What is FDT?

The technology standardizes the communication interface between field devices and systems. The device supplier develops a DTM for each of its devices or group of devices. The DTM encapsulates all of the device-specific data, functions and business rules such as:• The device structure• Its communication capabilities• Internal dependencies• Human-machine interface (HMI) structure.DTMs provide functions for accessing device parameters, configuring and operating the devices and diagnosing problems. A DTM can range from a simple graphical user interface for setting device parameters to a highly sophisticated application capable of performing complex real-time calculations for diagnosis and maintenance purposes.Related Feature - EDDL & FDT, Competing or Complementary?To read the feature article relating to this story, go towww.automationworld.com/feature-5370.Subscribe to Automation World's RSS Feeds for Feature Articles