FCP280  Foxboro Field Control Processor 280

The EcoStruxure™ Foxboro™ DCS Field Control Processor 280 (FCP280) is a
distributed, optionally fault-tolerant, field-mounted controller module. The FCP280
performs regulatory, logic, timing, and sequential control together with connected
Foxboro DCS Fieldbus Modules (FBMs). It also performs data acquisition and alarm
detection and notification. The FCP280 connects to the Foxboro DCS Control
Network via standard fiber optic or copper 100 Mbps Ethernet cables from network
adapters installed on its baseplate (see the next figure).
The FCP280 requires Foxboro DCS Control Core Services software v9.0 or later. A
system with the FCP280 and this software is called an EcoStruxure Foxboro DCS
Process Automation System.

An optional dual cable baseplate is available that supports four PIO channels, but
separate A versus B bus connectors are provided along with dedicated connectors for
the optional Time Strobe inputs.
Fieldbus connections from the optional dual cable baseplate to standard or compact
200 Series FBMs require separate A versus B bus cables plus a dual “D” connection
adapter on the FBM baseplate (RH926KW).
The number of FBMs that an FCP280 can support varies depending on the types of
FBMs used:
• 200 Series FBMs exclusively used with FCP280 – Each Fieldbus port on the
FCP280 baseplate can connect to a baseplate chain with up to 32 Compact or
standard 200 Series FBMs per chain via the 2 Mbps HDLC fieldbus for up to 128
modules.
• 200 Series and 100 Series FBMs (dual baud configurations) used with FCP280.
The FCP280 can support a total of 128 100 Series FBMs (Y-module) or
competitive devices (such as Foxboro DCS system migration FBMs) in one or
more baseplate chains, with the remainder of the FCP280’s 128 module limit
being 200 Series FBMs, depending on the Fieldbus loading of the FCP280. For
example, an FCP280 could support 64 100 Series FBMs and 64 200 Series
FBMs (as 64 + 64 = 128). Main and expansion FBMs are considered as two
FBMs for counting purposes. As well, no more than 64 100 Series FBMs are
allowed on each PIO bus/baseplate port. See the next two figures