If the SmartMaster identifies an issue that needs further investigation, the ABB AbilityTM Verification for measurement devices can provide a hardware health check by means of a physical, on-site assessment of an individual device. This is the third element in the digital suite. In providing a deeper level of health check than SmartMaster, ABB AbilityTM Verification can determine device accuracy and health within pre-set design parameters, and then confirm correct device operation. ABB AbilityTM Verification’s detailed test reports can be used for both audit purposes and for International Organisation for Standardisation (ISO) records which represent recognised documentary evidence of quality control. By ensuring proper operational health, Verification reduces the risk of production loss by operator error, it helps operators avoid unplanned downtime, it improves lifecycle management and it minimises the need for training.
SmartMaster and Verification complement each other in monitoring the condition of instrumentation devices. SmartMaster offers a plant-level or cloud-based fleet-level solution; Verification provides a one-to-one device check. SmartMaster checks software only and does actual simulation of different signals to ascertain the health of the device under test. Verification is on-site and requires a hard link between device and laptop. While SmartMaster helps manage plants in an optimised state, those operators who run electromagnetic flowmeters, which are chiefly used in the water industry, will find that the exacting regulatory environment in which water utilities operate demands device-specific Verification reports to clear regulatory approval.
By giving the customer information covering the entire life cycle of an instrumentation device, from configuration to maintenance to predictive maintenance, ABB’s digital suite prolongs device lifecycles, reduces unplanned down time, cuts down on training costs and helps operators overcome some of the many challenges that modern industrial plants face.