HART Foundation Seeks Plant-of-the-Year

HART Communication Foundation Seeks Nominees for 2006 HART Plant of the Year Award

Global award recognizes innovative use of HART Communication in real-time process plant applications

Austin, Texas "”The HART® Communication Foundation (HCF) is seeking nominees for the 2006 HART Plant of the Year Award. The global award is presented annually to recognize innovative use of HART Communication in real-time industrial process plant applications. Selections are based on the use of HART Communication not on the size of the installation. The best candidates are plants that use the full range of HART capabilities. Nominations are encouraged from all world areas and will be accepted through May 31. Nomination forms are available at: http://www.hartcomm.org/announce/plant_of_the_year_2006/form.html The HART Plant of the Year is unique in the process automation industry. It is the only public award presented to end user companies to recognize ingenuity in the application of HART technology. The award recognizes the people, companies and plant sites that are using the full capabilities of HART Communication in real-time applications to improve operations, lower costs and increase plant availability. "We seek plants that have taken the capabilities of HART instruments beyond configuration and calibration," says HCF Executive Director Ron Helson. "Or a plant that is using real-time diagnostics and process variables of HART-enabled devices with its control, safety, asset management and information systems." Nominations should include a description of how the plant is using the diagnostics and other intelligent capabilities of HART-enabled devices in real-time applications with plant control, safety and asset management systems to help keep their plant competitive. Nominations are encouraged from all world areas. Suppliers can nominate customers and end users can nominate themselves. Background information and supporting materials are welcome, but are not required with the nomination. HCF representatives will review submissions and will interview selected candidates. "We encourage HART users worldwide to discover new and better ways to use the Power of HART Communication already in their plants"¦because in today's economy the challenge is finding better ways to use what you have. With this award, we recognize the innovators who are meeting that challenge," says Helson. The HART Field Communications Protocol is the global standard for smart process instrumentation. Seventy percent of all smart process measurement and control instruments installed worldwide each year use HART Communication and the global installed base of HART-enabled devices is the largest of all communication protocols at more than 20 million. Key features of this unique open standard communication technology are - 4-20mA compatibility, ease of use, low risk, and cost-efficient implementation for both users and suppliers. The HART Communication Foundation is an independent not-for-profit organization providing worldwide support for application of HART technology. Established in 1993, the Foundation is the technology owner and standards setting body for the HART Communication Protocol. Major instrumentation manufacturers and users around the world support the Foundation. Membership is open to anyone interested in the use of HART technology. For more information, go to www.hartcomm.org. If you are an end user, chances are you have and use HART devices. If you are a vendor, chances are you make them. It is to everybody's benefit, folks, if vendors and end users were talking more about what they do with the HART enabled devices they make and use. Some fantastic stories have evolved out of the Plant of the Year award the last few years. Good stories for both end user companies and vendors. So let's help the HCF out and find some nominees! CONTACT: Liz Patranella Tel: 512-794-0369 [email protected] HART Communication Foundation 9390 Research Blvd. Suite I-350 Austin TX 78759-6540 USA