When it comes to developing process control systems or instrumentation employing FOUNDATION™ Fieldbus, HART®, Field Device Integration (FDI®) or Electronic Device Description (EDD) technologies, some companies choose to "go it alone." But without accurate and in-depth training of key design personnel, they risk the outcome of their product introduction.
Automation vendors supplying intelligent products, including devices, systems and applications, can realize significant benefits from attending a FieldComm Group Developer Workshop. According to Sean Vincent, Director Technical Services, training is offered at multiple levels for professionals ranging from sales & marketing personnel seeking basic knowledge of a particular technology, to development engineers, hardware designers and others requiring a "deep dive" to assist with new product development.
"FieldComm Group serves as the caretaker for the leading intelligent field communication protocols and integration standards in the automation industry. If you are developing a product or tool in compliance with one of these technologies, it is important to receive instruction from recognized domain knowledge experts," said Vincent.
Developer Workshops are held at FieldComm Group headquarters in Austin, Texas, USA, as well as at a certified third-party site in Düsseldorf, Germany. Training can also be conducted at a company's facility if required. Participants attend lectures and have an opportunity for hands-on exposure to final products. In fact, developers are able to work on their specific product development during the training course.
A choice of developer training is available: Introduction to HART Protocol (2 days), HART Fundamentals and QA Testing (4 days), Introduction to FOUNDATION Fieldbus (1 day), Advanced Principles of FOUNDATION Fieldbus (3 days), and Device Integration-Writing EDD and FDI Packages (4 days).
In many cases, companies taking part in the workshops are able to optimize their product offering based on the instruction they receive, and avoid design errors leading to poor performance and customer issues.
"FieldComm Group makes every effort to tailor workshop content to an attendee's specific objectives, or the type of product under development, to help them succeed," said Vincent. "We offer insights so they can understand the nuances of the technology in a way that may not be possible by just reading the specification."
He added, "Our workshops also have value for seasoned developers in need of a fresh, outside perspective, or those wanting to learn about our new tool for FDI – the integration standard that the entire industry will be transitioning to in the coming years.
"By participating in our training, developers utilizing FOUNDATION Fieldbus, HART, FDI or EDD get answers to their questions much faster, prepare their design team much better, and develop an understanding of what's needed to build a superior product."
