FBxConnect Product Data Sheet

D301789X012 July 2019

FBxConnect™ Configuration Software

FBxConnect™ configuration software is a Microsoft®
Windows®-based program that enables you to easily
User Interface
configure, monitor, service, and calibrate Emerson’s FB1000 The graphical user interface (GUI) allows you to easily
and FB2000 Series Flow Computers and the FB3000 RTU. navigate device options using a ribbon-style menu. The GUI
Designed for ease of use, FBxConnect software provides at- shows a visual representation of critical information, current
a-glance monitoring, quick access to commonly performed device status, and communication statistics. You can easily
tasks, and configuration wizards to quickly get your view and modify the current configuration of I/O points,
equipment up and running. alarms, and history. A full-featured help system is included
to assist you along the way.
Features
▪ Ease of Use: incorporates an intuitive graphical user
Configuration
interface In today’s world, we all face the same challenge to do more
with fewer resources. The FBxConnect configuration
▪ Faster Configuration, Commissioning, and Startup
software helps you achieve this. By minimizing the time to
Times: configuration wizards walk you through the
configure each device, you reduce dependence on expert
steps needed to configure your device
resources and the time required to perform in-field tasks.
▪ Reduced Maintenance Expenditures: troubleshoot
The FBxConnect software provides a guided configuration
remotely by monitoring status and diagnostic
process that takes you through a step-by-step process to
information
configure your flow computer/RTU. This wizard-driven
▪ Increased User Safety: reduce work time in the approach simplifies configuration and ensures that you only
hazardous area using FBxWifi™. need to enter required data once.
▪ Multi-level and Role-based Security: restrict system You can then either edit configurations online when
access to personnel who need to change your metering connected to a device or generate and edit configurations
or control “offline” from the comfort of the office for upload to devices
at a later time.
▪ FBxVue™: supports development of custom displays
Whether you or your newest technician performs the work,
▪ Configuration Backup and Restore: preserves you can be confident that it is done the right way.
configurations, displays, and SmartProcess™
applications (device-specific)

FBxConnect Monitor Screen (showing FB3000 RTU)

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Guided Setup Wizard: For the FB3000 RTU, the Guided Setup
wizard (or the Initial Setup wizard for the FB1000 and FB2000
Connectivity
Series flow computers) walks you through the steps of setting You can easily connect to a device through a secure wired or
up and configuring your device. You’re presented with only wireless connection using the device’s serial ports, Ethernet
the configuration options you need for your device and meter ports, or the optional FBxWifi™ connectivity via Wi-Fi
type, thus greatly reducing the time required to configure your (available on the FB1000 and FB2000 Series flow computers).
device.
Once connected, you can use FBxConnect software to view
process values, edit configuration parameters, update set-
points, and collect logs stored in the device.

Security
The integrity of your devices and fiscal data is paramount in
the modern world.
The Emerson FB1000 and FB2000 Series flow computers, the
FB3000 RTU, and FBxConnect software have been designed
with security in mind to allow you to establish a secure
infrastructure.
▪ Role-based Security: FBxConnect provides multi-level
role-based security, allowing different users the required
accessibility to perform their tasks. User authentication is
more robust with stronger and longer encrypted
Guided Setup Wizard passwords (up to 16 characters: upper, lower case,
numbers, and special characters) and the ability to apply a
Online and Offline: FBxConnect allows you to securely log on
minimum password length.
to a device. Provided you have the required user role privileges
you can view, back-up, or edit the device’s configuration “on ▪ Security Lock-out: A security lock-out option prevents
line.” You can also work on configurations “off line” from the multiple unsuccessful login attempts for a pre-configured
comfort of your office. This is particularly useful for generating time.
new configurations either from scratch or by using an existing ▪ Authentication: An added security feature is that flow
configuration from a similar application and making the computer firmware is authenticated by Emerson and will
required changes for the new site. This enables you to not load without the required signature.
customize and test the configuration before leaving the office FBxConnect works with the flow computers and RTUs to
and minimize the time spent on site. provide a robust audit trail to ensure that you know what
changes were made when and by whom.

