To improve overall performance, troubleshoot out-of-margin conditions and minimize downtime, manufacturers worldwide rely on intelligent field instrumentation to measure process variables, such as temperature, pressure and level. Every decision made is based on the accuracy of these measurements. Two perennial conditions, however, often stand in the way to gathering timely and consistent diagnostic data. First, instrumentation often requires using vendor-specific software, forcing engineers to be familiar with numerous environments, tools and optimizing features. Second, many devices and business systems operate on different fieldbuses, creating the need for special hardware and expertise for even basic data sharing.
The need to vary device integration techniques based on protocol or vendor implementation creates higher learning curves, added installation costs and an increased mean time to repair. To improve plant productivity and people effectiveness, users need the flexibility to use best-of-breed devices and connect them to their control system of choice.
Field Device Tool (FDT) technology bridges the requirements for factory and process automation -- standardizing the communication interface between field devices and control systems and eliminating the barriers to information. The key feature of the technology is its independence from the communication protocol and the software environment of the device/host system. EtherNet/IP™, HART, PROFIBUS PA, FOUNDATION Fieldbus and DeviceNet™ are among more than 15 networks currently supported by FDT.
Using FDT technology embedded in process control systems like the Rockwell Automation PlantPAx™ process automation system, manufacturers leveraging devices from multiple vendors using multiple networks can use a single asset management solution to set and drill down into configuration parameters for each device. This provides access to data for higher-level applications, decreases integration costs, improves operational and maintenance efficiency, and optimizes plant assets.
