PA-DIM Working Group introduces extended standard.

Standard expands to support analyzer device types and data modeling extensions, enhancing interoperability for process applications

The co-owners of Process Automation Device Information Model (PA-DIM), including FDT Group, FieldComm Group, ISA 100 WCI, NAMUR, ODVA, OPC Foundation, PROFIBUS and PROFINET International, VDMA, and ZVEI, today announced the release of the PA-DIM Version 1.1 specification. This release, a testament to collective efforts, includes expanded device type support for process analyzers and an enhanced basic hierarchy structure with new extensions, benefiting the industrial user and vendor manufacturing community.

The PA-DIM specification aims to improve information standardization for process automation applications. All co-owners work together to support a unified information model that seamlessly integrates OT data exchange with IT systems and other higher-level applications. This model includes core parameters, capabilities, status, and diagnostic data based on the NAMUR Open Architecture (NOA) initiative. It allows users to access and interpret device information consistently, regardless of the fieldbus protocol, device type, or manufacturer, enhancing Industrial Internet of Things (IIoT) architectures.

With the release of PA-DIM Version 1.1, the standard has been enhanced to introduce new extensions and features, further empowering users with comprehensive device integration capabilities.

Key highlights of the PA-DIM Version 1.1 specification include:

- Expanded device-type support for process analyzers, including Total Organic Carbon (TOC), Continuous Gas, and pH. This extension broadens the scope of the standard, enabling seamless integration and management of analytical instruments within process automation systems.
- Enhancement of the basic hierarchy structure to include new extensions such as device condition sets, signal condition sets, and signal calibration. These extensions give users greater flexibility and functionality in representing device information, including attributes such as type, timestamp, and calibrated values.

PA-DIM facilitates various applications, such as:

- Providing/receiving information to/from HMIs, information apps, and reporting apps.
- Supporting inventory management and remote monitoring applications.
- Enabling real-time control applications, such as reading process values and setting parameters.
- Device configuration and parameterization.
- Configuring device security and monitoring its current hardening status.
- Providing information for device dashboards.

Frank Fengler, ABB and Chairperson of the PA-DIM Working Group expressed his excitement about the release of PA-DIM Version 1.1. He stated, "With the release of PA-DIM Version 1.1, we are thrilled to introduce new extensions and features that will further improve interoperability and standardization across the industry, empowering users with harmonized solutions for process instrumentation and process analyzers with field-to-cloud semantic interoperability in context. We believe these new features and extensions hold immense potential for your operations."

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@FieldCommGroup @FDTGroup @ISA_Automation @OPCFoundation @ProfibusUK #PAuto #Standards

Aquisition to drive intelligent device management innovation and standardisation.

The FieldComm Group has completed the acquisition of FDT Group's assets including the FDT/DTM technology standards*. This significant transaction underscores FieldComm Group's dedication to addressing industrial device management challenges across the entire industrial automation market, ultimately enhancing operational efficiency for vendors and end users.

With a comprehensive suite of technologies including Information Models, the Field Device Integration (FDI) standard, and well-established communication protocols like HART, HART-IP, WirelessHART, and Foundation Fieldbus, FieldComm Group's market offerings serve the entire process automation sector. The addition of FDT/DTM technology, a widely deployed device integration standard across process and factory automation markets, adds new technologies to the portfolio, completely addressing the industrial automation hierarchy.

“As digitalization transforms the automation industry by breaking down barriers between operation technology and information technology, the integration of factory and process automation devices becomes both more important and more difficult. Our aim as a standards organization is to add intelligence to the device integration process, with an ultimate goal of making it simpler,” stated Ted Masters, President and CEO of FIeldComm Group. “Ends users and suppliers will benefit greatly from this acquisition by having a single standards development organization responsible for the full spectrum of device integration from the simplest sensor to the most complex field instrument.”

Millions of already installed devices in the field use both FDI and FDT technology for intelligent device management. Leveraging combined resources and expertise, FieldComm Group is now better-positioned to address the industry's evolving needs, improve interoperability, and streamline integration and lifecycle management procedures for the future.

As part of the acquisition, FieldComm Group announces the formation of a Strategic Integration Committee (SIC), under the leadership of industry expert Steve Biegacki, former Managing Director of the FDT Group. The SIC will drive advancement of integration standards, including FDT/DTM and FDI, ensuring proactive management and maintenance of these technologies. The committee will initially be composed of FieldComm Group Board-level company representatives, with planned expansion to include representatives from other Standards Development Organizations (SDOs). The SIC aims to collaboratively work to preserve the existing installed base and chart a standardization roadmap for a unified device management platform, ensuring interoperability across existing protocols as well as future technology evolution, including OPC UA FX.

Our focus is on unified device configuration and a migration path to the future," said Steve Biegacki. "At FieldComm Group, we are committed to seamless integration and enhanced operational efficiency for the entire automation industry."

"We are thrilled to welcome FDT/DTM technology into the FieldComm family," continued Ted Masters, "This acquisition marks a significant leap towards a unified integration standard for the industry. With Steve Biegacki leading the SIC, we are ready to steer the industry towards a more integrated and efficient future."

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* See also Significant co-operation announcement by standards-based entities. (23/4/2024)

@FieldCommGroup @FDTGroup #PAuto #Standards

Significant co-operation announcement by standards-based entities.

After years of close collaboration, FieldComm Group® and FDT Group™ the leading global standards-based non-profit entities have executed a term sheet to combine resources into a single business focused on creating device integration technology standards and products serving the user and vendor communities of industrial process, hybrid, and factory automation.

This term sheet outlines a plan to create a single business aimed at advancing integration technology and harmonizing control system applications across multiple protocol topologies supporting both process and factory automation. Subject to the completion of a definitive agreement, the new business will continue to support all existing FieldComm Group and FDT Group technologies, including Field Device Integration™ (FDI™), Field Device Tool / Device Type Manager™ (FDT/DTM™), Process Automation Device Information Model (PA-DIM®), HART®, and FOUNDATION™ Fieldbus. FieldComm Group will acquire all FDT® technology and resources, and an independent Strategic Integration Committee will be formed to guide future directions for protocol-independent device integration technologies.

