ISA publishes EDDL standard

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IBG - SA Instrumentation & Control Buyers' Guide

July 2007 News

The ISA-SP104 committee has completed adoption as an American National Standard of the generic electronic device description language (EDDL) specified by IEC 61804 for device integration. The committee has announced the publication of ANSI/ISA-61804-3 (104.00.01)-2007, Function Blocks (FB) for Process Control - Part 3: Electronic Device Description Language (EDDL).

The standard establishes an operating system independent language, used to declare device parameters and their dependencies, device functions, graphical representations, and interactions with control devices. The language, Electronic Device Description Language (EDDL), is used to create an electronic device description (EDD) for intelligent devices to integrate these with control systems and handheld communicators for use in the field. An EDD is a text file, and its use supports information retrieval, diagnostics, performance analysis, operational statistics, parameter handling, operation, range setting, calibration trim, simulation, override, and monitoring of automation system components.

"This standard helps users and integrators fully utilise the EDDL interface to support a wide array of intelligent devices," said committee chair Terry Blevins. "Using tools based on EDDL can mean faster device commissioning and loop checkout, as well as reduced field trips and the elimination of unnecessary maintenance."

One of the greatest benefits that EDDL provides the process industry is interoperability across multiple hosts, devices and technologies. This flexibility allows the end user to choose the best combination of price and performance for devices and software. Since an EDD is required for Foundation Fieldbus (FF) device registration, and EDDL is the only device description language supported by the HART Communication Foundation, EDDL is supported by virtually every process control systems vendor worldwide, and EDDs are available for any Foundation or HART device and for many Profibus-based field devices.

EDDL provides a well-defined structure for supporting the most simple to the very complex field device. Since EDDs are text-based files that are interpreted or compiled by the host system, they are independent of operating systems and control platforms. This enables field device additions to be incorporated without affecting the runtime stability of the control system.

"Taken together, the technology advantages of EDDL provide significant benefits in terms of longevity and stability of the instrumentation and control system over the plant lifecycle," noted committee vice-chair Ludwig Winkel. "These benefits from EDDL-based tools match corporate strategies such as reduced maintenance cost, quality improvement, increased throughput, and reduced downtime."

For more information about ISA-SP104 or other ISA standards committees, visit www.isa.org/standards

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