FieldComm Group reported Sept. 11 that its strategic integration committee (SIC) has released a timeline for updating the Field Device Integration (FDI) specification. This is a milestone toward unifying device integration across process, hybrid and factory automation. SIC consists of automation industry suppliers and standards development organizations (SDO).
After field device tool/device type manager (FDT/DTM) assets were transferred to FieldComm Group in 2024, the organization accelerated its efforts to unify device integration. The resulting roadmap is a product of coordinated work by SIC and specialized working groups. Comprised of board-level member companies in FieldComm Group, along with leaders from OPC Foundation, ODVA and Profibus & Profinet International (PI), SIC harmonized FDI and FDT technologies. Their collaboration aims to deliver a unified, intuitive and scalable device-integration standard to address the evolving needs of modern manufacturing, helping both end users and vendors.
FieldComm Group adds this update will enable manufacturers to transition toward more intelligent, responsive operations, and unlock the full value of industrial data and modern automation architectures. Updates to the FDI specification include:
- Compliance by incorporating requirements of the European Union’s recent Cyber Resilience Act (CRA);
- Unified, device-integration standard for process and factory automation;
- Support for legacy systems, enabling modernization without infrastructure replacement;
- Real-time OT/IT connectivity via a common information model, namely Process Automation/Device Information Model (PA-DIM);
- Support for modern platforms and development tools;
- Empowering intelligent device and lifecycle management with protocol-tunneling support, also known as nested communications.
Meanwhile, the schedule for migrating the FDI specification includes:
- Releasing updated FDI specification by end of 2026;
- Deploying updated FDI developer toolkit by end of 2027; and
- Market availability of registered FDI-enabled systems and devices during 2029.
"Today’s industrial systems are more complex than ever, but this complexity must not compromise interoperability," says Steve Biegacki, chair of the SIC and former managing director of the FDT Group. "Our goal is to deliver a unified device integration solution that enhances data interoperability with OT/IT systems, while supporting innovative features for modern manufacturing. This approach also provides a practical migration path, safeguarding existing investments and preparing the industry for future advances."
Stefan Hoppe, president of OPC Foundation, adds, “As a co-owner of the FDI specification, OPC Foundation is committed to robust and interoperable device integration for OPC UA users, and fully supports harmonizing FDI and FDT technologies to achieve this goal.”
Al Beydoun, president and executive director of ODVA, adds, “ODVA is pleased to support the harmonization of FDI and FDT technologies to enable enhanced device integration interoperability for EtherNet/IP users.”
Dietmar Bohn, executive director of PI, adds, “PI appreciates FieldComm Group for initiating these valuable discussions to determine the need for merging FDI and FDT, and taking into account the needs of interested companies, as well as the technologies of the four participating SDOs.”
