Namur General Meeting – A Robust Core Process Control System Is a Platform For Innovation

In Bad Neuenahr, the use of FDI Device Packages to integrate field devices, which use different communication technologies (Foundation Fieldbus, Hart and Profibus) and were made by different manufacturers, was demonstrated for the first time. The devices were integrated into an ABB process control system, and the demonstration included typical application scenarios such as parameterization, configuration, diagnostics and maintenance. The system uses prototype standard FDI host components developed by FDI Cooperation. The prototypes provide a basis for verifying the FDI concept, running trials on standard host components and demonstrating FDI functionality. Achim Laubenstein, Executive Director of FDI Cooperation, went into greater detail on the technical aspects in a FlipView Interview.

This is a major step forward on the road to simplified integration. The first draft of the FDI specification is expected to be published at the end of 2011. The FDI conformity strategies should be finalized by the middle of 2012. FDI Cooperation plans to have the FDI standard host components including the EDD Engine and the User Interface (UI) Engine ready by the end of 2012. Five of the largest interest groups, the FDT Group, Fieldbus Foundation, the HART Communication Foundation, PROFIBUS & PROFINET International and the OPC Foundation, recently announced that working within the framework of FDI Coooperation, LLC (a limited liability company under US law), they intend to step up efforts to establish a common, uniform solution for field device integration (FDI). In a FlipView Interview, Hans-Georg Kumpfmüller who is the Chairman of the Executive Board at newly formed FDI Cooperation talked about the current status of the FDI project and his long-term vision for device integration.

Control system technology continues to evolve, and change does not stop at Namur’s doorstep. After nine years, Dr. Norbert Kuschnerus will be stepping down as Chairman, and Dr. Wilhelm Otten from Evonik will be taking over that role. In addition, Dr. Fankhäusel (BASF) and Dr. Thomas Tauchnitz (Sanofi Aventis) will be joining the Board.

Namur will continue to drive the internationalization process, and cooperation with the European user organizations has been strengthened to support these efforts. Close links were established with WIB (International Instrument User's Association) in Holland in 1998. The network was extended to include EMUA (Engineering Equipment and Materials Users' Association) in the UK in 2010 and EXERA (Association des Exploitants d'Equipements de Mesure, de Régulation et d'Automatisme) in France in 2011. In countries that do not have user organizations of this type (for example China), Namur is setting up its own organizations. Seven Working Groups are already up and running in China. The Chinese Namur Conference, which will be held this year on November 23rd - 24th in Shanghai, is already a firm fixture on the event calendar.

Areas which will be addressed over the next few years include wireless automation, automation system modularization, security and HMI. In addition, process management in the biotechnology industry will be another major theme.