Fisher FIELDVUE DVC6000 SIS Digital Valve Controller

As with most industrial process operations, the safety risk to personnel, equipment and the environment in case of an emergency is ever-present. Instrumented protection systems, such as Safety Instrumented Systems (SIS), are engineered to monitor for potentially hazardous conditions and, ideally, limit the damaging effects of an emergency event.

To achieve this, the SIS triggers a valve to adjust the process to a safe state. Procedural testing of these valves is historically accomplished by way of a pneumatic test panel near the valve, which is often a clunky and laborious process and can result in needing to lock the valve in position or bypass it completely. This dangerously prevents the SIS from performing the way it is designed.

Fitted on emergency shutdown valves, Fisher® FIELDVUE™ DVC6000 SIS Digital Valve Controllers feature advanced testing methods to solve this inherent problem.

FIELDVUE™ digital valve controllers use HART® communication and 375 Field Communicator or ValveLink™ Software, in place of the pneumatic test panel, to exercise emergency shutdown valves.

Testing capabilities include the following:

• Partial stroke testing – Test verifies valve movement, without fully stroking the valve. Gathers diagnostic data and sends out an alert in the event the valve is struck. (For most applications, 10% movements can be made before the critical process line is affected.)


• Valve signature test – Test benchmarks valve operation by determining spring rate, seating forces, friction and bench set.


• Step response test – Test evaluates hysteresis, dead time, overshoot and stroking time.


• Automatic testing – Automation of numerous diagnostic tests via a scheduling and batch running tool within ValveLink™ Software.

With the help of Fisher® FIELDVUE™ DVC6000 SIS Digital Valve Controllers, users find enhanced system operation and valve diagnostic proficiency, in addition to a streamlined testing process and lowered initial investment expense.