Endless Business Benefits

FDT enables automation industry suppliers to take advantage of disruptive technology developments to drive business growth. The technology intersects the variety of process and factory networks attached to intelligent instrumentation and the higher-level systems that interact with these devices. It was specifically developed to tie edge devices into higher-level systems that include manufacturing, enterprise and cloud-based applications.

Deploying Mobile Applications

FDT technology expands access to critical device data and improves workflows for plant personnel with its mobile device management interface along with apps to enhance maintenance efficiency. Utilizing Web Services, solutions are provided for client-and browser-based applications involving a wide range of mobile devices.

  • Drive real-time, data-driven analytics
  • Enable cloud-based enterprise data access
  • Utilize robust device diagnostics
  • Employ augmented reality in asset management and predictive maintenance
  • Address critical lifecycle management issues
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Implementing Built-in Security

FDT security empowers a comprehensive solution designed to safeguard data access from the enterprise all the way down to the device level. This allows end-users to meet both connected and air-gapped requirements and comply with contemporary security policies in a typical industrial setting.

  • TLS security enabling Web Sockets Secure (WSS) and Hyper Text Transfer Protocol Secure (HTTPS) deployments with encrypted communications
  • On-the-wire Security via CIP to ensure comprehensive, end-to-end, enterprise-wide security
  • Role-based User Security to determine the user’s role and rights within an application
  • 509×3 certificates to verify the correct server and confirm the client device is authorized to communicate with the server
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Streamlining DTM Access

FDT Group’s innovative FDThub™ provides a single DTM repository designed for both cloud-based and on-premise air-gapped system deployment, with easy access to certified Device and Communication DTMs. Subscription-based services are also available.

  • Enables convenient access to all certified DTMs in a single, online location
  • Supports cloud-based deployment with automatic device discovery
  • Provides local server offline access for on-premise deployment
  • Supports machine-to-machine communications with 509 Certificates for machines with authorized access
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Expanding Data Exchange

A critical feature of FDT Group’s FDT Server solution is the integration of an OPC UA Server providing the information model for enterprise-level data exchange. Unlike patchwork solutions that try to gain access to device information through OPC UA, the scalable FDT Unified Environment (UE) natively employs an OPC UA Server allowing all devices on all networks to be accessed through the FDT Server.

  • Requires no special configuration by the end-user
  • Allows any OPC UA Client with the correct security profile to browse the entire plant project structure and access any information available from the FDT Server
  • Provides the assurance of utmost security with flexible deployment options for the process, hybrid and factory automation markets
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Optimizing Development Efforts

The latest generation FDT Device Type Manager (FDT/DTM) provides platform independence, mobility solutions, and a contemporary development environment to reduce costs and expedite DTM certification. Optimized development efforts can take place in a modern GUI employing HTML 5.0 Javascript. The DTMs comply with the NAMUR NE-107 recommendations for viewing the status of instrumentation in a simple and uniform way.

  • Allows for separation of DTM User Interface (UI) and Business Logic (BL)
  • Enables device vendors to add customizable features to differentiate their DTMs
  • Supports specific parameters providing the best device health and analysis capabilities
  • Utilizes a modernized development environment where the tools are platform independent, cost-effective, and easy to use
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