Level, flow, pressure transmitters

[fapsa]

Hello,
We are on a big project and need to install several transmitters level, flow, pressure and temperature, we have had the visit from many companies showing there products, (Honeywell, Rosemount, Yokogawa, Endress Hauser) wish of this brand instruments is more reliable?
Appreciate your opinions,
Thanks

 

[JLSeagull]

Check to see if you can find data from Exida or an objective third-party testing agency. Each of these vendors offer reliable instruments with several different technologies for some applications. Pressure is more simple than level. Each manufacturer likely offers many techniques to measure level. Some of my clients prefer Rosemount for the bulk of their instruments, perhaps for spare and replacement warehouse issues. We usually buy some E&H and Yokogawa instruments for analytical or level applications even where Rosemount is the standard if their models are not as well suited as the competitors.

 

[roydm]

All 4 brands are good, although I personnaly don't like Honeywell Do a spreadsheet of cost, features, configuration requirements (do you need an expensive HART communicator), delivery etc. Often it boils down to who gives you the best service rather than who is cheapest.

Let us know
Roy

 

[JimCasey]

All four brands you mentioned are industry leaders.
Your satisfaction will probably depend upon how skillful tha application engineer is who helps you select the instruments.

If the sales guy just drops a catalog on your desk and says "pick out what you need", find a different supplier.

A good supplier has trained people who will interview you and ask a lot of annoying questions so that they can offer the best possible solution for your needs. They will also conduct seminars so that your people will have success in calibrating, operating, and maintaing the components.

 

[fapsa]

Thanks all, we went for honeywell instruments, probably becouse of the service they offer, Roy may I ask you why you don't pefare Honeywell?

Thanks.
Fapsa

 

[jmw]

Once upon a time this would have been an interesting question, today you may find it is not.

Of course, if you have a green light from purchasing to buy whichever manufacturer's product you like, then fire away but you may find it helpful to give some specific applications.
If all you want is a heads up about the major companies then your question is probably not going to get a sensible technical answer but a commercial one.

The way the global companies work is to put together a comprehensive package of instruments (portfolio is a preferred term) and to offer themselves as single source suppliers.

There is no guarantee:
[ul][li]their products are the best (some may be, others may be fillers - products that complete a range)[/li]
[li]their products are the cheapest - as individual instruments they may not be and probably are not. What they sell is singles source benefits which means that buyers like them and the cost of purchase may result in a good overall price deal[/li]
[li] other companies may offer better or cheaper or both better and cheaper but not everyone likes to (or can afford to) shop around.[/li][/ul]

Some project engineers, accept that if they get 90-95% of the specification met then that is more cost effective than searching out that extra "fit".

Some don't have any choice due to "strategic alliances" with the major instrument supply companies; these require that if they need a certain product and the buyers company has it then that's what you will get.
You may even find that you will search out a particular sensor, order it and find that purchasing have substituted the alternative from the preferred supplier.


Don't knock the guy from a smaller company telling you his is a better product and it is cheaper.
It can be true.
It can also be true that he will offer better support.

Some of my business comes to me because the majors can't/won't support their products and/or don't have enough specialist skills in house. Quite often you will be isolated from the manufacturer by a "regional sales office" who will deal with your enquiry. The very nature of companies with a large portfolio is that often the guys selling may have so many different products from so many different manufacturing locations they have little or no real skills beyond catalogue selling.

Some times, if you are dealing with small order values, your best bet is not to go to the manufacturer's sales office but to identify what you think you want and then see if you can discover a local dealer or distributor (these are often companies selected to hoover up the crumbs the strategic alliances don't capture) who may offer far more technical help and real applications knowledge.

JMW

http://www.ViscoAnalyser.com

 

[JLSeagull]

Although perhaps unfair I typically avoid Honeywell transmitters. My experiences in the 1970's poisoned my opinion. I bought some in the 1990's for a client that only bought Honeywell (DE smart technology). They bought DE compatible models that must have worked well enough for the client to stay with Honeywell.

 

[roydm]

Fapsa,
Like JLS, I had bad experience with Honeywell in the 70s, I'm sure they have their act together now. I used a number of their single loop controllers recently where I needed NEMA 4 for mounting beside flotation cells. They worked fine once I got used to them.
Hopefully your experience will be a good one.
Regards
Roy

 

[Hellinas]

I think rosemount are the best. They are very easy to use them and if you have a HART you will not have a prblem at all. Honeywell are not bad but we don't trust them a lot.
REGARDS
HELLINAS

REMEMBER IT IS NOT GREECE IS HELLAS

 

[Hellinas]

I forgot to write you that Masoneilan (Dresser) are very good for level instruments (if you will use with displacer).

REMEMBER IT IS NOT GREECE IS HELLAS