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Flow Meter Software Integration: Setting Up DeviceCare and FieldCare Calibration Interfaces
Quick Answer: DeviceCare gives you a fast point to point connection for one Silver Instruments flow meter over HART, Modbus, or USB. FieldCare gives you a plant level view for multiple devices, offline configuration, calibration reports, and data logging. For most single meter jobs DeviceCare is enough. For multi meter calibration and record keeping switch to FieldCare.
Silver Instruments flow meters support standard HART 5 and HART 7 commands. That means DeviceCare and FieldCare can read the primary variable, set the 4-20 mA output, adjust the damping, change the totalizer unit, and store calibration data without a proprietary handheld terminal. Because the HART signal rides on the same pair as the 4-20 mA current loop, you do not need extra cable.
What DeviceCare and FieldCare Do
DeviceCare is a free tool for field service engineers. You install it on a Windows 10 or Windows 11 laptop. You connect a HART modem to the meter loop. You scan the address. You read the live process value. You change parameters. You save a PDF report.
FieldCare is larger. It uses the same HART modem but adds a device tree, asset tags, multi device scanning, and calibration history. A plant in Malaysia used FieldCare to manage 42 electromagnetic flow meters across three water treatment trains. The engineer tagged each meter by line number, saved the zero verification report, and exported the calibration data to CSV.
Required Hardware for Silver Instruments Flow Meters
You need a laptop with Windows 10 or Windows 11. You need a HART modem such as the ProComSol HART USB or a Softing mobiLink. You need a 250 ohm resistor if the loop does not have one from the PLC input. For a bench setup use a 24 V DC power supply, a resistor, the meter, and the modem in series.
Silver Instruments Coriolis mass flow meters use 4-20 mA HART as standard. You can also order Modbus RTU or RS485 output. DeviceCare works well with HART. FieldCare can handle HART, PROFIBUS, and Modbus through gateways. For vortex and electromagnetic meters HART is common. For oval gear flow meters on diesel service use pulse output plus 4-20 mA HART for temperature compensation if the meter includes a PT100 input.
For hazardous area work use an Ex certified HART modem and connect from a safe area. Do not open the meter housing in an ATEX Zone 1 gas cloud. The Silver Instruments team can supply an Ex barrier or isolator if your loop does not have one.
Step by Step DeviceCare Setup for a Single Flow Meter
1. Install DeviceCare on a clean Windows laptop. Do not run it as a guest user.
2. Connect the HART modem to the USB port and to the meter terminals. Keep the loop resistance between 230 and 600 ohm.
3. Open DeviceCare. Click scan. Wait for the tool to find the meter at address 0 or address 1.
4. Read the live primary variable. For a Coriolis meter this is mass flow in kg/h. For an electromagnetic meter this is volume flow in m3/h.
5. Go to the setup menu. Set the 4 mA value and the 20 mA value. A common range for a DN25 Coriolis meter on a chemical batching line is 0 to 8000 kg/h.
6. Set the damping. Most engineers skip this part. A value of 0.4 s works for many liquid lines. A value of 2 s reduces noise in short batching runs.
7. Set the low flow cut off. For a Coriolis meter on a hot water loop a cut off of 20 kg/h prevents false totalizer counts during pump stop.
8. Save the configuration to the device and to a local PDF report. Send the PDF to the shift supervisor or the plant calibration team.
FieldCare Calibration Interface for Multi Meter Applications
FieldCare makes sense when you have more than ten meters. You import the device list by tag number. You connect through a HART multiplexer or gateway. You open each device card. You run the zero point verification. You compare the live flow against a reference meter or a weighing scale.
In a dairy plant in New Zealand a Coriolis meter on skim milk used FieldCare to verify the density reading at 4 °C and 85 °C. The engineer entered the reference density from a laboratory hydrometer. FieldCare stored the offset and generated a calibration certificate. The whole job took 3
In a seawater desalination plant in Oman FieldCare managed electromagnetic flow meters on the brine line. The meter read volume flow and conductivity. The engineer checked the conductivity value against a handheld meter. A deviation of less than 2 percent was accepted. The calibration report included the meter tag, the date, the reference value, and the as found value.
Common Parameter Mapping for Silver Instruments Flow Meters
Coriolis mass flow meter: primary variable mass flow in kg/h, secondary density in kg/m3, tertiary temperature in °C from a PT100 sensor. Fourth variable can be totalizer in kg or ton.
Electromagnetic flow meter: primary variable volume flow in m3/h, secondary totalizer in liter, tertiary conductivity in µS/cm. Use the empty pipe detection status as a digital output.
Vortex flow meter: primary variable volume flow or mass flow if pressure and temperature compensation are enabled. Set the K factor from the meter nameplate. Enable the 4-20 mA HART output and the pulse output for remote totalizing.
Oval gear flow meter: primary variable volume flow in L/h, secondary totalizer in L. Add a PT100 input for diesel temperature compensation. For a heavy fuel oil with viscosity 120 cP set the meter factor from the calibration sheet. Temperature compensation from the PT100 input keeps the reading stable from 40 °C to 80 °C.
Thermal mass flow meter: primary variable mass flow in kg/h or Nm3/h for gas. Set the pipe inner diameter and the gas type. Use DeviceCare to zero the sensor after installation. Do not zero a thermal meter before the pipe has reached operating pressure.
Field Notes from Customer Sites
We have seen many issues with wrong loop resistance. If the HART modem cannot find the meter check the 250 ohm resistor. A PLC input card often has a 250 ohm resistor built in. A bench power supply does not.
A paint manufacturer in Southeast Asia had a Coriolis meter on a solvent line. The flow signal was noisy because the pump was small and the line pressure was only 1.2 bar. We increased the damping to 1.5 s and set the low flow cut off to 15 kg/h. The totalizer stopped counting during the pump stop. DeviceCare showed the raw signal before and after the change. The confirmation took five minutes.
Last year a customer in Vietnam asked us for a HART DD file for a DN50 vortex meter on a steam line. The meter worked fine but FieldCare showed a generic device icon. We sent the DD file. After updating the device catalog the full menu tree appeared. The engineer could set steam quality compensation and read the pressure input from the external 4-20 mA channel.
FAQ
Does DeviceCare work with Silver Instruments HART flow meters?
Yes. All Silver Instruments 4-20 mA HART meters respond to standard HART commands. Use the generic DD file or request the Silver Instruments DD file from our team.
Can FieldCare calibrate a Coriolis meter zero point?
Yes. You can run the zero verification or zero calibration from the service menu. The meter must be full of the process liquid and the flow must be completely stopped.
What is the difference between DeviceCare and FieldCare for a small water plant?
DeviceCare handles one meter at a time. FieldCare handles multiple meters, offline database, and calibration history. For a small water plant with three or four meters DeviceCare is enough.
Do I need a special driver for a Silver Instruments electromagnetic meter?
You can use the generic HART DD. For full menu support request the Silver Instruments DD file. You can also use Modbus RTU with FieldCare if the meter has the RS485 option.
What information do I need to send for a calibration quote?
Send us the fluid type, pressure in bar, temperature in °C, pipe size in DN, flow range in kg/h or m3/h, and the signal protocol. We will suggest the correct flow meter model and the software setup.
For more information contact Silver Automation Instruments. Tel: +86-25-68650347. Whatsapp: +86-25-52155837. WeChat: +86 15365082610. Send us your pressure (bar), temperature (°C), pipe size (DN), and flow range. We will recommend the right meter and the correct software setup for your DeviceCare or FieldCare integration.
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