Focus

The NAMUR working group "Digital Process Communication", focused on the field level and basic process automation, deals with (but isn’t limited to) topics as follows:

• Collaboration on development and conceptual requirements for current and future communication systems from end user’s point of view with regard to practical suitability and potential for the process industry
• Market observation and experience exchange of digital communication systems for the process industry
• Addressing of requirements, deficiencies and problems to manufacturers and organizations
• Participation in national and international standardization committees and organizations
• Active participation, i.e. to achieve:
  • A uniform, effective and available device integration (FDI)
  • User-friendly modern technologies
  • Useful and manufacturer-independent diagnostic information of communication participants
  • Define requirements for an Ethernet-based communication system for the process industry

Advantages

Advantages that result from the work of the working group are as follows:

• Avoiding of mistaken investments
• Availability of best practices for applications, platform for sharing of experiences
• Uniform device integration for all automation systems
• Optimized maintenance through standardized status signals and diagnostic information
• Improving of standards for the benefit of users
• Recognize, use and publish economic benefits

Recommendations and worksheets

Please refer to the following list for recommendations (NE) and worksheets (NA) managed by the working group:

Position Paper
“APL network topologies for the process industry“

Position Paper
„Ethernet APL for functional safety applications“