Fieldbus has many advantages over conventional point-to-point wiring:
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A significant reduction in installation costs (typically 20% to 40% savings). This saving comes from reduced wiring, connections, junction boxes, marshalling cabinets, cable trays and supports etc.
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Perhaps more importantly the number of connectors and connections is drastically reduced (typically 80% reduction). This is important because most problems occur because of connector failure (i.e. open circuits, shorts, water ingress or corrosion)
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System expansion and modification is simpler and less expensive since only the additional cable run from the existing network to the new device must be installed.
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Two-way communication means that additional information such as calibration and configuration data, diagnostic and test information, device documentation such as device tag numbers; serial numbers service history etc. can be communicated over the network. Equipment maintenance and servicing become more centralized.
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Since communication is digital, accuracy is not affected by noise, interference or electrical loading effects etc. This is a particular advantage in transmitting analogue values.
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Open standards mean that multi-vendor systems can be constructed. Product certification ensures that communication will work between devices from different manufacturers.