This strengthened relationship represents a significant step forward in streamlining process automation and factory manufacturing device management, enhancing interoperability throughout the industry. The unified organization is pioneering a transformative vision where industrial device management seamlessly bridges the present and future, ensuring support for the current installed base while facilitating evolution towards harmonized technologies.

The new Strategic Integration Committee focused on a protocol-agnostic device integration approach will foster alliances with major field protocol organizations, including CC-Link Partner Association, EtherCAT Technology Group, FieldComm Group, ODVA, OPC Foundation, Modbus, Profibus/Profinet International, and others, spearheading innovations to improve engineering efficiency, plant uptime, and user satisfaction across various industrial automation fields. Within this strategic committee, cutting-edge technologies, tools, and certifications will streamline cost-effective adoption for members while providing a single device package compatible with any operating system that will enable effortless data access from field devices to cloud, edge, and mobile applications. This initiative promotes comprehensive integration between Information Technology and Operational Technology (IT/OT) systems.

“This collaboration is a strategic move aimed at providing the best service to our members and the industry at large,” emphasized Ted Masters, President and Chief Executive Officer of FieldComm Group. 

Steve Biegacki, Managing Director of FDT Group, echoed this sentiment, highlighting that “the enhanced harmonization of standards and technologies will significantly empower end users and manufacturers in their quest to achieve out-of-the-box Industrial Internet of Things (IIoT) capabilities across their systems.”

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@FieldCommGroup @FDTGroup #PAuto #Standards

Device management for mobile and OPC UA applications.

The FDT Group™ has announced certification of its first Device Specific DTM based on the latest FDT 3.0 standard supporting the HART protocol from Flowserve Corporation. The newest certified Logix 3820 Series DTM is deployable using their positioners supporting HART 6 / 7, tackling flow control challenges designed for modern IIoT architectures.

FDT DTM certification to the FDT 3.0 specification and webUI is a process whereby rigorous compliance testing using dtmINSPECTOR5 ensures the viability of the states of the DTM; its correct installation, de-installation, and multi-user environment capability; mandatory and optional user interface functionality and robustness; network scanning communication performance and the ability to import and export the topology; and the audit trail capability.

“Flowserve is proud to be the first vendor to offer a software-based webUI DTM based on FDT 3.0.” Says Manjunath Atchutanna, global digital technology manager at Flowserve Corporation. “The industry is transformative with flow control applications designated as critical control. Our new DTM* meets modern use case challenges that extend standardized device management for valve control to mobile solutions and other higher-level applications using OPC UA, enabling service-oriented maintenance scenarios.”

FDT 3.0 DTMs are crucial to unlocking universal device integration with essential advantages such as platform independence, mobility solutions, and a contemporary development environment to reduce costs and expedite the DTM certification process. Users can use secure and seamless data exchange/interrogation from the sensor to the cloud and achieve new levels of information technology (IT) and operational technology (OT) integration.

“This certification is a milestone in market penetration and technology development,” says Steve Biegacki, FDT Group managing director. “Flowserve has always been a leader in flow control using DTM technology and now offers the first flow control management DTM standardized for IIoT architectures based on FDT 3.0 for HART applications. HART users can deploy this new DTM and reap the benefits by using an FDT 3.0-based device management tool, such as PACTware 6.1, and can enjoy an IT/OT data-centric model by deploying an FDT Server, extending the data reach to mobile applications and the enterprise.”

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* The DTM can be downloaded from Flowserve’s website.

@FDTGroup @Flowserve #PAuto 

Chair of body promoting standard for industrial device management.

André Uhl, vice president of technology and architecture for Schneider Electric’s Industrial Automation Business, has received a unanimous vote to serve as the Chairman of the FDT Board of Directors.

André Uhl

The Chairman's primary role is to ensure that the Board of Directors effectively sets and implements the organization’s strategy and governance of the standard. The IEC 62453 standard directly benefits global manufacturing industries with a unified environment for industrial device management supporting brownfield, greenfield and new smart manufacturing initiatives in the process, hybrid, and discrete markets.

Mr. Uhl replaced Lee Lane from Rockwell Automation as chairman due to his departure to a new role. Other board members include Shinji Oda, Yokogawa; Ed Silva, Flowserve Corporation; Rolf Birkhofer, Endress+Hauser; Paul Brooks, Rockwell Automation and Michael Kessler, PACTware.

FDT Group Managing Director Steve Biegacki congratulated André Uhl on his new post. “We appreciate the service Lee Lane provided to our organization. André’s industry expertise in technology and standards supporting the process and factory markets will guide the FDT organization and roadmap focused on promoting open integration and harmonized device management, driving future innovation field to cloud.”

Mr. Uhl has over 20 years of industry experience managing Research & Development (R&D) centers for industrial and motion control applications and automation solutions for flagship products in the process, hybrid, and machine builder markets. Currently serving as vice president of technology and architecture for Schneider Electric’s Industrial Automation Business, André has served as a member of the FDT Board since 2016 and presently sits on the ODVA Board and OPC Foundation Unified Architecture Field Xchange (UAFX) steering committee shaping the future of the Industrial Internet of Things (IIoT). His dedication to working across the industrial automation ecosystem demonstrates clear leadership and support for the executive strategy of the organization that provides governance over the open FDT standard.

“I’m thrilled to lead the FDT community focused on eliminating intelligent device management barriers for industrial automation markets,” said André Uhl. “I’m passionate about open technology innovation and FDT’s vision to transform manufacturing excellence by collaborating and expanding access to these technologies enterprise-wide on a data-centric platform critical in supporting the modern, connected industrial world.”

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@FDTGroup @SchneiderElec #PAuto #Standards

Point to point configuration tool.

Migration path for users and vendors supporting modern intelligent device management and monitoring initiatives.

FDT Service Provider M&M Software released fdtCONTAINER® version 4.8, a point-to-point device configuration tool supporting the latest FDT 3.0 specification to meet user demands for modern intelligent device management and monitoring initiatives has been announced by the FDT Group. This release also includes updated developer tools which simplify the migration to FDT 3 systems and smart device DTMs for the vendor community.

“M&M Software is proud to be an FDT Service Provider offering invaluable advice and support to system and device suppliers interested in innovative system and device management strategies based on the FDT standard.” Says Pingsheng Xu, development manager for M&M Software. “We are thrilled that our product offerings now support the latest FDT (3.0) UE standard allowing users and vendors a seamless migration path for industrial device management modernization, providing new features supporting smart manufacturing projects.”

