Safe and easy access to process data via Bluetooth

Endress+Hauser UK 07/05/2024

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A familiar technology in many household devices, Bluetooth is finding more and more applications in industrial processes. Its ability to transfer data remotely and securely makes it easy to access and maintain your devices, no matter where they’re located.

Whether you play music from your phone through your car speakers, wirelessly control the thermostat at home or track your fitness using a smartwatch, Bluetooth has probably become a feature of your daily life. Now the same benefits of short-range data transfer are being extended to industrial processes as measurement instrumentation is increasingly required to be accessed remotely.

Commissioning devices or checking diagnostic information is easier than ever thanks to Bluetooth. The Bluetooth-enabled device connects to Endress+Hauser’s SmartBlue app using your phone or tablet, giving you fast and comfortable mobile access to the device, diagnostics and process information. It’s ideal for hazardous or difficult-to-access areas, as you can choose a safe place within a radius of up to 20 metres around the device to run the app, and all your data is to hand in real time.

Secure connection

As interest in convenient wireless access to field instruments has grown, so have the concerns around data security. As more and more sensors can be configured remotely via Bluetooth, the protocols used in industrial applications must be secure. As well as providing security against unauthorised access, users need to have confidence that their Bluetooth connection is not vulnerable to ‘man-in-the-middle’ or phishing attacks. And any data found in a stolen or lost smartphone must not reveal any information about access to the measuring device.

In response to these concerns, cryptography experts at Endress+Hauser have developed the CPace standard, which uses simple passwords to provide a level of protection approaching that of certificate-based systems. With the security level almost comparable to that of passports or European identity cards, Endress+Hauser offers the highest level of Bluetooth security on the market.

CPace uses the PAKE (password-authenticated key agreement) principle, which separates the security level from the password quality and ensures the password itself is not transmitted. With CPace, Bluetooth connections to measuring instruments are always secure, even in cases where users have assigned relatively short passwords.

Award-winning technology

The CPace method has the potential to eventually protect internet-based applications well beyond the process industry. CPace has been recommended by the Internet Engineering Task Force (IETF), which oversees the standardisation of internet communication protocols, after it carried out a comprehensive security analysis. The protection level offered by CPace has also been classified as ‘high’ by the Fraunhofer Institute for Applied and Integrated Security in Germany.

The advantages of Bluetooth

Fast and wireless configuration and interface
Standard communication cabling, e.g. 4–20mA, is unaffected
Faster communication than HART
Remote instrument access from a safe working area
No need to open the device housing to set up the instrument – advantageous in hazardous areas
No driver or software installation needed
No need to connect at the control panel and disturb the loop, making the process much safer

paul farrar maintenance specialist kemira

Kemira utilises Bluetooth for faster troubleshooting and commissioning

Endress+Hauser customer Kemira is a global leader in sustainable chemical solutions for water-intensive industries. It partners with customers in the pulp & paper, water treatment and energy industries to improve their product quality, processes and resource efficiency. At Kemira’s production site in Bradford in the UK, polymers are manufactured for use in water treatment. Polymers are chemicals used in flocculation, a process that facilitates bonding between solid particles, creating larger clusters, or ‘flocs’, that are easier to separate. In wastewater flocculation and sludge treatment, particles are flocked to aid their removal or to help sludge dewatering. Polymers can be used alone or together with inorganic coagulants to make flocs bigger and more resistant to shear forces.

As with many other chemical processes, polymer manufacturing is reliant on accurate monitoring of parameters such as level and temperature. The team at Kemira need access to real-time data to allow them to check the process and make informed decisions about inventory management and maintenance.

The solution

Monitoring level has traditionally been a somewhat manual process in chemical plants, requiring physical access to the instrumentation. Now devices with Bluetooth can be accessed remotely, making it easy to monitor and maintain devices that are located in hard-to-reach areas. Kemira has utilised this technology in the form of Endress+Hauser’s Micropilot FMR60B, one of the new generation of 80 GHz radar sensors for level measurement. As well as offering easy access to process data via Bluetooth, the in-built ‘wizards’ guide users through commissioning, proof tests and verification of the devices for simple operation. Heartbeat Technology offers verification and monitoring functions to identify anomalies for improved safety and productivity.

The benefits

All commissioning, maintenance and documentation tasks that usually require access to the instrument can be carried out remotely via Bluetooth and Endress+Hauser’s SmartBlue app. “Having Bluetooth makes our lives ten times easier,” confirms maintenance specialist Paul Farrar. “We can sit in the control room rather than having to climb on the vessel. It’s a safer way of doing things and it’s much quicker.” The technology also reduces the risks posed by dangerous substances, harsh environments and potential explosions as workers can remain outside the danger zone during maintenance and inspections.

For Kemira, the main benefit has been ease of use. “The app is more helpful than navigating through the menu on the device,” says Paul Farrar. “It gives you a visual representation of the process and it’s easy to build reports and store them on your computer. It also makes ordering easier because you can see the required part code.”

The SmartBlue app can be accessed via smartphone or industrial tablet, such as the Field Xpert SMT50 (for non-hazardous areas) or SMT70 (for hazardous areas). The SMT50 and SMT70 come with pre-installed software and access to Endress+Hauser’s digital service Netilion for maximised productivity.

The use of Bluetooth in the Bradford plant has been so successful that they’re planning to extend its use to other processes and parameters, including temperature measurement. Paul confirms: “As we’re replacing our old instruments we’re changing them for new Endress+Hauser devices with Bluetooth.”

Endress+Hauser is committed to helping its customers unlock the potential of their assets and take control of their processes. Find out how you can benefit here: www.smarter-decisions.co.uk

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Endress+Hauser UK

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A strong partner worldwide

Endress+Hauser is a global leader in measurement instrumentation, services and solutions for industrial process engineering. We provide process solutions for flow, level, pressure, analytics, temperature, recording and digital communications, optimising processes in terms of economic efficiency, safety and environmental impact. Our customers come from various industries, including chemical, food & beverage, life sciences, power & energy, primaries & metal, oil & gas and water & wastewater.

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