FDT Group to launch IIoT initiative at SPS IPC Drives

The FDT Group is expected to launch a fully integrated FDT/Industrial Internet of Things (IIoT) architecture at a press conference on 23 November at the SPS IPC Drives conference in Nuremberg, Germany.

The media event will present a number of important announcements related to FDT Device Type Manager (FDT/DTM) and Frame Application (FDT/FRAME) developments worldwide, including:

• An updated mission statement and branding for the FDT Group, including the announcement of the Group's goal to make the IIoT a reality via an ecosystem of automation vendors promoting interoperability, security and mobility through tomorrow's new adaptive manufacturing assets.
• The launch of the FDT/IIoT Server (FITS) for mobility, cloud, and fog enterprise solutions — intended to protect industry investments in FDT through advanced business logic, well-defined interfaces and common components.
• The release of the FDT/OPC UA annex, enabling sensor-to-cloud, enterprise-wide connectivity.
• The release of the ODVA Common Industrial Protocol (CIP) annex, allowing network adaptations of ODVA's media-independent CIP protocol include EtherNet/IP, DeviceNet, CompoNet and ControlNet.

"The FDT Group continues to advance its free and open standard to keep pace with the changing requirements of process, hybrid and factory automation for the 'Connected World'. While maintaining proven FDT heritage and bridging the existing installed base with modern control assets, we are evolving FDT to meet the needs of the new era of automation. This includes interoperability, mobility and security, as well as comprehensive IIoT deployment," said Glenn Schulz, managing director of the FDT Group. "The FDT board of directors has approved initiatives driving the vision for the future of FDT benefiting both manufacturers and end users with advancements like the IIoT and Industry 4.0 delivered out of the box, to support modernised asset integration and access to performance data for visualising crucial operational problems."

Schulz added, "Our press conference at SPS IPC Drives will outline our vision for the future with a modernised face for the FDT Group and offer updates on important activities across the globe."

Members of the FDT Group board will attend the press conference to answer questions and provide additional information. They will be joined by OPC Foundation President and Executive Director Thomas Burke and ODVA President and Executive Director Katherine Voss.

For more information, visit the FDT Group website.