M&M Software’s FDT UE-ready product line includes: • OEM fdtCONTAINER application 4.8 – Free point-to-point device management and configuration tool supporting all DTM generations for users. • fdtCONTAINER component 4.0 (aka. FDT UE - Desktop Common Component) – The official component for integrating the FDT 3.0 interface and DTM runtime into an engineering application for system vendors with branded customizations and other value-add features. • dtmMANAGER development suite 4.0 – The comprehensive FDT 3.0 DTM development suite provides a simplified environment for device vendors to develop DTM’s allowing vendors to focus on the value-add device model features.

Smart manufacturing initiatives drive end users and suppliers of industrial automation systems and devices to seek modern and comprehensive device management solutions that use interoperable, efficient, and sustainable plug and play engineering tools. FDT, an IEC 62453 embedded software standard, normalizes device data and communication between any host and device. The standard rooted in the host and device environment provides users a single tool for intelligent device management, operation, diagnosis, and maintenance. The latest FDT 3.0 specification enables a FDT Unified Environment (FDT UE) for IT/OT data-driven operations via authenticated OPC UA, FDT UE and mobile clients.

FDT Group partners with leading service providers worldwide that assist companies interested in FDT-enabled product development. These organizations provide training and resources to educate customers about FDT (FDT 1.x and 2.x) and FDT UE (3.0), offer technical guidance on system and device integration, and help suppliers future-proof their system and device management strategy. Providers are updating their product offerings and development tools to assist next-generation architectures based on the FDT 3.0 standard designed to meet industry demands for modern intelligent device management and monitoring initiatives for the process and factory markets.

“Working closely with our service providers, such as M&M Software, reduces barriers for FDT product development for market entry,” says Steve Biegacki, FDT Group managing director. “The global industrial automation community has widely adopted the FDT standard, and M&M Software has been a key player for its acceptance by enabling multi-vendor support over multiple communication protocols while leveraging a common information model and user interface.”

@FDTGroup #MandM #PAuto #Communications

Automation communication body appointments to board.

FDT Group™ has announced that Paul Brooks, manager, technology business development, strategic development for Rockwell Automation; and Rolf Birkhofer, managing director for Endress+Hauser digital solutions have been voted in by the FDT Group member community to serve in leadership roles on the FDT Board of Directors.

Paul Brooks - Rockwell

The FDT Group Board of Directors sets the executive strategy for the organization and provides governance over the open FDT standard, which directly benefits the global manufacturing automation industries with a unified environment for industrial device management and IT/OT data-driven operations for the process and discrete markets supporting smart manufacturing, efficiency, and sustainability initiatives.

Mr. Brooks and Mr. Birkhofer replaced board members Lee Lane, Rockwell Automation; and Francois Ichtertz, Endress+Hauser, respectively, due to their departure to new roles. They join existing board members including Andre Uhl, Schneider Electric; Michael Kessler, PACTware; Shinji Oda, Yokogawa; and Ed Silva, Flowserve Corporation.

Rolf Birkhofer - Endress+Hauser

FDT Group Managing Director Steve Biegacki congratulated the newest board members. “We appreciate the service Lee Lane and Francois Ichtertz provided to our organization. Paul Brooks and Rolf Birkhofer bring a wealth of process and factory automation industry experience to their new posts on our board. They will play an important role in guiding the FDT Group organization and FDT/DTM technology roadmap through collaborative initiatives focused on innovation and differentiation that deliver new value to customers.”

Mr. Brooks has over 30 years of experience in the industrial market and currently leads the commercial & technical teams responsible for the strategy around open aspects of the Rockwell Automation System Architecture. This includes Open Platform Communications Unified Architecture (OPC UA) and Field Xchange (FX) strategy, EtherNet/IP development, network architecture, 5G direction, and application orchestration. He was a member of FDT Joint Interest Group (JIG) in 2003, recognizes the importance of FDT in the market as the preferred integration standard for UAFX, and is committed to fostering market insights and relationships to allow FDT to develop in parallel with communication technologies to enable innovation.

Mr. Birkhofer’s near 20-year career in industrial automation stems from his Electrical Engineering background and managing director roles at CodeWrights and Endress+Hauser. Currently overseeing digital solutions for process applications at Endress+Hauser, he is deeply involved with technology standards groups including Advanced Physical Layer (APL), Device Descriptions (DD), Field Device Integration (FDI) and Field Device Tool / Device Type Manager (FDT/DTM). He is committed to prioritizing FDT technology investments that expand end-to-end interoperability and data harmonization, granting new business and service models for industrial markets.

@FDTGroup @ROKAutomation @Endress_Hauser #PAuto #IIoT 

UE Developer tool evaluation.

Speeding FDT® UE-enabled systems and devices to market supporting modern industrial device management.

The release of FDT UE developer tool evaluation software^* has been announced by FDT Group™. This expidites the ability to build FDT3-based system and device DTM solutions to meet user demands for modern intelligent device management and monitoring initiatives needed to scale next generation Industrial Internet of Things (IIoT) architectures.

Suppliers of industrial automation systems and devices want to provide interoperable solutions supporting IIoT architectures. To meet their customers’ needs, it is vital for suppliers to enhance their system and device offerings with modern technology standards providing an agnostic approach to information-driven business models. The new FDT3 standard is accelerating the digital manufacturing journey by enabling an ecosystem of FDT-based solutions providing a unified environment for industrial device management with IT/OT data-driven operations.

“By making these toolkits freely available to members, we are reducing barriers for research and development of FDT UE-based products designed to meet industry demands for modern intelligent device management and monitoring initiatives for the process and factory markets. Our working groups and development partners have done a nice job making these tools a reality.” Says Steve Biegacki, FDT Group managing director.

FDT Group provides vendors with developer toolkits:

• supporting development of platform independent FDT UE-enabled host and device products while assuring compliance with the FDT3 standard, so vendors can focus on value-add capabilities.
• to jump start development, minimize engineering effort, simplify certification/registration shortening time to market for new product offerings.
• enabling interoperability and seamless data exchange independent of system, device/type, data model, IT/OT (network/protocol) enterprise wide.
• empowering OPC UA- and mobile- ready solutions without coding, allowing IT and OT teams authenticated client access for diagnostic monitoring optimization.

