Practical Data Communications for Instrumentation and Control

Instrumentation and control systems are highly reliant on data communications, so a working knowledge of the latest communications technologies and the essential protocols is essential for anyone designing, specifying or using instrumentation and control systems. This book is the only title on the market designed specifically for this audience. This is a comprehensive treatment of industrial data communication systems. Commencing with a thorough discussion of the popular RS-232, RS-422 and RS-485 standards it then moves on to industrial protocols, industrial networks and the communication requirements for the 'smart' instrumentation which is becoming de rigeur in industry today. The book also provides a solid grounding in the various Fieldbus and DeviceNet standards on the market today. This book provides you with the knowledge to analyse, specify and debug data communications systems in the instrumentation and control environment.

*The essential guide to communications techologies and protocols for engineers designing, specifying or using instrumentation and control systems
*Provides the knowledge required to analyze, specify and debug data communication systems, introducing the latest digital technologies
*Coverage includes RS-232, RS422 and RS-485 standards, industrial networks and protocols, smart instrumentation, FieldBus and DeviceNet standards

Steve Mackay is a professional engineer with over twenty-five years' experience throughout the world with a particular interest in data acquisition techniques, industrial data communications and process control. He is the Technical Director of IDC Technologies and consults widely to clients in the oil and gas, mining and manufacturing industries. Steve has presented courses to over 12,000 engineers and technicians throughout the world.

A professional engineer working for IDC Technologies with over thirty-five years' experience focussing mainly on the telecommunications and data communications industries who has consulted in these areas and presented training courses to over 15,000 engineers and technicians throughout the world.

Edwin has over 20 years of practical experience in the planning, design, construction and operation of telecommunications systems, data networks and SCADA systems. He has also been involved as Project Manager on many SCADA and telecommunications projects and has a passion for the topic. He is the co-author of three best selling books on Ethernet, OPC, and Computer Networks. The Internet and TCP/IP and the Principles of Data Communications and has also published numerous papers. He has also consulted widely on SCADA, OPC, data communications and telecommunications issues in the USA, Canada, UK, Australia and New Zealand. Over the past five years more than 8000 engineers and technicians have attended his workshops worldwide. When not working in the communications world he relaxes by reading and writing on technology issues at his beachside home.

John Park is a staff engineer with IDC Technologies with a particular interest in electronics, circuit board design and data communications. He has presented training courses throughout the world to over 15,000 engineers and technicians.