The Fieldbus Foundation (FF) announced that FDI Cooperation LLC's field device integration (FDI) specification and FDI developer toolkits are available to beta test participants, enabling additional automation suppliers to prepare for developing products and host systems compatible with FDI. In November 2013, the specification and developer toolkits were released to selected companies, but now all Fieldbus Foundation
member companies licensed to use Foundation developer toolkits are eligible to participate. Final FDI developer tools are scheduled to be released in Q3 2014. Coinciding with the NAMUR annual meeting in November 2013, the FDI specification and the latest electronic device description language (EDDL) specifications were handed over to the International Electrotechnical Commission (IEC) for the next important phase—the committee draft for vote—in the international standardization process. FDI will be included in the emerging standard IEC 62769.At the core of the specification is the FDI device package that includes everything a host system needs to integrate an intelligent device. A single FDI device package that can scale according to the complexities and requirements of each device represents individual instruments.Each FDI device package contains a mandatory electronic device description (EDD), providing parameter definitions, structure for the parameters for context-specific views and automated work processes for device procedures such as calibration. FDI device packages may also incorporate user interface plug-ins, software components that support advanced device setup and diagnostic functions. Also, product manuals, documentation, images, electronic certifications and other attachments may be delivered in the FDI device package.The FDI specification will be available for download.
