus Technology, Emerson Automation Solutions –
“Embracing High Speed & Emerging Standards”

Stephen Mitschke, Programs Director, FieldComm Group; and Marcos Peluso, Distinguished Technologist, Emerson Process Management –
“Usability Enhancements Simplify Configuration”

Talon Petty, Marketing & Business Development Manager, FieldComm Group –
“2017 Plant of the Year Winner Illustrates Technology Value”

The Technical Working Group meeting enabled marketing and technical professionals to review the strategic direction of FieldComm Group. The gathering helped build consensus on protecting the technology investments made by automation end users and suppliers.

For more information, please visit the FieldComm Group website.