An evaluation version for each FDT UE developer tool will be made available to FDT Group members (Corporate – all classes and Affiliate - levels 1-3) to help jump-start their development activities. An FDT-License to productize and sell FDT UE products built with the toolkits is required during certification with the FDT Group before the product can be made for sale by the developer.

Developer toolkits with an evaluation version include:

• FDT UE – DTM® Common Component
• FDT UE – dtmINSPECTOR®
• FDT UE – Server Common Component (Demo Server)

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* Members can request developer tools by going to the FDT Group website.

 @FDTGroup #PAuto #IIoT

Device configuration environment software.

FDT Group's PACTware consortium has released its latest software version, PACTware 6.1, based on the latest FDT3 standard. PACTware 6.1 is one of the first FDT3 stand-alone device configuration environments available. The software tool’s source code is available to the PACTware Consortium membership consisting of 22 automation vendors who offer the FDT-enabled hosting product to the user community at no cost. 

By leveraging the modern FDT3 Unified Environment for intelligent device management, PACTware 6.1 users will enjoy the ability to support their current FDT DTM install base and support modern FDT3 web-based DTMs that are scalable for IIoT architectures. This release also supports integration with FDI Device Packages.

Suppliers of industrial automation systems and devices want to provide solutions that enable the Industrial Internet of Things (IIoT). To meet their customers’ needs, it is vital for suppliers to enhance their system and device offerings with standards-based, platform-independent, information-driven business models. The new FDT3 standard is accelerating the digital manufacturing journey by enabling an ecosystem of FDT-based solutions providing a unified environment for industrial device management with IT/OT data-driven operations.

“Upgrading to FDT3 is a critical step to serve the best interest of the broad automation market and diverse membership looking for next generation intelligent device management solutions.” States Holger Sack, chairman of the board for PACTware consortium. “The updated PACTware 6.1 application empowers users with the flexibility to deploy their choice of device data model that now supports both FDI and FDT3 DTMs with a simple and recognizable tool to configure a wide range of field components, independent of the manufacturer or protocol deployed. This minimizes the amount of work involved, ensures application safety, and reduces training requirements.”

In addition to the new FDT3 standard that fully describes the FDT Desktop environment and FDT web-based device DTM, the standard also defines a cloud-based FDT Server environment for distributed control. The new FDT3 DTM and FDT Server are OPC UA- and -mobile ready without any coding, allowing users an easy to use and scalable migration path of OT data to IT enterprise applications.

“The PACTware consortium is a leader for products based on the FDT standard. The solution is widely deployed today as the most popular FDT Desktop point-to-point application simplifying configuration, operation, and maintenance practices,” observes Steve Biegacki, FDT Group managing director. “By supporting FDT3, PACTware 6.1 future proofs its platform and expands integration capabilities while supporting the millions of device DTMs in service today. Additionally, it creates a path for the FDT Server environment providing workforce mobility solutions, as well as data harmonization for enterprise-wide applications. This is a huge win for the industry."

@FDTGroup #PAuto 

Membership leveling up with DTM!

KSR KUEBLER is the newest member of the FDT Group™. The company is developing FDT-based Device Type Managers™ (DTMs™) for its level measurement transmitters for integration in FDT-enabled engineering workstation environments to meet customer application demands.

With over 60 years of industry experience, KSR KUEBLER’s is part of the WIKA Group headquartered in Zwingenberg (D). The company offers a worldwide network of production locations in Germany, China, India, France, GB, Brazil, Russia, and South Africa. Serving the oil & gas, power / nuclear, hygienic, pharmaceutic, and industrial machines, their level solutions offer the versatility and flexibility focused on reliable liquid measurements in tanks, storage, and process vessels, reactors, and boilers.

Customer requests for FDT DTM-based devices are common in the market. Today, millions of DTM-enabled devices are serviced by FDT-enabled engineering environments around the globe. The open architecture solution simplifies device integration, configuration and monitoring providing a unified environment for data access to all connected assets, supporting reliable operations and predictive maintenance strategies. The standard has evolved to support a platform agnostic service-oriented architecture using the FDT3 specification. The new IIoT architecture extends data access to IT/OT authenticated OPC UA, FDT, and mobile clients/device independent of the topology - protocols, networks, and device solutions simplifying asset management for the process, hybrid and discrete markets.

“A sensor is not just hardware anymore,” commented Thomas Gerling, ceo for KSR KUEBLER. “FDT Group paves the path to the IIoT future. We are thrilled to extend DTM support for our Magnetostrictive Level Transmitters that will provide near real-time level measurement used for high-accuracy continuous level detection of liquids. Requests for DTM support and certification from our customers was a driving factor in our decision to become an FDT member. We look forward to evolving our solution to meet the latest FDT3 standard to deliver mobility services with newer webUI-based DTMs.”

“Modernisation to maximize production uptime is critical to meeting industry demands,” Steve Biegacki, FDT managing director said. “FDT enables vendors with standardized software-based device DTM solutions that deliver predictive data intelligence to engineering workstations, IT/OT clients/mobile devices and other higher level applications providing operators with a comprehensive diagnostic view of the health of the device, network, and process. We are pleased to welcome KSR KUEBLER to the FDT family of leading manufacturers thriving in the market with FDT-enabled devices.”

@FDTGroup @KSR_KUEBLER @WIKANews #PAuto #Standard

Field to cloud data harmonization.

Device, system, and end users now benefit from an embedded unified environment unlocking universal device management, IT/OT convergence, data analytics, services, and mobility

The FDT Unified Environment (UE), and developer tools have been introduced by the FDT Group™. This is based on the new FDT 3.0* standard to deliver next-generation FDT industrial device management system and device solutions for field-to-cloud IT/OT data harmonization, analytics, services, and mobility based on user-driven requirements for smart manufacturing in the process, hybrid, and discrete markets.

Driven by digital transformation use cases to support new Industrial Internet of Things (IIoT) business models, the standard has evolved to include a new distributed, multi-user, FDT Server application that includes built-in and pre-wired OPC UA and Web servers enabling an FDT Unified Environment (FDT 3.x) merging IT/OT data analytics supporting service-oriented architectures. The new Server environment deployable in the cloud or on-premise delivers the same use cases and functionally as the previous generation FDT hosting environment, but now provides data storage for the whole device lifecycle at the core of the architecture allowing information modeling and data consistency to authenticated OPC UA and browser-based clients (tablets and phones) for modern accessibility to address the challenges of IIoT.

