Executives from ABB, Endress+Hauser, Invensys, Metso Automation, Omron, Rockwell Automation, Yokogawa, and Schneider Electric comprise initial Board of Directors
As announced at the first FDT Group General Assembly in Amsterdam on October 11, 2005, the relatively loose-knit assemblage of automation companies and end-users previously known as the FDT Joint Interest Group, has coalesced into a formal organization: The FDT Group AISBL. Executives from ABB, Endress+Hauser, Invensys, Metso Automation, Omron, Rockwell Automation, Schneider Electric, and Yokogawa comprise the initial Board of Directors and a total of 39 international automation and end-user companies are currently members. This represents the vast majority of large automation vendors, plus several leading global end-users who have embraced FDT as a leading open technology for engineering, management, and life cycle support for their installed assets. The FDT Group remains open to all companies that wish to participate.
The new FDT Group organization is led by a Board of Directors with operational management performed by an Executive Committee. A Managing Director, to be announced early next year, will serve as the primary contact for the FDT Group. An Association and Standards committee has been formed to help forge close relationships with other standardization bodies, such as the Fieldbus Foundation, HART Communications Foundation, and ODVA, plus end-user organizations such as NAMUR and WIB. Klaus-Peter Lindner, who is responsible for new technology at Endress+Hauser, has been named as vice president of this important FDT Group committee.
The mission of the FDT Group is to:
- Achieve international standardization status for the FDT specification
- Promote, enhance and support the usage of FDT open interoperability technology in process automation, factory automation, and hybrid applications
- Preserve the technology investments already made by end users, device manufacturers, and control systems
- Ensure stability, interoperability and compatibility of FDT-based products
- Continuously maintain the FDT standard consistent with leading-edge technology
- Ensure that all FDT products are certified
FDT Group member companies will be demonstrating the latest FDT-enabled interoperability solutions for FOUNDATION fieldbus, HART, PROFIBUS, DeviceNet and other devices and control systems at ISA EXPO 2005 Booth #1328 in Chicago, October 25-27, 2005.
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