The Honeywell Instant Location System (HILS) integrates identification and location technologies such as ultra-wideband, global positioning systems, Wi-Fi and active RFID with Honeywell’s process automation system, Experion Process Knowledge System.
Installed at locations throughout a facility, receivers can pinpoint the location of an employee or piece of equipment and send the information to the HILS server, which directly feeds the information to the operator’s workstation. The receivers can transmit data wirelessly using Honeywell’s new OneWireless network.
Within seconds of a major plant incident, HILS can track employees and visitors through personal tags attached to their clothing and generate real-time mustering reports. These reports allow emergency responders to quickly obtain accurate headcounts and locate missing or injured employees.
Integrated with Experion, HILS can use equipment and personnel geo-location information to improve plant safety. For example, HILS can use interlocks to ensure dangerous procedures are only executed when personnel are a safe distance from a process unit or machinery.
Integrating this technology with the control system produces a solution that gives manufacturers even greater awareness of what’s happening in their facilities, said Jack Bolick, president of Honeywell Process Solutions. That awareness leads to safer and more efficient operations.
