Companies implementing wireless sensor monitoring and control systems for industrial applications, especially in oil and gas, favor the HART communications protocol for the additional data flow between host devices and smart instruments. According to Control magazine, more than 30 million devices installed worldwide use HART technology. In fact, 99% of SignalFire markets use HART instruments. Unlike other wireless telemetry system manufacturers, SignalFire’s Wireless platform support wireless configuration and calibration of HART devices over a secured wireless connection between the HART device, the gateway and the FDT based software.

What is PACTware?

PACTware is the industry standard software for the setup and proper operation of smart field instrumentation using HART, Profibus, Foundation Fieldbus protocols, I/O systems and interface modules. Free for download and requiring no licensing fee, the software is the most popular tool for technicians and engineers. To support its widespread use by the industry, SignalFire enhanced its software to seamlessly tunnel the HART signal over-the-air directly to PACTware, allowing for full configuration, calibration and diagnostic capabilities as fast and simple as if the user was connected directly to the HART device using a wired modem (see Graphic 1).

This graphic above depicts how a SignalFire Remote Sensing System wirelessly and remotely connects with PACTware software. In this wireless telemetry system configuration, Sentinel nodes (left) interface with a HART device for monitoring a particular asset. The nodes both power and extract data from the HART device. A SignalFire Remote Sensing Systems 900Mhz protocol tunnels the HART information (much faster than other protocols) to a Gateway that transmits it to a plant management computer installed with PACTware.

A SignalFire Ethernet Module works in unison with a software ToolKit to provide seamless connectivity to PACTware. Users can launch the software with an Ethernet connection to the Ethernet module. Once PACTware launches, it scans and finds the attached HART Device to the Sentinel to, then, open the vendor-specific software (Device type manager) in providing insight into device parameters, health, and condition.

Shown is a screenshot of how SignalFire’s ToolKit provides a seamless tunnel for PACTware software to connect directly and transparently through a Gateway.

This schematic shows a Sentinel HART node connected to a VegaFlex TDR sensor. Using the navigation tree menu from the Vega- specific DTM software, the user can change the type of liquid under measurement, the application, and the fluid properties. An operator can make changes from a remote Scada monitoring station with access to the SignalFire Gateway.

If you are using PACTware, find out more about how SignalFire Ethernet Module and Toolkit can work with your existing communications protocol by contacting us for support at support@signal-fire.com.

Download information on the SignalFire Ethernet Module here.