Industrial bus test tool

The Fluke 225C and 215C ScopeMeter test tools, with automated test capability for Fieldbus, Profibus and other industrial communication protocols, are designed for maintenance specialists who keep automation and process plant equipment operational. The instruments feature easy signal validation of all the critical signal parameters like amplitude and noise, and have floating and fully isolated inputs for true differential signal measurements on 2-wire differential bus systems.

A ‘Bus Health Test’ analyses the electrical signals on the industrial bus or network and gives a clear ‘good’, ‘weak’ or ‘bad’ validation mark for each relevant parameter, next to the actual measured value. Measured values are compared to standard values based on the bus type selected, or personal reference values if users require different tolerances.

The Fluke 225C and 215C ScopeMeter test tools can validate the signal quality as soon as electrical signals are passed along the network, without looking at data content. They help in finding errors like improper cable connections, bad contacts, incorrect grounding and missing or superfluous terminators.

The choice of parameters differs with the bus type and may include bias voltage, signal high- and low-levels, rise- and fall-times, in-band and out-band noise levels, jitter, pulse width and baud rate. Activity indicators tell users that the data flow is ongoing and stop flashing the moment communication comes to a halt. In the eye-pattern mode, a waveform display is built over successive signal passes to give a visual indication of overall signal quality, noise levels and signal jitter.

The instruments include FFT analysis for identifying individual frequency components contained in a signal. The TrendPlot paperless recording function helps uncover long-term trends and shows changes in any of the measurable parameters (like the rise time of a signal).