A Milestone is Reached: Why Everyone is Talking about FDI

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Not just for Endress+Hauser, this meant they had to create, test, and manage many different EDDs for each device type, and all this without the user having benefited at all from it. “With FDI we are promised a dramatic reduction in this EDD variety, especially through the development of reference software components,” added Birkhofer. In short, he is calling for “one device — one device package.”

Time Frame for Further FDI Development

PI Chairman Schneider is hoping for as many FDI-compatible devices as possible in the market in the next two years. Ultimately, the critical issue for users is when the first devices will be ready for use. Schneider is optimistic: “The implementation of the FDI packages should take place relatively quickly. For EDDL-based devices, in particular, adaptation to the harmonized EDDL is all that is still needed, and we have developed tools for that.” Besides the FDI packages, the host system manufacturers, of course, still have to implement the support in their hosts.

ABB is figuring on a few months. There are already initial prototypes that have demonstrated their functionality. “We have made the host components available for the device manufacturers. The next step is for as many devices as possible to be developed and tested in parallel so that we quickly have a wide base in the field. Users are also in demand here.” Kilian does not expect any major surprises during field testing. “FDI is very mature technically — precisely because of the intensive collaboration of manufacturers and users.”

Insight in the Current Discussion

User Pelz is calm as a start about the timing of the implementation. “To outsiders, it may appear that the process should have happened faster. But if you were involved in the process, you were very aware of how much extra work was done, such as for harmonization of the EDDLs.

But the quality ultimately reflects this, and the impact of the user is positive.” Other aspects are more important to him: His wish would be to have a central location where complete certified FDI packages can be downloaded. And, he hopes that system manufacturers are aware of the great responsibility they now have to further develop their systems.

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