Integration Technology
for Process Automation

ask4FDI.com

WHY ASK FOR FDI?
FDI solves the problem of integrating field devices with themultitude of networks, operatingsystems, and control systems
used in the process industries.
It has been developed and is
supported by the automationindustry’s leading technology
foundations and suppliers toaddress these needs.

THE SIGNATURE SLOGAN OF
FDI - WHAT DOES IT MEAN?
FDI standardizes the packaging
and distribution of software andtools. Host systems need only
one FDI Device Package per
device type per protocol to successfully integrate each device.

IS FDI A NEW PROTOCOL?
No! FDI is an integration technology. Specifically, it is a featureof a host system (an asset manager, configuration tool, DCS,etc.) that brings standardization
to device installation and configuration.
DOES FDI SUPPORT HART AND
OTHER PROTOCOLS?
Yes! FDI includes native supportfor HART, WirelessHART,FOUNDATION Fieldbus,PROFIBUS, PROFINET andISA100 Wireless.

FDI brings standardization to thepackaging and distribution of all
the software and tools necessary to integrate a device with ahost system.
FDI combines the advantagesof FDT™ with those of EDDL intoa single scalable solution andprovides benefits for users, field
instrument device suppliers,
control system manufacturers,
and host system developers.

WATCH VIDEO

A physical device is virtualized
in software as an FDI Device
Package. An FDI Device
Package is a single file (*.fdix)
which contains all the device
information including device
definitions, user interface plugins, certificates, device manuals
and other components that are
essential for managing the fielddevice in the plant.
Therefore, "ONE Device - ONE
Package - ALL Tools".

WATCH VIDEO

Other protocols, like HART-IP,EtherNet/IP, Modbus TCP, andpractically any proprietary protocol can work with an FDI hostthrough a specialized softwaremodule called a Communication
Server.

WATCH VIDEOSTATE-OF-THE-ART SECURITY
FDI technology deploys stateof-the-art security measures tomitigate possible threat vectors
in the process industry.
An FDI Device Package is asophisticated and standardized
container with all the components required to describe a fielddevice. There are two digital
signatures applied to each FDI
Device Package to ensure its
authenticity and integrity - one by
the manufacturer and the otherby FieldComm Group.

THE AUTHORITATIVE SOURCEFOR REGISTERED DEVICE
PACKAGES
The core of device revision
management lies in keeping thesystem and handheld fieldcommunicator aligned with thelatest devices and revisions.

FDI: BUILDING BLOCK OFDIGITAL TRANSFORMATION
Industrial Internet of Things (IIoT)
and Industrie 4.0 are redefining
manufacturing at an unmatchedlevel of efficiency, productivity
and performance. IIoT brings
together intelligent devices,advanced analytics, and people
at work; its services run in thecloud and interact with physicaldevices via virtual representatives – all with the aim of creating valuable process insights.

Problems arise when multiple,
non-standardized sources, fordevice drivers are available.

FDI technology’s security isenabled at multiple levels andundergoes rigorous testing andregistration to ensure its safety
from unauthorized access andtampering.

WATCH VIDEO

The solution is the FDI
Package Repository - a single
cloud based distribution source
for registered FDI Device
Packages, irrespective ofvendors and protocols.

WATCH VIDEO

The FDI standard lays thefoundation for system-wide
interoperability and seamless
communication via cloud services. FDI-Cloud integration will
help in remote data visualization
to increase the transparency inasset performance monitoringand optimization of business
operations across the globe.

WATCH VIDEOFDI STANDARDIZESOFFLINE CONFIGURATIONFIELDCOMM GROUPREGISTERED PRODUCTS

FDI PRODUCTS FROMMEMBER COMPANIESCommissioning is a criticalphase in the plant life cycle. In
many cases the commissioning phase, when done correctly,
can help a project get backon schedule after it has fallen
behind. It is essential that thequality, integrity and functionality of the systems be verified ateach stage of commissioning.

FieldComm Group has been registering instruments, systems
and infrastructure for conformance to the HART andFOUNDATION Fieldbus protocols for nearly twenty years.
Registered products undergo
rigorous testing to assure
conformance to the mandatory
features of the respective protocol specifications.

The FDI Products section on
ask4FDI.com spotlights FDI
products from FieldComm Group
member companies. While theFieldComm Group registry(fieldcommgroup.org/registered-products) features only
registered products, this section
displays products that are bothregistered and not registered, butavailable on the market today.

In the past, there was no standardized root menu available in
the DD for offline configurationand no specific way to determine
the download parameters.

With standardization of the rootmenu for offline configuration in
FDI, the device developer chooses the set of device parameters
and their download order toremove inter-dependencies.

WATCH VIDEO© 2019 FieldComm Group

FieldComm Group’s ProductRegistry is a searchable registry of registered FDI, HART andFOUNDATION Fieldbus products
from a multitude of manufacturers and categories. Productsthat carry the registration markhave been tested in the FieldComm Group lab to ensure conformance to the standards forinteroperability and functionality
regardless of manufacturer.

REGISTEREDPRODUCTS

FDI PRODUCTS