Twenty years of communication!

Commemorative events planned worldwide throughout 2013

The HART® Communication Foundation announces the 20th Anniversary of its founding. To commemorate this significant milestone, the Foundation and its member companies plan special end user focused events in Europe, North America and Asia throughout 2013. The events will include end user presentations on their successes using HART Communication, panel discussions, workshops and “meet the experts” networking opportunities.

“Since our founding in 1993, the Foundation has worked diligently in cooperation with its member companies and industry users to provide high quality open communication standards and technology that serves the needs and requirements of the process automation industry,” says Ron Helson, Foundation Executive Director. “As a result, the HART Protocol is the global standard communication technology for intelligent measurement and control devices and systems in process automation applications around the globe.”

The special Anniversary Events build on the theme, HART: Benefits Today and Into the Future, providing an opportunity for users to learn more about HART Communication, the future of HART technology, real-world HART applications and the latest HART-enabled products. The events are sponsored by Foundation member companies and presented free of charge for users. The events will be held in Hannover (D) in April, in Houston (TX USA)in June, and in Tokyo (J), in December.

Established in 1993, the Foundation is the standards development and support organization for the HART Communication Protocol. Foundation programs provide worldwide support for application of the HART technology and ensures the technology is openly available for the benefit of the industry. The Foundation educates users on the capabilities and benefits of HART Communication providing technical support, application assistance, training and educational programs.

“For the next 20 years and beyond, we expect continued growth in the adoption, application and advancement of HART Communication,” says Helson. “We will continue to evolve, support and enhance the HART standards and technology to serve automation industry needs and assure that HART Communication remains the simple, reliable, secure solution to improve and modernize industrial process facilities for globally competitive, sustainable operation.”

The formation of the HART Users Group in 1990 with 26 member companies marked the beginning of the HART Communication Protocol as an open communication technology. In 1993, the Group created the HART Communication Foundation as an independent, not-for-profit, membership organization to maintain and support the HART protocol standards.

• Today the Foundation is supported by a global membership of more than 280 companies and has support offices in Austin, Texas, USA, Basel, Switzerland, Shanghai, China, and Tokyo, Japan.