Control Network Newsletter

Benefits of BACnet® BASautomation Products to be Exhibited at AHR 2015

December 2014 - While in Chicago at AHR 2015 make sure to stop by Booth 3531 in the Building Automation and Control Showcase to see and learn about our portfolio of open building automation and control solutions that are cost-effective and durable enough to withstand demanding loads from challenging environments. On display will be our BASautomation products including:

BASrouters

The popular standalone BACnet BASrouters provide routing between networks such as BACnet/IP, BACnet Ethernet and BACnet MS/TP. The BASrouterLX high-performance router has a high-speed processor, advanced features such as MS/TP slave proxy support (allowing auto-discovery of MS/TP slaves) and MS/TP frame capture and storage for use with Wireshark®. As a BBMD, up to 50 BDT and 147 FDR entries can be supported. The BASrouterLX also has two physical communication ports - a 10/100 Mbps BACnet/IP Ethernet port and an optically-isolated EIA-485 port for MS/TP. Router configuration is accomplished via web pages.

BASgateways

For those who need to integrate BACnet systems with Modbus devices such as those used for boiler control, variable speed drives, and metering applications, the BASgatewayLX is designed to make gateway commissioning as simple as possible.

Using the concept of virtual routing, up to 30 Modbus devices appear as individual BACnet devices. Using web pages and a resident database of common Modbus device profiles, Modbus registers can be mapped to BACnet objects. Our library of Modbus device profiles that reside within the BASgatewayLX removes a significant burden from the system integrator commissioning the system. Additional custom device profiles can be downloaded from our website. "With the cooperation of Modbus device manufacturers, we've developed a library of Modbus device profiles that reside within the BASgatewayLX," said Joe Stasiek, Sales Manager. "Having the library removes a significant burden from the system integrator commissioning the system. Custom device profiles can also be uploaded and we are more than happy to download a profile for you."

BACnet / IP Controllers and Web-based Graphical Interfaces

The BAScontrol20 utilizes a powerful 32-bit ARM7 processor with 512 kB of flash memory plus a 16 Mbit serial flash file system for storing configuration data and an application program. By operating at the BACnet/IP level, the BAScontrol20 can share the same Ethernet network with supervisory controllers and operator workstations. The unit can be configured for a fixed IP address or can operate as a DHCP client receiving its IP address from a DHCP server. A real-time clock with a super-cap backup allows for creating local schedules. The device is ideally suited for structured wiring systems and is BACnet/IP compliant with a B-ASC device profile.

Powered by Sedona Framework™
With its 20-points, the BACnet/IP Sedona Field Controller incorporates Sedona Virtual Machine (SVM) technology. System integrators using the device can develop control applications with Workbench's powerful drag-and-drop visual programming methodology and tools such as Niagara Workbench or Sedona Workbench. Once developed, the program remains stored in the BAScontrol20 and executes by way of the SVM. The application can run standalone or interact with a program in a JACE supervisory controller over Ethernet. The amount of potential applications is unlimited. Models exist for both triac and relay binary outputs.

The BASview is a stand-alone, embedded, web-based graphical interface for building automation and process automation systems. It can be accessed from any web browser - providing client functionality to any BACnet/IP or Modbus TCP system. By using Contemporary Controls BASrouter or BASgateway products, additional protocols such as BACnet MS/TP and Modbus RTU and Modbus ASCII are supported. Client features include animated graphic screens, scheduling, historical trending, runtime accumulation and alarm monitoring. The BASview will automatically toggle outputs and change setpoints on schedule, collect runtime and trend data, and monitor alarm conditions. As an embedded device, BASview uses Flash memory for internal storage instead of a hard disk to maintain its ruggedness. The BASview is totally self-contained, requiring no external PC or application for its use. Any number of web browser users can access the device. The only requirement is the installation of an Adobe Flash player in the browser. There are no other licensing requirements to use the product.

The soon to be released BASdesigner, high performance front-end for buildings, is a web-based BASdesigner visualization and integration platform that provides all that is required in a building frontend with alarming, trending, scheduling and exceptional graphics. Resident DGLux visualization firmware allows the systems integrator to "design" sophisticated dashboards and animated graphics with just the use of a web browser.

A high-performance 1.2 GHz Linux processer along with 8 GB of Flash memory provides exceptional speed and trend storage. A four-port GigE switch, dual opto-isolated EIA-485 serial ports, Wi-Fi and EnOcean wireless adapters along with built-in BACnet, Modbus and host of popular protocols addresses any integration challenge. The BASdesigner will also be displayed at the EnOcean Alliance booth.

Before the show, make sure to visit our AHR preview page to learn more about the benefits of our featured show products.