FOXBORO FBM230 Field Device System Integrator Module

FOXBORO FBM230 Field Device System Integrator Module

DESCRIPTION

The FBM230 Field Device System Integrator (FDSI) module provides a serial interface between single-ported field I/O devices and the EcoStruxure™ Foxboro™ DCS system. The FBM230 has four ports - each can be individually configured in software for RS232, RS422 or RS-485. This provides a single FBM230 the flexibility to connect to multiple similar but not identical devices. Physical wiring is in accordance with Electronic Industrial Association (EIA) standard RS-232, RS422 or RS-485.

Features

The key features of the FBM230 are: 

• Four ports - each can be individually configured in software for RS-232, RS422 or RS-485 

• Supports RS-232, RS-422 or RS-485 communication interface standards 

• I/O software drivers downloadable from a library of available protocols 

• Up to 2000 DCI block connections 

• Communicates with up to 64 RS-485 or up to 4 direct connect RS-232 or RS-422 devices 

• Integrates field device data into a Foxboro DCS control database 

• Field mounted 

• Class G3 (harsh) environments.

I/O Drivers

This FBM is a generic hardware module in which different software drivers can be loaded. These drivers configure the FBM to recognize a particular protocol used by the field device. Several of the software drivers are standard product offerings. Other custom drivers can be developed to meet specific needs. These drivers are dynamically downloaded to the FBM230 with software code specifically designed to interface with the third party device’s protocol.

Operations

Each FBM230 can access up to 64 RS-485 or up to 4 direct connect RS-232 or RS422 devices to read or write data. From the Foxboro DCS control station to which the FBM230 is connected (refer to Figure 1, page 3), up to 2000 Distributed Control Interface (DCI) data connections can be made to read or write data. Supported data types are determined by the particular driver loaded on the FBM230, which converts the data to the DCI data types listed below: 

• An analog input or output value (integer or IEEE single-precision floating point) 

• A single digital input or output value 

• Multiple (packed) digital input or output values (packed in groups of up to 32 digital points per connection).

Functional Specifications

Interface 

• Four serial I/O communication ports provide interface to up to four direct connect RS-232, RS-422 devices or up to 64 devices via four RS-485 buses (Up to 16 devices per port). Each port is a single logical port to single ported devices.

Bus Characteristics 

• General Electronic Industrial Association (EIA) RS-232, RS-422 or RS485 communications selectable on a per port basis. The RS-485 physical communication medium consists of twisted-pair shielded copper cable containing a single conductor pair. The RS-422 is a 4–wire physical communication medium. The RS-232 physical communication medium is a DB-25 cable to a customer supplied device/modem/ converter. 

• EIA RS-232, RS-422 and RS-485 I/O Communication 

◦ Asynchronous communication, direct connect link (RS-232) 

◦ Transmission Rate: 300, 600, 1200, 2400, 4800, 9600, 19200, 38400, 57600 and 115200 baud. 

◦ Protocol: 8-bit characters; odd, even or no parity, 1 or 2 stop bits.

I/O Capacity 

• Up to 64 devices per FBM230 maximum (number of actual devices is performance dependent) with up to 2000 DCI connections. 

Data Types Transferred 

• 2-byte or 4-byte signed or unsigned integers, 4byte IEEE single- precision floating values, or binary values. Automatic conversion for other types as implemented by the downloadable driver. 

Fastest Allowed ECB Block Period 

• 500 msec 

Channel Isolation 

• Each communication channel is galvanically isolated and referenced to earth (ground). The module can withstand, without damage, a potential of 600 V ac applied for one minute between either channel and earth.

FBM230 Power Requirements

• Input Voltage Range (Redundant) 24 V DC +5%, -10% 

• Consumption 7 W (maximum) 

• Heat Dissipation 7 W (maximum)