Device Description Language (DDL) is the formal language describing the service and configuration of field devices for process and factory automation.
Current field devices for process and factory automation have a number of configuration options, to customize them to their individual use case. For these means they are equipped with a digital communication interface (HART, PROFIBUS, Fieldbus Foundation). Different software tools provide the means to control and configure the devices. In the 1990s, the DDL was developed to remove the requirement to write a new software tool for each new device type. Software can, through the interpretation of a device description (DD), configure and control many different devices. The creation of a description with the DDL is less effort than writing an entire software tool.
The HART Communication Foundation, PROFIBUS and Fieldbus Foundation have merged their individual dialects of the DDL. The result became the Electronic Device Description Language (EDDL), an IEC standard (IEC 61804).
The harmonization and enhancement of the EDDL is being undertaken in the EDDL Cooperation Team (ECT). The ECT consists of the leadership of the Fieldbus Foundation, Profibus Nutzerorganisation (PNO), Hart Communication Foundation, OPC Foundation and the FDT Group.
The DDL describes:
A device description (DD) can be created with a plain text editor. But like any other programing or description language, the authoring is error prone and as such special development tools may be used, to create valid and norm conforming EDDs.
The following tools assists the creation of EDDs:
The following control and configuration tools interpret the DDL:
A distributed control system (DCS) is a computerised control system for a process or plant usually with many control loops, in which autonomous controllers are distributed throughout the system, but there is no central operator supervisory control. This is in contrast to systems that use centralized controllers; either discrete controllers located at a central control room or within a central computer. The DCS concept increases reliability and reduces installation costs by localising control functions near the process plant, with remote monitoring and supervision.
Profibus is a standard for fieldbus communication in automation technology and was first promoted in 1989 by BMBF and then used by Siemens. It should not be confused with the Profinet standard for Industrial Ethernet. Profibus is openly published as type 3 of IEC 61158/61784-1.
Open Platform Communications (OPC) is a series of standards and specifications for industrial telecommunication. They are based on Object Linking and Embedding (OLE) for process control. An industrial automation task force developed the original standard in 1996 under the name OLE for Process Control. OPC specifies the communication of real-time plant data between control devices from different manufacturers.
A fieldbus is a member of a family of industrial digital communication networks used for real-time distributed control. Fieldbus profiles are standardized by the International Electrotechnical Commission (IEC) as IEC 61784/61158.
Fieldbus Foundation was an organization dedicated to a single international, interoperable fieldbus standard. It was established in September 1994 by a merger of WorldFIP North America and the Interoperable Systems Project (ISP). Fieldbus Foundation was a not-for-profit trade consortium that consisted of more than 350 of the world's suppliers and end users of process control and manufacturing automation products. Working together those companies made contributions to the IEC/ISA/FDI and other fieldbus standards development.
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AMS Device Manager is plant asset management software from Asset Optimization. It provides a single application for predictive diagnostics, documentation, calibration management, and device configuration for managing field instruments and digital valve controllers.
The CC-Link Open Automation Networks Family are a group of open industrial networks that enable devices from numerous manufacturers to communicate. They are used in a wide variety of industrial automation applications at the machine, cell and line levels.
The Factory Instrumentation Protocol or FIP is a standardized field bus protocol. Its most current definition can be found in the European Standard EN50170.
IO-Link is a short distance, bi-directional, digital, point-to-point, wired, industrial communications networking standard used for connecting digital sensors and actuators to either a type of industrial fieldbus or a type of industrial Ethernet. Its objective is to provide a technological platform that enables the development and use of sensors and actuators that can produce and consume enriched sets of data that in turn can be used for economically optimizing industrial automated processes and operations. The technology standard is managed by the industry association Profibus and Profinet International.