schneiderFoxboro Evo™ Process Automation System Product Specifications

provides a connector for any Fieldbus port on the 

FCP280 baseplate, and two Termination Cable 

Assembly (TCA) termination blocks for the twinaxial 

cabling from the 100 Series FBMs.

The FCP280 can also communicate with serial and 

Ethernet devices, such as PLCs, via Field Device 

System Integrators. This allows you to connect to 

new device interfaces without any changes to the 

controller software.

To estimate the FCP280’s processor load, refer to 

Field Control Processor 280 (FCP280) Sizing 

Guidelines and Excel Workbook (B0700FY)

FIBER AND COPPER NETWORK ADAPTERS

FCP280 modules connect to a pair of fiber or copper 

adapters (see Figure 4) which each connect to one 

Ethernet switch in The Mesh control network. The 

FCP280 baseplate passes inbound traffic from either 

of the two switches to both FCP280s, and pass 

outbound traffic from the primary FCP280 module to 

either switch.

Figure 4. Fiber Optic and Copper Network Adapters

The fiber or copper adapters mount on the FCP280 

baseplate as shown in Figure 1 on page 2. They 

receive their power from the baseplate.

REMOTE MOUNTING

The FCP280 simplifies the Foxboro Evo Process 

Automation System architecture, maintaining control 

while only requiring housing (via field enclosures), 

host workstations with Foxboro Evo Control Core 

Services v9.0 or later, and Ethernet switches for 

communication via The Mesh control network 

architecture, described in PSS 21H-7C2 B3.

The field-mounted FCP280 is an integral part of the 

highly-distributed control network where controllers 

are closely aligned to specific process units mounted 

in close proximity to their I/O and the actual 

equipment being controlled. Coordination between 

process units takes place via a fiber optic 100 Mbps 

Ethernet network.

The FCP280 and its network adapters are packaged 

in a rugged, die cast aluminum housing that does not 

require venting due to its efficient design. The 

FCP280 and its network adapters are CE certified, 

and it can be mounted without expensive special 

cabinets to prevent electronic emissions. The 

FCP280, network adapters, and baseplate can be 

mounted in Class G3 harsh environments.

ENHANCED RELIABILITY (FAULTTOLERANCE)

The unique and patented fault-tolerant operation of 

the FCP280 improves reliability relative to legacy 

process controllers. The fault-tolerant version of the 

FCP280 consists of two modules operating in 

parallel, with two Ethernet connections to The Mesh 

control network. The two FCP280 modules, married 

together as a fault-tolerant pair, provide continuous 

operation of the controller in the event of virtually any 

hardware failure occurring within one module of the 

pair.

Both modules receive and process information 

simultaneously, and faults are detected by the 

modules themselves. One of the significant methods 

of fault detection is comparison of communication 

messages at the module external interfaces. 

Messages only leave the FCP280 when both 

FCP280s agree on the message being sent (bit for 

bit match). Upon detection of a fault, self-diagnostics 

are run by both modules to determine which module 

is defective. The non-defective module then assumes 

control without affecting normal system operations.

This fault-tolerant solution has the following major 

advantages over controllers that are merely 

redundant:

 No bad messages are sent to the field or to 

applications using controller data because no 

message is allowed out of the controller unless 

both modules match bit for bit on the message 

being sent.

 The secondary controller is synchronized with the 

primary one, which ensures up to the moment 

data in the event of a primary controller failure.

 The secondary controller will have latent flaws 

detected prior to any switchover because it is 

performing exactly the same operations as the 

primary controller.

UPGRADE OPTIONS

Multiple options are available for replacing existing 

control processors with the FCP280. A fault-tolerant 

FCP280 may replace a fault-tolerant FCP270 or 

ZCP270. It may import the CP database from the 

CP270 it is replacing, for compatibility and minimal 

configuration time.

As well the FCP280 provides an increase in 

performance and block processing capacity over the 

CP270s. When replacing FCP270s, the FCP280 

eliminates the need for FEM100 hardware.

For ease of replacement, the fault-tolerant or nonfault-tolerant FCP280 in its baseplate has the same 

dimensions as the fault-tolerant or non-fault-tolerant 

FCP270 in its baseplate.

Cabling the 100 Series FBMs or Migration products 

to an FCP280 baseplate consists of extending the 

remote 268 Kbps fieldbus between enclosures. This 

is accomplished using termination cable assemblies 

(TCAs) and Fieldbus Isolators (FBIs) to provide 

connections between primary and extended fieldbus