“Collaboration and data harmonization are the keys to manufacturing modernization,” said Steve Biegacki, managing director, FDT Group. "FDT UE delivers a data collaborative engineering specification and toolset to enable modern distributed control improving operations and production reliability, impacting the bottom line for new IIoT architectures. I'm proud to witness our first group of members showcasing their FDT 3.0 WebUI-based DTM prototypes mixed with 2.0 DTMs in the new Server and Desktop environments running IO-Link and HART here at Hannover Messe live and in person. To be present as a guest in the OPC Foundation booth to demonstrate field-to-cloud connectivity, OPC UA enterprise access and services along with mobile field device operation is one for industry history books. I especially want to thank Thomas Hadlich, FDT architecture and specification chairman, for leading the first FDT UE demo project; along with our front runner member companies for participating - Flowserve, Krohne, Omron, Magnetrol, Thorsis, CodeWrights, VEGA, Rockwell Automation, Turck, PACTware and M&M Software.”

FDT UE consists of FDT Server, FDT Desktop, and FDT DTM components. System and device suppliers can take a well-established standard they are familiar with and easily create and customize standards-based, data-centric, cross-platform FDT 3.0 solutions—expanding their portfolio offerings to meet requirements for next-generation industrial control applications. Each solution auto-enables OPC UA integration and allows the development team to focus on value-added features that differentiate their products, including WebUI and App support. FDT Desktop applications are fully backward compatible supporting the existing install base.

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*FDT 3.0 specification license agreements and developer toolkits are now available on the FDT website.

@FDTGroup #PAuto #Standard #IT/OT #HM22

Testing automated and streamlined.

FDT Group™ has announced that all FDT Accredited Test Sites are equipped with the new FDT 3.0 dtmINSPECTOR5 test tool and are ready to accept new FDT 3.0 device DTMs for testing and certification.

The launch of the updated FDT 3.0 DTM certification process and supporting dtmINSPECTOR5 test tool has been finalized, allowing instrument suppliers to streamline development, testing, and certification to bring new web based DTMs to market. FDT 3.0 Web User Interface (UI)-based DTMs support next-generation monitoring and optimization practices by empowering standardized IT/OT data access to any authenticated client or mobile device, thus improving production workflow initiatives.

FDT DTM certification to the FDT 3.0 specification and UI is a process whereby rigorous compliance testing using dtmINSPECTOR5 ensures the viability of the states of the DTM; its correct installation, de-installation and multi-user environment capability; mandatory and optional user interface functionality and robustness; network scanning communication performance and the ability to import and export the topology; and the audit trail capability.

“Unlike previous versions of the standard, FDT 3.0 DTMs are required to be certified, while also meeting both specification and UI Style Guide conformance,” said James Loh, FDT Group test and certification chairman. “Compliant FDT 3.0 DTMs allow open access to intelligent devices and the myriad of information available from those devices, networks, and processes. End users will benefit from the new generation of DTMs as they provide monitoring optimization capabilities, including uniform data and NE107 status alerts to the user interface that employs a responsive design focused on mobilizing secure remote access independent of the device, system, browser, operating system, etc.”

The key to FDT 3.0-compliant DTM development is the use of FDT Group’s Common Components and dtmINSPECTOR5 toolkits. Toolkit licensing is required and provides all the standard code needed to meet FDT 3.0 specification conformance including OPC Unified Architecture (UA) capabilities, allowing developers to focus on value-add parameter profile customizations. Additionally, Common Components provides a fast way for development teams to view DTMs in an FDT hosting (Desktop or Server) application and understand the communication flow between them. With the toolkit’s WebUI, they can see how different DTMs work together across various machines and operating systems. The use of dtmINSPECTOR5 enables developers to run internal tests to identify technical issues prior to submitting their DTM to an independent test site for certification. The test site uses the same version of the tool to run conformance test cases and generate a report on their results.

Once a DTM is developed and has met all the mandatory testing and compliance requirements with a FDT Accredited Test Site, the certification files are compressed, digitally signed, and submitted via a private channel to the FDT Group Certification Office. The FDT Group uploads Certified FDT 3.0 DTMs to the FDThub repository for convenient storage and management. This repository, which can be hosted in the cloud or on-premise, is the result of user-driven demand for a single location to find certified DTMs and updates. The FDThub leverages the workflow from independent test centers to the FDT Group certification office so that all certified DTMs are automatically uploaded to the repository and made readily available to the end user community. This solution eliminates work for the vendor and is a key benefit stemming from the mandatory DTM certification process.

@FDTGroup #PAuto #TandM

Network/device integration and asset promoter appoints MD.

Glenn Schulz, who has held the role of Managing Director of the FDT Group™ for 13 years, announced his retirement with effect at the end of 2021 earlier this year. Steve Biegacki has now been named as his successor and will begin the transition immediately, joining the organization as Vice President of Marketing from 1 November 2021, to undertake strategy, planning and collaborative work alongside existing leadership and working groups to ensure a seamless transition assuming the Managing Director role on 1 January 2022.

Steve Biegacki 

“I am very excited to join the FDT Group leadership team at a pivotal time for both industry and organization,” Biegacki commented. “My passion for industrial automation and industrial communication is evident. I know automation - customers’ wants and needs, suppliers and applications for the motion, discrete, process and safety markets. For my entire career, I have created alignment through building relationships and collaborating; and I’m thrilled to return to the standards-based community, working with FDT Group’s members and partners to drive a holistic approach to visionary manufacturing excellence focused on advanced automation initiatives.”

Biegacki’s 30+ year career has been in leadership roles working in and with manufacturing companies in the areas of sales, marketing, and business management developing and implementing strategies to deliver market awareness and growth. He was involved in the design, manufacturing, and delivery of technologies and solutions. Most recently, Biegacki has served as Director, Management Advisory Services for BDO, collaborating with industry clients to help them improve their business by helping them understand their market and opportunities, creation of goals and action plans, and KPI’s to measure progress and provide feedback, to ensure planned outcomes. Prior roles include CEO at Kramer Electronics, Vice President of Global Sales and Marketing at Belden and Vice President of Global Commercial Marketing at Rockwell Automation. At Rockwell Automation he was also the Business Manager that led the creation, development and delivery of a single international networking standard known as CIP, the underlying protocol of DeviceNet®, ControlNet® and EtherNet/IP®.

