AUSTIN, TX, and HAYWARD, CA -- Emerson Process Management and Dust Networks, a leading provider of highly reliable, low-power wireless sensor networking (WSN) systems, announced the use of Dust Networks' Time Synchronized Mesh Protocol (TSMP) as the communications technology used in Emerson's new in-plant smart wireless field networks and solutions. Following three years of evaluating and field testing various technologies, Emerson's proven smart wireless solutions with Dust Networks' TSMP technology are now being ordered for mainstream manufacturing use.
"Self-organizing mesh networking is one of the most exciting innovations to come along in the process industry in over 30 years," said Steve Sonnenberg, president of Emerson's Rosemount division. "We have tested a number of wireless sensor networking technologies in real-world industrial environments over the last three years and have found that Dust Networks' TSMP technology best meets the reliability, security, long battery life, and ease of use requirements demanded by our end users. Dust Networks is fully aligned with Emerson and its customers on the need for wireless standards that support mainstream user needs. Dust Networks' commitment to support and invest in the efforts of the standards bodies is fundamental to Emerson's use of the company's TSMP-based products."
"We could ask for no greater validation of our technology than to be chosen by Emerson Process Management, the market leader in process automation," said Joy Weiss, CEO of Dust Networks. "We are currently working with several leading industrial OEMs to bring standards-based wireless sensor networking solutions to market. Over the next few years, we expect to see the pervasive deployment of wireless sensor networks transforming the use of physical asset information, driven by the momentum in the industrial market. Today's announcement reaffirms industry analyst predictions that we are rapidly moving toward an era of ubiquitous sensing."
Extending Emerson's PlantWeb digital plant architecture, smart wireless solutions are built on top of TSMP-based products and include gateways with wireless-enabled industry-leading Rosemount measurement transmitters. These comprise wireless in-plant field networks that integrate with wired networks of the PlantWeb digital architecture or with legacy DCSs and PLCs to create a process automation network that delivers new and existing plant data to users. Easy access to the broad range of data empowers local and mobile operators and maintenance personnel to expand predictive operations and maintenance to boost plant reliability and operational performance.
Dust Networks' TSMP-based SmartMesh-XT family of products is optimized for enterprise-class applications in industrial and building settings, and meets the rigorous specifications for harsh environments found in oil refineries, oil and gas fields, power plants, pharmaceutical facilities, and other industrial applications. Features include a rugged design for Class I Division 1 environments, vibration resistance, and an industrial temperature range of –40 to 85°C. Dust Networks' industrial strength TSMP-based products wirelessly enable OEM solutions in a wide variety of process and machine monitoring applications, including predictive maintenance, asset management and optimization, environmental compliance, and diagnostics.
According to Mareca Hatler, director of research/senior market analyst at ON World, "We've been of the opinion for some time that widespread adoption of wireless sensor networks in the industrial market is dependent upon two critical developments: high reliability levels and emerging consensus on industry standards. With technology breakthroughs such as TSMP and the recent momentum in standards organizations, the potential for industrial WSN is enormous."
Emerson and Dust Networks are actively working with equipment vendors, end users, and industry associations, including the Wireless HART working group of the HART Communications Foundation and ISA's SP-100, to develop wireless networking standards that meet the requirements of industrial monitoring and control, enabling the widespread adoption of wireless sensor networking technology. Both companies are bringing field trial experience and user case learnings to the standards bodies.
To make it even easier for customers to reach the next level of business improvement, Emerson is introducing the SmartPack starter kit, composed of wireless transmitters and gateways completely pre-engineered, checked out, and configured; the TSMP field network will form right out of the box, with no additional user input or setup.
More information about Emerson's smart wireless portfolio is available on the company's Web site. For more information about Dust Networks' products and technology, go to the company's Web site.
About Dust Networks
Dust Networks, a leader in the wireless sensor networking market, provides embedded wireless sensor networking products to OEMs in the industrial automation, building automation, and defense markets. Dust Networks' SmartMesh family of products combines time-synchronized mesh networking technology and standards-based motes to provide wireless sensor networking with unmatched reliability and extremely low-power consumption. Dust Networks enables its OEM customers to offer monitoring and control solutions that provide unprecedented access to information from the physical world, resulting in improved operations, safer work environments, and increased competitive advantage. For more information, please visit the company's Web site.
About Emerson Process Management
Emerson Process Management, an Emerson business, is a leader in helping businesses automate their production, processing, and distribution in the chemical, oil and gas, refining, pulp and paper, power, water and wastewater treatment, food and beverage, pharmaceutical, and other industries. The company combines superior products and technology with industry-specific engineering, consulting, project management, and maintenance services. Its brands include PlantWeb, Rosemount, Mobrey, Fisher, Micro Motion, Daniel, DeltaV, Ovation, and AMS Suite.
About Emerson
Emerson, based in St. Louis, is a global leader in bringing technology and engineering together to provide innovative solutions to customers through its network power, process management, industrial automation, climate technologies, and appliance and tools businesses. Sales in fiscal 2005 were $17.3 billion. For more information, visit the company's Web site.
Dust, Dust Networks, SmartMesh, and TSMP are registered trademarks of Dust Networks Inc. PlantWeb, DeltaV, Fisher, Micro Motion, Rosemount, Mobrey, Bristol, Daniel, Ovation, and AMS are marks of Emerson Process Management. SOther marks are property of their respective owners.