FDI (Field Device Integration)

Standardized Access to Field Devices

Overview

In today’s automation systems field devices from many different manufacturers have to be integrated resulting in effort for installation, version management and device operation. This challenge can only be faced with an open and standardized device integration. During the last years the FDI (Field Device Integration) organization has specified a standard architecture for device integration that is based on IEC 61804 – Electronic Device Description Language (EDDL) for the description of devices and OPC UA.

TYPICAL USE-CASES INCLUDE

  • the interaction between FDI Clients and FDI Servers
  • the integration of new communication protocols (so-called FDI communication servers)
  • access to device information by non FDI-aware OPC UA Clients, like archiving tools, maintenance tools, asset management, MES or ERP systems.FDI-graphic1

Technical content

The FDI information model defines how the information of a field device – described by an EDD document – is mapped to OPC UA Objects, Methods and Variables. It is mainly based on the OPC UA for Devices specification; in fact most of the OPC UA for Devices model has been driven by FDI requirements.

In addition to the device model, FDI also defines, how communication topologies of the automation system by representing the entire communication infrastructure shall be represented in an OPC UA AddressSpace.

The comprehensive set of services provided by OPC UA enables the “how” of system integration.

The FDI communication server information model is used for integration of non-native field protocols and as such supports the integration of communication with devices in heterogeneous hierarchical networks and the use of any communication hardware.

FDI-graphic2

 

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About FDI