Toky Electrical Co. Ltd., a major supplier of electrical meters and controllers, and Westlock Controls, a developer of advanced solutions for networking, monitoring and controlling process valves, are the latest companies to join FDT Group. This independent, international, not-for-profit industry association consists of leading companies and organizations active in industrial automation and manufacturing. Its major purpose is to provide an open standard for enterprise-wide network and asset integration for seamless exchange of performance driven data.
Based in Zhongshan City, China, Toky Electrical is committed to the development, production and sale of intelligent instruments, including industrial control instruments, power meters, energy meters, temperature controllers, counters, sensor indicators, and power and energy management system software. Its products are employed globally in automation equipment, monitoring systems, communication centers, rail transportation and the power grid. Deputy Global Manager, Hailing Tan, said, “Toky Electrical expects to integrate different configuration and device management tools into our projects with forward-looking FDT technology. This solution can seamlessly integrate and exchange data with diverse equipment types, multiple manufacturers or different communication protocols. We will apply FDT to our power and energy management system software and multi-function power meters in order to solve compatibility problems with communication interfaces and data formats, as well as enhance the debugging efficiency of the PC software.”
A developer of solutions for monitoring, networking and control of automated process valve packages, and a pioneer in industrial networking protocols, Westlock Controls, a business of Crane Co., is headquartered in Saddle Brook, NJ, with sales offices in the UK, China and Singapore. Crain Co. is traded on the New York Stock Exchange (NYSE:CR). Westlock’s limit switches, position transmitters and valve positioners serves industries ranging from oil & gas, chemical and power, to pharmaceuticals and food & beverage. Westlock’s Product Manager, Jason Moorehead, commented, “FDT technology is an open standard for the industrial automation industry and a key element for any industrial automation product. As the industry transforms to IIoT and Industry 4.0, FDT technology becomes more inherent to valve automation. It is very crucial for us to be a leader and provide field devices based on the new era of technology.”
Managing Director Glenn Schulz highlighted the importance of FDT Group membership. “From the outset, FDT Group and its members worldwide have shared a common goal: open integration of control systems and instrumentation in multi-vendor, multi-network technology environments, with the resulting benefits of freedom of choice, reduced integration costs and, most importantly, the advantages of continuous innovation. Today, plants and factories utilizing FDT-enabled systems are already benefiting from open access to the Industrial Internet. To extend our support for the Industrial Internet of Things (IIoT) and Industrie 4.0, and to simplify the automation ecosystem exchange, we need the contributions and support of automation industry stakeholders around the world.”
Schulz noted that FDT technology is an open standard for enterprise-wide network and asset integration, transforming the way industrial automation architectures connect and communicate with one another. Ongoing advancement of this technology will enable end users to realize the true potential of decentralization, interoperability, integration, as well as a unified view of all data and functions across process, factory and hybrid control applications.
To advance its support for the IIoT and Industrie 4.0, and to simplify the automation ecosystem exchange, FDT Group has developed the FDT IIoT Server (FITS™) solution. FITS enables mobility, cloud, and fog enterprise applications, as well as sensor-to-cloud and enterprise-wide connectivity employing FRAME™ and DTM™ business logic at the heart of its client-server architecture.
FDT Group membership offers unique advantages for the entire industrial automation industry, including end users, suppliers/developers, service providers, universities, and individuals. Members are involved with providing innovative FDT-enabled products, solutions and services, and have the opportunity to join working groups, technical project groups and marketing committees to help direct the technology.
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