Hart Simulator

Hart is one Of the most widely used industrial fieldbusesI I want to learn hart protocol , looking for recommendations: Is there any free Hart simulator good for a beginner like me?
I want to be able to stimulate and query field device for primary variable etc
Thanks

I have never heard of a HART simulator. Let alone a "free" HART simulator. To begin with, HART requires a special physical layer which you will not find in normal PCs. My advice is that you go to eBay and find some HART field device to which you can do meaningful things like a temperature sensor that you can heat or cool so you see things changing on the master side. And for the master side, you will need some special hardware as well. I can think of a VIATOR USB HART modem. If you install the Wireshark USB driver you can capture the traffic but Wireshark will not decode it. HART is not that complex so you should be able to figure out the protocol with the specification. With the VIATOR USB modem you can write an application to read data from your sensor or to actuate something like a valve positioner. I am afraid this answer is not filling your expectations, but I hope it will still be helpful.

Hi Alfredo

AlfredoQuintero said:

I have never heard of a HART simulator. Let alone a "free" HART simulator. To begin with, HART requires a special physical layer which you will not find in normal PCs. My advice is that you go to eBay and find some HART field device to which you can do meaningful things like a temperature sensor that you can heat or cool so you see things changing on the master side. And for the master side, you will need some special hardware as well. I can think of a VIATOR USB HART modem. If you install the Wireshark USB driver you can capture the traffic but Wireshark will not decode it. HART is not that complex so you should be able to figure out the protocol with the specification. With the VIATOR USB modem you can write an application to read data from your sensor or to actuate something like a valve positioner. I am afraid this answer is not filling your expectations, but I hope it will still be helpful.

Click to expand...

I really appreciate your input; what about pactware ? What are some of the functions of pactware?I heard it is free..
Thanks

Pactware is an FDT DTM container. You can use Pactware with a HART modem. There are some free of chsrge HART DTMs (dsta type manager) for HART that support the mandatory commands and can be used for any HART device.

HART is primarily used for configuration, reading and writing parameters via HART, using a HART modem with a software app like Pactware or a handheld communicator like Emerson's Flex.

Pactware needs each device's DTM file that is specific to the device. Presumably, all the configuration parameters are accessible via HART. Some of the DTM files will read, log and display the primary variable. If the secondary or tertiary variables are assignable from a pool of variables, that sort of task would be accomplished through the DTM. I'm pretty sure that the DTM for Siemens pressure transmitters will read the secondary value (body temperature).

If you want to read HART variables from a field device for logging or control purposes, it's a different ball game.

01. Analog input reads HART
The PLCs, PACs or DCSs that do so use a very high end analog input and the software/firmware implementation to get the data and tag it. I am unaware of a low cost option for this kind of HART performance.

2. HART multiplexor (mux)
Multiple HART devices reside on a series network 'loop', each device with a HART ID number. Typically, the mux controller polls each device in sequence and provides the data to the real world as valies in a Modbus slave/server register. Mux's go for $4k-$5k.

3. HART multidrop
Multiple HART devices reside on a series network 'loop', each device with a HART ID number. Typically, a PC program uses a HART modem to address each device as needed.
Not terribly popular because of the relative slow rate at which can HART read variables from multiple devices (about 2 readings per second).

If you just want to goof around with reading HART values, then a HART modem with Pactware with a pressure transmitter that uses the primary HART variable for pressure and the secondary HART variable for body temperature.

Mickey said:

https://www.google.com/search?q=Har...e..69i57j69i60j69i61&sourceid=chrome&ie=UTF-8

Click to expand...

This product is very interesting. It reminds me of PICS from S-S Technologies. Did not know about it.
https://utthunga.com/products/simulators/hart/

danw said:

2. HART multiplexor (mux)
Multiple HART devices reside on a series network 'loop', each device with a HART ID number. Typically, the mux controller polls each device in sequence and provides the data to the real world as valies in a Modbus slave/server register. Mux's go for $4k-$5k.

Click to expand...

Looking at Rockwell's distributor, a HART gateway is 1500$. 4 channels and the ability to do multi-drop.

https://www.routeco.com/en-gb/shop/networks-communications/communication-gateways/plx51-hart-4i

I haven't looked elsewhere, but would probably say there won't be much cheaper than this as it's fairly exotic device.

HART IO for PLCs is a bit of hit and miss on the price increase compared to normal IO and some brands don't support it on all their IO ranges. I know in Rockwell, it's quite a steep difference. Haven't looked at Siemens prices in a while.

I'd say though... if you have a 10k Coriolis flowmeter (the ball park figure for one) and leave all that data behind because most will at most have 2 outputs, paying for a gateway or HART IO will come very much under 10% and provide 4 measurements in one 2 wire loop. Maybe not for all applications, but in process it's pretty good to have that option.

Danw,I really appreciate your feedback
Thanks
[
QUOTE=danw;874895]HART is primarily used for configuration, reading and writing parameters via HART, using a HART modem with a software app like Pactware or a handheld communicator like Emerson's Flex.

Pactware needs each device's DTM file that is specific to the device. Presumably, all the configuration parameters are accessible via HART. Some of the DTM files will read, log and display the primary variable. If the secondary or tertiary variables are assignable from a pool of variables, that sort of task would be accomplished through the DTM. I'm pretty sure that the DTM for Siemens pressure transmitters will read the secondary value (body temperature).

If you want to read HART variables from a field device for logging or control purposes, it's a different ball game.

01. Analog input reads HART
The PLCs, PACs or DCSs that do so use a very high end analog input and the software/firmware implementation to get the data and tag it. I am unaware of a low cost option for this kind of HART performance.

2. HART multiplexor (mux)
Multiple HART devices reside on a series network 'loop', each device with a HART ID number. Typically, the mux controller polls each device in sequence and provides the data to the real world as valies in a Modbus slave/server register. Mux's go for $4k-$5k.

3. HART multidrop
Multiple HART devices reside on a series network 'loop', each device with a HART ID number. Typically, a PC program uses a HART modem to address each device as needed.
Not terribly popular because of the relative slow rate at which can HART read variables from multiple devices (about 2 readings per second).

If you just want to goof around with reading HART values, then a HART modem with Pactware with a pressure transmitter that uses the primary HART variable for pressure and the secondary HART variable for body temperature.[/QUOTE]

Found this if you have access to a controllogix and rs5000 software. For $100 usd it's a start.

https://www.ebay.com/itm/ProSoft-Te...870185?hash=item23793c9a69:g:JVkAAOSwa~BYUzlH