An alliance to develop the Certified Great Lakes Foundation™ Fieldbus training center at TSU North Campus was announced today by Tri-State University and ICE-Pros Inc.  In March 2005, the Fieldbus Foundation established the Great Lakes Regional Foundation™ Fieldbus training center at Tri-State University. 

“Our commitment is to provide top notch Fieldbus training at the North Campus beginning in January 2006,” said Denny Springer, Director of Continuing Education. “This is the next step in delivering that product.”

The classroom laboratory will enable students to gain a thorough understanding of the theory and application of Fieldbus technology.  A fully modular pilot plant will provide a hands-on environment representative of regional industries capable of using Fieldbus technology.  These industries include: pharmaceuticals, alternative energy, electric utilities and traditional refining.   Solicitation of equipment for construction of the laboratory and pilot plant is in progress to incorporate the latest H1 and HSE Foundation™ Fieldbus technology in portable modules for transportation to customer and regional training sites.

In addition, the alliance is structured to fully test devices and systems from function block behavior through to system layout and integration with other non-real time archival and maintenance systems.  “Knowledge is necessary to take advantage of the economic opportunities made possible by Foundation Fieldbus technology.” remarked Springer. “It benefits manufacturers by enabling them to build integrated digital control systems and thus minimize life cycle costs of a facility and our associated modern modular pilot plant facility will be an excellent platform to train process operators and maintenance technicians of the future.”

Dr. Earl D. Brooks II, TSU president, noted, “Delivery and adoption of the most advanced automation technology will position the TSU Technology Center to meet its mission of supporting and developing the people in the Great Lakes region and through distance learning centers beyond the region as well.”  The first offering will be presented at a half-day seminar during the November End User Council meeting in Cambridge, Mass. on November 3.

ICE-Pros Inc. Director Ian Verhappen will join the staff of TSU as an industrial expert and instructor for Fieldbus programs.  “I look forward to sharing knowledge about Foundation Fieldbus with others while providing an opportunity to work with the excellent team at TSU and in the process learn more about the technology and stretch its possibilities,” said Verhappen.   “This alliance is consistent and an extension of the personal passion I have for Fieldbus as demonstrated by the numerous publications of books, papers, trade journal columns, the AG-181 Fieldbus Engineering Guide and forthcoming economic model that I have authored.”

“We are pleased to have someone of Ian’s caliber and industrial background to assist us in the development of this new activity at our facility,” said TSU Board of Trustees chair and past-president of the Fieldbus Foundation, Dr. John A. Pittman. “The combination of industrial experience and close relationship between TSU’s engineering school, our technology center, and our business incubator provides a unique environment to assist with the adoption of Fieldbus technology in the Life Sciences, Alternate Energy, and Plastics sectors.”