Global automation suppliers ABB, Emerson Process Management, Endress+Hauser, Honeywell, Invensys, Siemens and Yokogawa have enlarged the EDDL Cooperation Team (ECT) which is now called FDI Cooperation. Along with finalizing the Field Device Integration (FDI) specification, scheduled for release in 2010, the team will also work to harmonize HART, FF and PROFIBUS device descriptions and to develop unified conformance test and integration tools.

The primary benefit of FDI is that end users with either an FDT or an EDDL-based host will have a single source solution for managing field devices. Users will no longer need to manage disparate device descriptions, which will reduce the costs associated with maintaining assets in the field.

The FDI project will also provide a very scalable solution that users can deploy in applications ranging from simple configuration to complex management of the most sophisticated field device. This makes different solutions for different devices obsolete. An example of this is that FDI device packages for applications such as valve diagnostics will provide the same functionality regardless of the host system.