The OPC Foundation and the FieldComm Group announced on Feb. 12 at the ARC Industry Forum that they've formed an alliance to further advance process automation system multi-vendor interoperability and simplified integration by developing a standardized process automation device information model.
They initially formed a joint working group late in 2017 to develop a protocol-independent companion specification for process automation devices. The OPC UA base information model and companion Device Information (DI) specification will be extended to include the generic definition and information associated with process automation devices. The joint working group plans to release an extensible, future-proof process automation information model specification during the first quarter of 2019.
“FDI provides the new standard for device integration to deliver a protocol-independent path to configuration, diagnostics and runtime operation for process devices,” says Ted Masters, president and CEO of the FieldComm Group. “The partnership between the OPC Foundation and the FieldComm Group further builds on the common information model of both to deliver process automation data in context. The more than 350 suppliers of devices and applications that are members of the FieldComm Group have an opportunity to benefit from the key initiative to develop a standard process automation information model by their adoption of FDI and OPC UA technologies.”