Austin, TX, June 12, 2018 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- FieldComm Group (www.fieldcommgroup.org) announces that ABB, Emerson, and Schneider Electric have successfully completed the requirements for registration of an FDI device package for a field instrument.
FieldComm Group has also launched the (www.Ask4FDI.com) microsite to provide education on the benefits of FDI and assist users in specifying FDI for upcoming projects. Product demonstrations of key features of FDI including cloud connectivity will be highlighted at this year’s ACHEMA fair where FieldComm Group will be exhibiting in Hall 11.0 Stand E44.
Registered FDI Products
The first wave of registered products represents just the beginning of broad support and adoption of FDI integration technology. ABB has registered their TZIDC digital positioner with HART protocol. Their package includes a user manual and registration diploma. Micro Motion registered their 5700 Configurable I/O Coriolis Flowmeter with HART Protocol. Their package includes a user manual, datasheet, and registration diploma. Schneider Electric registered their IGP/IAP/IDP series Pressure Transmitter with FOUNDATION Fieldbus protocol. Their package includes a registration diploma. More information on each of these products can be found on FieldComm Group’s Registered Product catalog.
Why FDI Matters
As the process industries continue to go through a digital transformation, IIoT and Industrie 4.0 become an inherent aspect of modern process and user demand for integrated systems and components rise dramatically. For this “system of tomorrow” to operate reliably and effectively, users must be able to easily integrate all elements of their facilities to take advantage of the digital data that automation protocols like FOUNDATION Fieldbus and HART (including WirelessHART) provide.
“Some have questioned whether automation protocols are becoming obsolete because of the Industrial Internet of Things, but it’s actually the opposite effect,” said Ted Masters, President and CEO, FieldComm Group. “Users are not going to rip out equipment from a functioning plant that is reliable and operating under extremely high uptime demands. Process industries have very specific requirements and because of those, existing protocols are not going away. Instead, we are seeing a desire for a standardized way to integrate devices and systems so that users have more control over where and how they get their information.”
Benefits Provided to Users
Users continue to look for efficiencies and cost savings at their plants through reduced lifecycle costs, simplified ease of use, and most importantly, open systems. FDI’s benefits are broad and applicable to various plant personnel disciplines including:
- C-Suite – Built in data security and Cloud Access to plant performance information
- Plant Managers – Simplified system maintenance, device integration, and reduced risk associate with upgrades
- Operators – Standardized offline configuration, secure remote access
- IT – Built in data security, upgrades and enhancements applied without system reboot, and push notification capabilities for updates
- Instrumentation Specialists – Easy device replacement, support for proprietary protocols, and anytime anywhere access to latest device files.
Ensuring Functionality and Integration
As the IIoT and Industrie 4.0 continues growing and the industrial world becomes hyper-connected with cheaper and cheaper sensor points, it is going to become extremely important for devices and systems to work well together and function as intended. Users must be able to rely on the sensors, their measurements, and their ability to get that information across plant systems. For these reasons, and many more, users demand more and more that devices go through official testing and registration by FieldComm Group to have some level of assurance that the devices will work in their facility.
Achim Laubenstein, Director – Integration Technology, adds, “The ability to integrate many different systems, protocols, and networks will play a huge part in the IIoT. FDI is a solution to integrate these systems in an open scalable way.” Sean Vincent, Director of Technical Services for FieldComm Group, states “By providing a single-source, vendor-neutral environment for suppliers to submit FDI-enabled products, FieldComm Group helps ensure robust solutions that give users confidence in a vendor’s ability to interoperate with other systems and devices on the same network. We encourage and welcome any and all suppliers to submit their products for testing and registration with us.”
To submit for registration or learn more about the official testing and registration process, visit http://support.fieldcommgroup.org.