Yokogawa partners with Brazil's Petrobras on field wireless technology
Yokogawa Electric has signed a partnership agreement with Petróleo Brasileiro S.A. (Petrobras) on the evaluation of field wireless technology based on the ISA100.11a industrial automation wireless communications standard.
Through this partnership, which the companies announced on Wednesday, Yokogawa will provide Petrobras technical support on the use of field wireless communications and have the opportunity to demonstrate its field wireless products at this company’s test plant.
Building on its strong global track record in delivering control systems, sensors, and advanced field wireless technology, Yokogawa says it will utilize this partnership with Petrobras to expand its provision of field wireless technology solutions to production plant operators around the world.
Background information
A wireless network can be used to connect a control system with field devices that are distributed throughout a plant. Such networks have many advantages that include reducing cabling and other installation costs and allowing the installation of equipment in difficult to wire locations.
To broaden the use of ISA100.11a-compliant products and related services in plant-wide wireless communications applications, Yokogawa is aggressively promoting its “Wireless Anywhere” business concept.
Petrobras, on the other hand, wishes to gather more data about the use of this technology in its production processes with the aim of assessing wireless communication robustness and performance. In so doing, it will be able to properly apply this technology and fully explore its benefits.
By being the first to introduce such wireless communications technology, Petrobras is hoping to reduce complexity at its plants and accelerate instrumentation project implementation at certain production facilities, improving productivity.
To ensure the maximum effective use of this field wireless technology, the two companies have concluded a partnership agreement so that they can fully collaborate in the field testing process and engage in an exchange of experience and knowledge in order to better understand and apply it.
Partnership overview
Yokogawa will provide Petrobras technical support in the area of field wireless communications. Yokogawa says its wealth of knowledge and experience in the field will allow Petrobras to accelerate the introduction of this technology at its facilities.
Yokogawa will also support the Petrobras technology development and application group in the conduct of large scale tests of field wireless systems at a Petrobras test plant.
Data on device installation conditions and system configuration as well as insights into user needs that are acquired through these tests will be used to advance Yokogawa’s development and promotion of field wireless products.
Further details
Additional information on Yokogawa's field wireless systems can be found at the company's website.
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