Automation Solutions announced a new version of its Appleton™ Mercmaster™ LED hazardous location luminaire that is fully compatible with the Emerson Plantweb™ digital ecosystem, a scalable and secure Industrial Internet of Things (IIoT) portfolio of transformational technologies, software and services. The breakthrough new luminaire, dubbed the Appleton Mercmaster Connect, can be linked wirelessly to Plantweb Insight™ software via Emerson WirelessHART™ network technology. This innovative solution provides facility managers with continuous monitoring of their LED lighting with real-time insights gained into sustainability goals, diagnostics and illuminance levels from any remote location, at dramatically lower costs as compared to wired alternatives, with faster installation time and minimal disruption to plant operations.
“The Appleton Mercmaster Connect LED Luminaire is the next step in digital transformation for Appleton hazardous location lighting,” said Edward Brann, Connected Solutions Product Manager for Emerson. “With quick and accurate data analysis made possible by Plantweb Insight, it is much easier to prioritize maintenance and identify potential hazards or failures that may put the safety, reliability, and compliance of a facility at risk. No matter how many Mercmaster Connects are in a facility, users can instantly make sense of all their lighting data to drive overall enterprise profitability. Plantweb Insight automatically and strategically interprets data to enable measurable performance improvement in the areas of lighting reliability, safety and sustainability.”
When a WirelessHART network is installed in a facility, a Mercmaster Connect will join it using the gateway’s network and join keys. Mercmaster Connect strengthens the network for other devices by creating additional data pathways back to the gateway. Even without a network, the luminaire’s integrated Appleton Wireless Motion Sensor will detect motion for smart illumination of the area. If no motion is detected, the Mercmaster Connect either will turn off or dim down lighting to a pre-set level of intensity. The Time Out delay and dimming output can be programmed using an Emerson AMS TREX Device Communicator on the workbench, eliminating the danger of using ladders or scaffolding to reach luminaire controls. Also available, the Plantweb Insight Connected Lighting™ app allows a facility manager to commission Mercmaster Connect luminaires for controls such as occupancy detection, daylight harvesting and scheduling, taking the pressure off so they can focus on more productive tasks.
Plantweb Insight software will analyze energy and facility usage data collected at each Mercmaster Connect luminaire. This means that a change in energy consumption can be immediately compared to historical use from over the past year or from the last shift. Once the time period is analyzed, Plantweb Insight tracks results against energy efficiency goals across the entire facility, in a zone, or within a single group of lights for faster decision making. Energy calculations and carbon dioxide emissions are summarized by Plantweb Insight for internal and corporate review.
Lowering lighting maintenance to a minimum is a foremost goal in hazardous locations, one that is made possible with the Appleton Mercmaster Connect LED Luminaire and Emerson Plantweb Insight solution. Adding lighting controls can extend the operating life of the luminaire up to twice that of a non-connected version. Plantweb Insight generates a walkdown list of luminaires with their location for the maintenance team to assess operating conditions and will remotely alert maintenance staff of any problems including connectivity status, internal electronic faults, end of life, over temperature and water ingress. Diagnostic data and analytics availability to the facilities team from Plantweb Insight means less time and money spent on lighting maintenance.
Appleton Mercmaster Connect LED luminaires deliver exceptional energy efficiency, unmatched reliability and the industry’s most advanced engineering. Designed to utilize as little as 46 Watts of power, the luminaires lower a plant’s energy consumption by as much as 70% when compared to HID alternatives, while providing 60,000+ hours of running lamp life. Their flexible, modular design allows for retrofits and plant expansions to meet unique installation requirements. Certified for Class I, Division 2 and Zone 2 locations, they provide lighting solutions for a wide range of industrial and hazardous applications, including oil refineries, petrochemical facilities, chemical plants, power generation plants, and other areas where flammable gasses and vapors may be present.
For more information visit Emerson.com.
