Control System Integrator
Integration of automation systems is a new path (open operability) that looks very similar to the IT system in modern buildings. It allows the building owner to use non proprietary, cross manufactured, cross discipline devices bound together with a hosting package. Future additions and renovations no longer need to be of the same manufacturer and cross disciplines such as lighting, security and HVAC may share information to create intelligent buildings with less sensor duplication.

This hosting process requires a Systems Integrator. As the systems integrator, we will become part of the design team, design the Host system in the initial stages of the project for immediate and future needs so your system is scaleable. We supply specification, binding, graphics and commissioning of open systems.

It is a matter of choosing the best tool package or host product to enable the integrator to bind cross discipline, cross-manufactured products to form an intelligent building and begin a legacy system that has open operability.

Open operability gives the owner the ability to bind cross discipline, cross manufacturers to the host network. In the past it would be comparable to a pneumatics network where the air pressure was the network and any manufacture could supply a controller to bind to it.

The most significant difference between a proprietary network and an open network is when an upgrade is done, the field controllers being LON or BACnet® devices will be reusable. This will make a huge difference in the cost of future retrofit as all the proprietary field devices will need to be changed.

Allow us to discuss your facility needs and propose a turnkey solution.

LonWorks® Device Binding
Binding of LonWorks®, BACnet® or 3rd party devices is a process that requires definition before success is guaranteed. If all of the field devices and network are of the same manufacturer this makes the job easy however, this does not guarantee that any other manufactured product may be included on the host network and then it becomes a proprietary system.

Definition of host and field devices is a process where as a host product is chosen to provide a network, tool set and graphic user interface (GUI) capable of hosting all stand alone systems and field devices of an open operable protocol. In order to assure success in this task, samples of the field devices and stand alone systems must be collected and tested by binding to the host. This definition process delivers positive answers as to:

1. Host to field device compatibility
2. Available network variables
3. Value of binding specific products to network
4. Uncovers unexpected gateway equipment expense
5. Host network, tool set and GUI capabilities

BACnet® Integration
BACnet® Integration is achieved in a similar process to LonWorks®. The difference being LonWorks® field devices come with an information file called an XIF file. BACnet® objects are self discovering

There are different levels of BACnet® and different hardware protocols whether it be RS485 or RS232 or Ethernet to transport the information while LonWorks® uses a standard transceiver usually FTT10 at 78KBaud and sometimes 1.2MBaud.

The function of the Mediator panel is to interpret or mediate between protocols and serve web pages with control, monitor and animation capabilities. The Mediator has many different protocols built in such as BacNet, Richards-Zeta, Veras Meter, Modbus and Barber Coleman 8000 to name just a few.

Utilizing a "Mediator" the Systems Integrator may bind BACnet® devices to create a seamless environment.

Third Party Drivers
Third Party Drivers are created to allow integration of proprietary devices onto a host system. Third Party drivers work well to allow the building owner a long term replacement solution without having to replace all field device panels at one time.

There are some problems with third party drivers, although usual workarounds and setup procedures solve these problems. Third Party drivers are almost always a reverse engineered product and usually for a specific revision of the original firmware. They may or may not enable all of the features of an existing product and device programs may not be loaded or modified through the new driver.