“Steve is the ideal leader to achieve win-win outcomes for FDT Group through global partnerships and collaboration energizing harmonization in a time of revolutionary transformation for the automation industry,” said Lee Lane, chairman of the FDT board of directors. “We believe his expertise, knowledge and passion for industry, matched with FDT’s unifying position, will lead to continuous visionary focus; as we pass the baton to seamlessly deliver FDT 3.0, the platform for innovation empowering the intelligent enterprise.”

Biegacki resides in the United States. He received a Bachelor of Science degree in Electrical Engineering Technology from Electronic Technology Institute in Cleveland, Ohio and participated in the Executive MBA program at Case Western Reserve University in Cleveland, Ohio.

@FDTGroup #Pauto #Communications #Standards

Architecture and specification approved.

FDT Group™ and OPC Foundation have announced their memberships have approved the update to the FDT OPC Unified Architecture (UA) companion specification (CS). The new specification launches the only protocol-agnostic, server-level, universal Device Information (DI) Model for both process and discrete manufacturing applications, empowering next-generation, open automation FDT architectures.

The updated FDT OPC UA companion specification is a key technology development unifying data for both IT and OT while enabling the transmission of uniform, real-time process, network, and device information for any OPC UA Client in the enterprise.

FDT Server-based distributed architectures with a built-in, “pre-wired” OPC UA Server seamlessly allow access to all device and network information and metadata via any authenticated OPC UA Client or application. Standard OPC UA browsing techniques are used to expose this information so that authorized OPC UA Clients can connect to the FDT Server to browse, collect, and act on the data as needed. Optional support for a Publish-Subscribe environment allows for efficient, real-time data monitoring and exchange.

“The new companion specification matches the strengths of the FDT 3.0 IIoT platform by harmonizing IT/OT data access for any OPC UA Client supporting smart manufacturing practices,” said Thomas Hadlich, chairman of FDT architecture and specification. “Based on the new OPC UA ‘System Architecture’ template, the updated CS now references OPC UA for Device 1.01 and supports new process device data along with mapping for protocol support files as outlined in FDT 3.0. These important use cases, driven by the automation industry, meet the FDT 3.0 Server architecture requirements and have been strengthened by mapping of Device Type Manager [DTM] static functions and by describing I/O signals for configuration and observation of production process and/or of device performance. The enhancements included in the universal information model will drive industrial automation monitoring and visualization optimization for the enterprise.”

Since 2011, FDT Group and OPC Foundation have collaborated in support of a unified DI model to promote device- and network-level data access in a uniform way for higher-level enterprise applications. The two organizations first announced the release of their joint DI model companion specification in 2016 based on the FDT 2.0 client/server architecture, and as of today, FDT 3.0 Server distributed architectures are supported by a new server-level universal DI model enabling end users to freely mix and match any device with any device information model, from any vendor, and communicate on any network while the FDT Server transparently unifies all the device information and pushes the data to the enterprise for any OPC UA Client in real-time.

“Without interoperability and reliable information, we can’t open automation to innovation,” said Jim Luth, OPC Foundation CTO. “Both OPC Foundation and FDT Group are key industry organizations and leaders in their respective IT and OT interoperability and data domains. Harmonization introduced via the collaborative universal device information model in the new FDT OPC UA companion specification solidifies IT/OT convergence and the path opening automation innovation for both the process and discrete markets. The result empowers a data-centric powerhouse core for any application, allowing the industry to evolve manufacturing best practices with a service-oriented architecture securing the exchange of data to effectively make use of valuable information.”

FDT’s secure, data-centric platform runs behind the scenes at the core of any automation architecture, harmonizing technologies, solutions, and people for today’s infrastructure and tomorrow’s intelligent enterprise. Visualization capabilities with the Universal DI Model are closely aligned with the requirements of major end user associations and their recommendations for an open architecture to make production data easily and securely usable for asset monitoring and optimization. These collaborative efforts supporting new FDT 3.0 architectures are another example of technologies, solutions, and people working together to help achieve a brighter future in industrial manufacturing.

See: IIoT platform enables uniform IT/OT data access to enterprises. (10/06/2021)

@FDTGroup @OPCFoundation #PAuto

Valve company to develop DTMs meeting industrial application demand.

Valtek Sulamericana (VALTEKSUL), a developer of mainland control valves, is the newest member of the FDT Group™. The company will be developing Device Type Managers™ (DTMs™) for its valve positioners to meet customer application demands.

Founded in 1979 in São Paulo, Brazil, VALTEKSUL serves the oil & gas, mining, pulp & paper, power, chemical and petrochemical industries and has received market recognition for the design, geometry, and shape that differentiates its control valve line in the commercial market. VALTEKSUL’s control valves for industrial processes and co-generation power plants are used worldwide.

End user requests for FDT device DTMs is a common trend in the industrial automation marketplace, and especially for critical actuator device types, where a single device can bring a process to a halt due to malfunction.

“Uptime is key in today’s industrial environment where demand is high and downtime leads to major losses,” Glenn Schulz, FDT managing director said. “FDT DTMs provide the smarts for any process or discrete device, providing operators with a comprehensive diagnostic view of the health of the device, network, and process. We are pleased to welcome VALTEKSUL to the FDT family of leading manufacturers flourishing in the market with FDT-enabled devices.”

“Application requirements for DTM support for our control valve family used both domestically in Brazil and internationally was a driving factor in our decision to become an FDT member,” commented Daniel Andrade, technical coordinator for VALTEKSUL. “We look forward to offering the standardized and enhanced technical benefits of FDT DTMs along with customized parameter functions that match our differentiation philosophies. The result will be a superior solution for our customer applications across the diversified automation markets.”

From planning, configuration, and commissioning to diagnostics and maintenance, the FDT DTM is the sole intelligent device software-based driver that empowers plant and factory operators with seamless access to industrial lifecycle functions and device data. This includes online and offline configuration capabilities from any FDT-enabled hosting environment (e.g., desktop, PLC, asset management application) and holds true for both on-premises and remote access depending on the setup and needs of the application. Millions of DTMs are currently in use around the globe.

