A tablet personal computer (PC) tool for commissioning and maintenance staff to manage field instruments and document work progress, has been introduced.
The tablet is pre-installed with device configuration software and a device library. The device enables plant asset management in Class 1 Div 1 hazardous areas and supports HART, PROFIBUS DP/PA, Foundation Fieldbus, Modbus, CDI and Endress+Hauser service interfaces.
The device library has more than 2 700 pre-installed device and communication drivers, allowing it to work with different instruments from a variety of vendors. It can connect to field instrumentation devices via a Universal Serial Bus (USB) or Bluetooth wireless modem, or via a gateway, remote I/O or multiplexer to a bus system.
The Field Xpert SMT77 from Endress+Hauser promises one-click connectivity and the ability to work with almost any modern field instrument. To connect the unit to a flowmeter with HART interface, for example, the operator clicks on the application, which then prompts the user to select automatic connection and the application connects to the instrument and is then ready to perform diagnostics, configurations or commissioning with the built-in device configuration software. The device also supports Heartbeat Technology and FieldCare instrument diagnostic and monitoring functions.
The tablet PC has Windows 10 Pro software installed and includes a 10.1 inch liquid crystal display Multitouch High Definition (HD) display, 2x bonded Gorilla Glass, a five megapixel auto focus camera, a two-megapixel front facing camera and up to 128 gigabytes of storage.
Communication ports and supported networks include USB, ethernet, HD Multimedia Interface, WiFi and Bluetooth, with 4G long-term evolution and a global positioning system available as an option. The battery runtime is five hours.
The device comes in a general-purpose configuration as well as hazardous area configuration for Class 1, Div 1, meets the legal requirements of the relevant European Union directives and is IP65 compliant.