Control
If your device supports control functionality, you can use
FBxConnect to quickly configure those functions. FBxConnect
makes it easy to customize control functionality with
Proportional, Integral, and Derivative (PID) control loops,
action blocks, effects, and math blocks.
PID Control: Typically, a proportional, integral, and derivative
(PID) control loop maintains a process variable at setpoint. If
you configure a PID override control, the primary loop is
normally in control of the control device. The override loop can
take over control at a process, if required.

DP Meter

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July 2019 FBxConnect

Math Blocks –Math blocks perform mathematical equations

using user-defined variables as inputs. Each math block
consists of up to four user-defined variables, three
mathematical calculations, and the results of each calculation
can be assigned to “user-data” inputs and other read/write
parameters. FBxConnect checks each calculation string for the
correct syntax and uses double precision floating point math
throughout the calculation.

PID Loops
Action Blocks – Action blocks are used in conjunction with
effect blocks to monitor a configured condition and to
perform an action (effect) when the logic is “true.” An action
block consists of a user defined Boolean logic statement with
two variables. These variables can either be live parameter
values or constants.

Math Blocks

Logs and Reports

FBxConnect provides the ability to set-up, view, and collect
logs for periodic history, event, and alarm data.
Collection of the data from the flow computer particularly at
remote sites, is simplified and safer with the use of Mobile
SCADA to securely collect the data wirelessly while remaining
Action Blocks in the safe area.
Effects –Effects cause an action to occur when the result of History and logs can be collected as either a .csv file or secure
one or more action blocks is active (“true”). Multiple action .pdf file on your PC for later offline analysis.
blocks can cause the same effect, such as shutting a valve or FBxConnect provides the following log reports:
enabling an alert beacon. ▪ EFM Reports – Contains the audit trail (configuration /
history / alarms / events)
▪ CFX Report – For use with the FlowCal™ Enterprise
software
▪ Standard Periodic History – includes hourly, daily, weekly
and monthly data
▪ User Periodic History – includes historical data based on
user selected time periods typically between 1 minute
and 12 hours
▪ Alarms – Alarm log entries for the device
▪ Events – Event log entries for the device
Event log can be configured to either a standard single
event log or to have separate logs for metrology/legal
Effects events and operational events

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FBxConnect July 2019

EFM Report Collection Config Comparison Report Generator

FBxConnect provides the following configuration reports: FBxConnect also creates calibration and verification reports:
▪ Configuration – Contains a summary of the device’s ▪ Calibration – Contains a summary of the calibration
configuration information for a device I/O point
▪ Config Comparison – Allows the comparison of two
configurations to determine any differences ▪ Verification – Contains a verification of the calibration
▪ Gas Composition – Contains the record of the gas information for a device I/O point
composition
▪ Parameter Status – Contains reports which show which
parameters are currently in a fault state, an override state,
or left in their default state

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July 2019 FBxConnect

Calibration Wizard FBxVue™

The calibration wizard guides you through the calibration and Using the FBxVue software – a standard component of
verification process for DP, pressure, and temperature as well FBxConnect – you can create custom displays for your flow
as any analog channels. computers and RTUs, which you can then store on your local
PC for the flow computers or RTU or download to your
This can be a simple zero-shift or zero and span, up to a full 5-
FBB3000 RTU. Displays can include both static and dynamic
point calibration, if required.
data elements, and you can incorporate “live” data as well as
images and other pertinent information. For further
information, refer to the FBxConnect online help.

Requirements
The software is designed to run on a personal computer (PC),
laptop, or a Windows tablet having the following minimum
requirements:
▪ Intel® Core™ 2 Duo T7100 or similar (1.8 GHz or greater)
▪ Windows 7 Professional with Service Pack 1 (32- or 64-bit)
or Windows 10 Professional (32- or 64-bit)
▪ 8 GB of RAM (Random Access Memory)
▪ 2.5 GB of available hard disk space
▪ Monitor with 1366 x 768 or better resolution
▪ Connection through Wi-Fi, Ethernet, or RS-232 serial port
Calibration Wizard (with a USB-to-RS-232 serial converter).
FBxConnect software is a component of Emerson’s Field Tools
software suite. Field Tools software and user documentation is
available as a free download from our SupportNet site.
Note: Activating a new SupportNet account may take up to 24
hours to process; plan your need for this software accordingly.

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FBxConnect July 2019

For customer service and technical support,

visit www.Emerson.com/SupportNet.
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