@FDTGroup #VALTEKSUL #PAuto #Brazil

IIoT solutions empowering the intelligent enterprise.

FDT Group™ has released of a new video describing open automation transformation enabled by next generation FDT 3.0 Industrial Internet of Things (IIoT) solutions.

The FDT 3.0 distributive platform is accelerating the evolutionary journey into the Fourth Industrial Revolution with its newly released, data-centric, server-based architecture empowering IT/OT harmonization and web services mobilizing the industrial workforce. FDT 3.0 is a completely platform-independent, single-server, cloud-based solution offering the freedom to use innovation to support new and existing manufacturing infrastructure through a smart, connected ecosystem of integrated machines and devices for the process, hybrid, and discrete industries.

FDT Group’s new video explains FDT 3.0’s unique position in the industrial automation marketplace and how it is helping to meet emerging IIoT and Industry 4.0 automation requirements.

“Innovation doesn’t come from one technology, one solution, or one person; instead, it’s a collaborative result of technologies, solutions, and people working together with an innovative mindset supporting a great mission,” said Glenn Schulz, FDT Group managing director. “That’s just what our organization and collaborative technology standard does, and what our video demonstrates. FDT’s secure, data-centric platform runs behind the scenes at the core of any automation architecture, harmonizing technologies, solutions, and people for today’s infrastructure and tomorrow’s intelligent enterprise.”

FDT 3.0 Server- and FDT 3.0 DTM-based architectures securely unlock open automation transformation employing a natively integrated OPC Unified Architecture (OPC UA) Server for enterprise access to IT/OT real-time device data and a Web Server mobilizing field device operation with browser access for modern asset management practices. FDT 3.0 Desktop environments ensure backwards compatibility, allowing the industry to freely mix and match different generations of DTMs and other device representations utilizing familiar, user-friendly device management interfaces. The standard employs robust, multi-layered security to safeguard critical automation information and operating data.

With the updated FDT 3.0 standard, the FDT solution has become platform independent by transitioning the fundamental technology on which it is built from the Windows based .NET Framework to an open .NET Core as well as HTML5 and JavaScript. The use of these underlying technologies allows FDT to empower the intelligent enterprise with innovative business models supporting the new era of automation.

@FDTGroup @indsource #Pauto #IIoT

IIoT platform enables uniform IT/OT data access to enterprises.

The FDT Group™ has announced that in cooperation with the OPC Foundation it has developed an update to the FDT OPC Unified Architecture (UA) companion specification merging the IT and OT domains within a new server-level Universal Device Information (DI) Model. The companion specification is now under member review with both associations for 90 days.

Since 2011, FDT Group and OPC Foundation have collaborated in support of a unified DI model to promote device- and network-level data access in a uniform way for higher-level enterprise applications. The two organizations first announced the release of their joint DI model companion specification in 2016 based on the FDT 2.0 Client/Server architecture. However, to meet the demands of next-generation, cloud-based computing applications, the companion specification has been updated to support digital transformation use cases matching the strengths of the FDT’s 3.0 IIoT Server platform, which unifies the availability, transport and visualization of data for business and operational stakeholders in the process, hybrid and discrete automation markets. It is a key technology development unifying data for both IT and OT while enabling the transmission of uniform, real-time process, network, and device information for any OPC UA Client in the enterprise.

“The new FDT OPC UA server-level universal DI model further unifies FDT’s strength as the standardized, data-centric IIoT platform serving uniform IT/OT device-data to the enterprise,” said Glenn Schulz, FDT Group managing director. “With the launch of the FDT 3.0 Server architecture natively integrated with an OPC UA Server, end users in the process, hybrid and discrete automation markets can freely mix and match any device with any device information model, from any vendor, and communicate on any network while the FDT Server transparently unifies all the device information and pushes the data to the enterprise for any OPC UA Client in real-time. This is an important win for the industry.”

Launching mid-year after approval by both FDT Group and OPC Foundation memberships, the new companion specification will provide the only protocol-agnostic, server-level device information model for both process and discrete applications. With the built-in, “pre-wired” OPC UA Server, the FDT Server environment seamlessly allows access to all device and network information and metadata via any authenticated OPC UA Client or application. Standard OPC UA browsing techniques are used to expose this information so that authorized OPC UA Clients can connect to the FDT Server to browse, collect and take action on the data as needed. Optional support for a Publish-Subscribe environment allows for efficient, real-time data monitoring and exchange.

Plant and factory operators require proven asset management monitoring solutions. Visualization capabilities with the Universal DI Model are closely aligned with the requirements of major end user associations and their recommendations for an open architecture to make production data easily and securely usable for plant and asset monitoring and optimization.

@FDTGroup @OPCFoundation #PAuto 

Retirement announced.

FDT Group™ has announced that its managing director, Glenn Schulz, is to retire at the end of 2021 after more than 12 years in his current role. The FDT Board of Directors is currently seeking a replacement to ensure a seamless transition in its leadership position.

Glen Schulz

Schulz joined the FDT Group as managing director in June 2009. Most recently, he was the managing director and vice president of engineering at Dorner. He previously served as an executive at Rockwell Automation with responsibility for its asset management software and security businesses.

Schulz was instrumental in establishing the legal, non-profit structure of the FDT Group, which culminated with incorporation in Belgium as an AISBL. His retirement marks the end of a 40-year career in the industrial automation business with roles spanning engineering management, product management, marketing, sales and executive level positions as well as patents awarded in the fields of asset management and cryptography.

“Glenn has been a tremendous leader for our global, standards-based organization for nearly 13 years,” said Lee Lane, chairman of the FDT Board of Directors. “He has led and evolved the organization, our standards and our technology solutions through the latest FDT 3.0 IIoT Server architecture and ecosystem. His leadership has positioned FDT to innovate manufacturing automation for both legacy Brownfield applications and new smart factory environments supporting IIoT and Industrie 4.0. We are appreciative of his dedication, strong leadership style and passion for open technology innovation in the industrial marketspace.”

@FDTGroup #PAuto #IIoT #Industry4

Manufacture of automation of continuous and/or fast processes joins open standard group.

