The CC-Link Partner Association (CLPA) has signed a cooperation agreement with the FDT Group to promote the use of the FDT as an international standard. Under the agreement, CLPA will support the development of an annex of the protocol to support the CC-Link family of networks including its CC-Link IE Field Gigabit Industrial Ethernet.
CLPA’s participation is significant because of its pre-eminence in the Asian markets and in November 2010, FDT will make a presentation to a selected audience of members, users and the press at the CLPA 10th anniversary celebrations in Tokyo.
FDT standardises the communication and configuration interface between all field devices and host systems. It provides a common environment for accessing the devices’ most sophisticated features. Any device can be configured, operated, and maintained over the CC-Link networks through the standardised user interface, regardless of supplier or type.
Steve Jones, European General Manager of the CLPA says, “We find increasingly that users are demanding common tools to enable them to access and integrate intelligent field devices. Implementing the common environment provided by FDT provides this, but also gives us the potential to add new functionality for users of CC-Link networks.”
Glenn Schulz, General Manager of the FDT Group states,” We are pleased to have formalised this excellent working relationship with CLPA. Their broad acceptance in the automation market place is a compliment to the core goals and objectives of the FDT standard.”