Title: Industrial fieldbus technology from a teaching point of view

Authors: Joao C.P. Palma, Maria da Graca V.B. Almeida

Addresses: Scientific Instrumentation Centre, Laboratorio Nacional de Engenharia Civil, Lisboa, Portugal. ' Department of Electrical Engineering and Automation, Instituto Superior de Engenharia de Lisboa, Portugal

Abstract: This paper presents a discussion on fieldbus technologies as a part of the required competencies in modern electrical engineering graduations. Fieldbus systems are fast changing technologies of great importance for electrical and automation engineers deserving a special investment of university curricula and laboratory resources owing to their essential role in modern industrial automation and control practice. Their diversity as well as their permanent and fast evolution is a challenge for teaching, both in terms of curriculum design and logistic support. Historical facts and actual tendencies are at the starting point of our analysis, leading to the proposed methodological approach to the theoretical and experimental teaching components.

Keywords: industrial fieldbus systems; fieldbus teaching; fieldbus standards; automation standards; data communications; supervisory control; data acquisition; SCADA; industrial automation; electrical engineering education.

DOI: 10.1504/IJCAT.2006.009396

International Journal of Computer Applications in Technology, 2006 Vol.25 No.4, pp.227 - 233

Published online: 28 Mar 2006 *

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