GP Systems GmbH has joined FDT Group as a corporate member. Based in Kassel (D), with representation in India, Eastern Europe, the Balkans, North and South America, GP Systems specializes in development of hardware and software for automation of continuous and/or fast processes supporting optimal control technologies.

GP Systems assists the power, oil and gas, petrochemical, metallurgical, and utilities industries, providing a complete product line for process automation. This includes systems meeting requirement for fast response of the control action, distributed architectures, and systems with a large number of input/output (I/O) channels requiring fast response and redundancy.

FDT technology is recognized as the global de-facto device and network integration standard seamlessly deployed independent of platform, system, device, or network. FDT-enabled applications are widely serviced by tens of thousands of FDT-enabled systems and millions of FDT Device Type Managers™ (FDT/DTMs™) delivering a single, uniform, data-centric asset management approach to simplify operations.

“We see an increasing demand for FDT-enabled solutions providing transparent configuration and monitoring of field devices. To improve the satisfaction of the clients using Regul controllers in their projects, we decided to develop a software gateway DTM for FDT-based hosting environments such as, for example, PACTware,” stated Kirill Gorbushin, managing director of GP Systems GmbH. “This will bring a convenient configuration, operation and maintenance of the field equipment through a standardized user interface and regardless of the manufacturer, device type or communication protocol.”

FDT Group Managing Director Glenn Schulz welcomed GP Systems as the organization’s newest member. “GP-Systems GmbH’s corporate membership status and immediate interest in development and deployment of FDT-compliant solutions demonstrates FDT’s strength to meet industry-driven demands for advancement in open standard automation initiatives.”

• FDT Group’s mission is 100 percent driven by a membership-elected Board of Directors supported by industry feedback. Over the years, the FDT standard has evolved from a single-user desktop solution (FDT 1.2) to a client/server architecture with OPC UA (FDT 2.0), and it now offers a FDT Server distributed platform (FDT 3.0) natively integrated with an OPC UA Server and Web Server standardizing client and mobile access within the IIoT ecosystem. The vision to deliver a standardized, FDT IIoT data-centric platform is now innovating the way automation architectures connect and communicate in process, hybrid and discrete manufacturing, including motion control applications.
FDT Group membership offers unique business benefits enabled by the innovative FDT IIoT ecosystem, to support development and service offerings delivered and utilized by the entire industrial automation industry, including end users, suppliers/developers, service providers, universities, and individuals. 

@FDTGroup @GPSystemsGmbH #PAuto #Automation

Versatile device management wizard.

The FieldMate® device management software has been significantly enhanced by Yokogawa. It is releasing this as FieldMate R3.02 later this week. FieldMate is a versatile software program used to configure, adjust, and manage a wide variety of field devices used in factories and other production sites. This latest version of FieldMate includes new functions that reduce maintenance workload by simplifying a number of field maintenance tasks.

Field Device Tool (FDT)
FDT is a standard communications interface that links control systems with field devices such as pressure transmitters and flowmeters. It was developed and is promoted by the FDT Group, a non-profit organization. Device Type Manager (DTM) is an FDT-based device driver that is provided by device and control system vendors.

They will also release an enhanced version of FieldMate Validator®, an optional software tool that is used to verify connections between field instruments and control system I/O devices.

Targeted at process industries such as oil, petrochemicals, chemicals, pulp and paper, pharmaceuticals, foods, and iron and steel the applications include the configuration, adjustment, and troubleshooting of transmitters, analysers, and other types of field devices in plants, and the management of information on these devices

Development Background
Digital communications standards are playing an increasingly important role in communications between plant central control systems and field devices. With a number of digital communication standards in use today, plants often have devices from multiple vendors that use different standards. Software tools are thus required that have the versatility to configure, adjust, and manage these devices.

With its support of a variety of digital communication standards and its ability to configure, adjust, and manage a variety of devices from different manufacturers, FieldMate is up to this challenge. This latest update makes FieldMate even easier to use and improves the efficiency of field maintenance operations.

Enhancements
Previous FieldMate versions could run on Windows® 7 PCs and tablets. FieldMate release 3.02 can now be used on PCs and tablets running Microsoft’s latest operating system, Windows 10. This is particularly significant because Windows 7 and 10 tablets are increasingly being used in the field by maintenance personnel.

Additional key new features of FieldMate R3.02 are as follows:
1. One-click (touch) operation for complex procedures
Dedicated buttons have been added to the FieldMate home screen for frequently performed field device maintenance tasks such as zero point adjustments and input loop checks. This simplifies complex tasks such as the checking of settings for field devices that formerly required users to navigate to data at several different levels. This greatly improves maintenance efficiency. Linked tasks include the following:

• Zero point adjustment: This procedure is performed to correct for an error in the value displayed by a field device that is often the result of an environmental factor or the device orientation. Zero point adjustment can be performed for a Yokogawa differential pressure/pressure transmitter by simply connecting the FieldMate R3.02 PC or tablet to the target device and clicking (touching) the ‘Zero Point Adjustment’ button.
• Input loop check: This verifies that device signals are being received by the controllers and the control system. Previously, depending on the device that was being tested, different procedures needed to be followed to perform this test. Regardless of device model or make, all it takes with FieldMate R3.02 is to click (touch) the ‘Input Loop Check’ Support button to output a loop check signal from a device. With FieldMate R3.02, the output signal can also be easily set to the desired level to create a test pattern, which can be saved and retrieved. Compared to a conventional handheld terminal, this function reduces work time by one third.

2. Easy comparison with past settings
FieldMate can save parameters such as field device settings in a database. With FieldMate R3.02, it is possible to compare current values and previous settings for a parameter by just pressing the ‘All Parameters’ button on the home screen. This function is useful for verifying changes made by field maintenance personnel and for troubleshooting problems.

3. FieldMate Validator
FieldMate Validator is an optional software tool that is used to verify the connections between newly installed field instruments and control system I/O devices. This product was first made available for use with the N-IO (Network-I/O) field I/O devices that were introduced for the Yokogawa CENTUM VP R6.01 integrated production control system. With this latest release, FieldMate Validator now supports the I/O devices that were developed to facilitate quick upgrades to CENTUM VP R6.03.

@YokogawaIA  #PAuto #FDT