AutoQuiz is edited by Joel Don, ISA's social media community manager.
Today's automation industry quiz question comes from ISA's training course, Advanced Operation of Digital (Smart) Transmitters (TS17). This course offers a hands-on, working knowledge of smart field devices with an emphasis on measurement accuracy, advanced information gathering, decreased maintenance time, ease-of-configuration and calibration, and diagnostic capabilities. You will cover uses in conventional systems and improved communications when combined with digital control networks. You will also be exposed to various hand-held communicators and computer-based configuration and diagnostic software.
What is the HART protocol?
a) a communication protocol to configure intelligent alarm panels
b) a communication protocol to configure operator stations
c) a communication protocol for configuring and ranging instrument field devices
d) a communication protocol for configuring calibration equipment
e) none of the above
Here's the explanation to today's quiz from ISA's training course, Advanced Operation of Digital (Smart) Transmitters (TS17).
Developed by Rosemount Inc. to allow configuration and communication with their range of smart (digital) field instruments. The HART (Highway Addressable Remote Transducer) Protocol permits two-way communications, so instrument parameters for smart devices can be interrogated and adjusted from anywhere on the 4-20 mA loop. The communication protocol does not interfere with the 4-20 mA signal. The HART protocol is used by more smart instruments than any other digital protocol in the industry. Because of the large, global installed base of 4-20 mA systems, the HART Protocol is considered the most popular industrial protocols since it has the advantage of being able to communicate over legacy 4-20 mA analog instrumentation wiring, sharing the pair of wires used by the older system. It has a digital response time of 500ms and supports multivariable instruments.
The correct answer is C.
About the Editor
Joel Don is the community manager for ISA and is an independent content marketing, social media and public relations consultant. Prior to his work in marketing and PR, Joel served as an editor for regional newspapers and national magazines throughout the U.S. He earned a master's degree from the Medill School at Northwestern University with a focus on science, engineering and biomedical marketing communications, and a bachelor of science degree from UC San Diego.
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