Launched in June 2007, ABB’s Asset Master is generating widespread interest throughout the automation industry. Designed to assist engineering and maintenance staff, the solution manages up to 500 ABB and non-ABB devices in all areas of field instrument engineering, commissioning and maintenance. It monitors devices like flowmeters, analysers, actuators, and control valves, detects any faults and recommends alternative actions. Asset Master is a scaled-down version of the ABB flagship automation platform, System 800xA, using the same desktop PC interface. It can assess and prioritise faults in up to 500 devices, so major problems get attention first. It can also be integrated with System 800 xA, or any distributed control system. The system provides for the first time – a complete asset management application that runs on a user-friendly, stand-alone, Windows-based desktop PC. The software communicates with hard-wired instrumentation using all three leading communication protocols: HART, Profibus, and Foundation Fieldbus.
