Shanghai Welltech Automation Designs Ramtron’s Serial F-RAM Memory

Ramtron International Corporation has announced that China’s Shanghai Welltech Automation Co. Ltd. has designed Ramtron’s FM25L16 16-kilobit (Kb) serial F-RAM memory device into its 2000S safe pressure transmitters. The F-RAM was selected to replace EEPROM in Welltech’s intrinsically safe, explosion-proof transmitters. The Intelligent pressure transmitters offer complexity of process control applications in industries such as chemicals, pharmaceuticals, power, water treatment, food processing, etc. The 2000S offers advanced features such as two-way communication, remote calibration, and self-diagnostics. These features enable higher accuracy, greater reliability, and more advanced communication protocols, which reduce the time, effort and expenses associated with start-up and maintenance.



The 2000S combines sensing technology and intelligent electronics in a single package. The Nonvolatile F-RAM memory is an integral element in this advanced design. In the 2000S, the F-RAM stores configurable parameters such as transmitter ranges, signal types, fluid properties, etc., and retains this data when power is removed so that the transmitter is ready for immediate use when power is restored. The 2000S includes an MPU for complex calculations. The F-RAM provides NoDelay write access, virtually unlimited write endurance (approximately 1e14 write cycles), and low power consumption. The FM25L16 is a 16Kb F-RAM device with an industry-standard serial peripheral interface (SPI). The device reads and writes continuously at bus speeds up to 18 MHz and low operating currents. Comparable EEPROM devices have long write delays and write-polling software, endurance limited to less than one million write cycles, and operate at higher power. Available in lead-free, 8-pin SOIC and DFN packages, the FM25L16 operates at 3 volts over the industrial temperature range.