Fieldbus Foundation and HART Communication Foundation board’s support joining to create a new industry organisation
September 2014
News
The boards of directors of the Fieldbus Foundation and the HART Communication Foundation are pleased to announce that they have approved unifying the two organisations into a new industry body dedicated to the needs of intelligent devices and their integration in the world of process automation.
The combined power of both organisations will serve to protect the investments that end users have made in HART and Foundation fieldbus communication technologies. The mission of the combined organisation will be to develop, manage and promote global standards for integrating devices into automation system architectures to provide functional solutions for process automation suppliers and end users. Suppliers will also profit from the increased efficiencies in resource utilisation, procedure consistency and member service and support improvements.
The Fieldbus Foundation and HART Communication Foundation have a long history of cooperation. For example, the two worked together to develop common international standards, such as Electronic Device Description Language (EDDL) specifications and Field Device Integration (FDI) technology. Combining the organisations offers significant potential for harmonising the procedures and efforts supporting the two protocols, as well as simplifying each technology’s implementation while better delivering their full benefits in plant operation and maintenance.
The Foundation fieldbus and HART specifications will continue to exist individually, and to evolve into the future. Each protocol will retain its own brand name, trademarks, patents and copyrights.
The new organisation will continue development, support and promotion of the two existing protocols, and will direct the development, incorporation, and implementation of new and overlapping technologies. Thus, the new organisation will eventually serve as the single source for FDI, the sole integration tool for HART and Foundation fieldbus technologies. The name of the proposed organisation is not yet finalised.
The next step will be to complete the membership ballot by the end of summer 2014. Following a successful membership vote, legal filings for the creation of a new non-profit entity will take place in September 2014. As a final step, it is expected that the new organisation offices will be consolidated and located near Austin, Texas, in early 2015.
For more information contact Fieldbus Foundation, +27 (0)11 453 2468, [email protected], www.fieldbus.org
Further reading:
Reinstatement opportunity for ECSA registration
News
In 2023 the Engineering Council of South Africa (ECSA) announced a special opportunity for engineers in South Africa to reinstate their registration status if it had been cancelled. This exclusive offer is available until the end of August 2024.
Read more...
Modular training workstation for Bosch Rexroth
Bosch Rexroth Africa
News
To enhance its training services and address the shortage of hydraulic and pneumatic skills across the continent, Bosch Rexroth Africa’s training department has unveiled a state-of-the-art modular training workstation.
Read more...
Pepperl+Fuchs Channel Partner Conference
Pepperl+Fuchs
News
Pepperl+Fuchs recently hosted its Channel Partner Conference. Under the theme ‘Together, Breaking Ground in Africa’, the conference served as both a celebration of partnerships and a strategic forum focused on future growth.
Read more...
ACTOM opens new training centre for apprentices
ACTOM Electrical Machines
News
ACTOM has opened a new training centre facility that offers a variety of apprenticeship programmes.
Read more...
Bühler celebrates expansion, innovation and sustainability
News
Bühler has marked another milestone in its dedication to regional support with the expansion of its Cape Town Service Centre. Hosting its annual customer day, the company showcased the facility’s new offerings and highlighted its commitment to service excellence, local innovation, and sustainability.
Read more...
Galvanising Africa: the HDGASA’s bridging role in promoting hot dip galvanising in Africa
News
Africa is poised for massive expansion in the power, energy, and communications spheres, and hot dip galvanising is firmly entrenched as a preferred corrosion control technology in these sectors.
Read more...
From the editor's desk: First break it, then fix it
Technews Publishing (SA Instrumentation & Control)
News
Welcome to another year with
SA Instrumentation & Control. May it be a happy and healthy one where you can rise to the challenges ahead and still enjoy all the good things we have in this country.
...
Read more...
SEW-EURODRIVE’s new service and repair centre
SEW-EURODRIVE
News
As part of its strategy to ‘close the loop’ in its service offering, SEW-EURODRIVE has broken ground on a new 17 000 m
2 Service and Repair Centre. The establishment of the state-of-the-art facility plugs the gap for expert repair services for gearboxes in Africa.
Read more...
EtherCAT Technology Group holds its annual Plug Fest
News
The 2024 EtherCAT Plug Fest of the EtherCAT Technology Group offered participants a valuable opportunity to test the interoperability of their 9 EtherCAT MainDevices and 10 EtherCAT SubDevices. Using the knowledge gained, they will be able to improve compatibility and optimise their products for use in the field.
Read more...
Leading the way in industrial automation and digital transformation
Iritron
News
As a pioneering engineering, integration, and manufacturing firm, Iritron has built a reputation as a trusted partner in critical industries such as mining, energy and manufacturing. By embedding innovation and expertise into its four foundational pillars, the company continues to deliver tailored solutions that meet the evolving needs of modern industry.
Read more...
printer friendly version