FDI/FDT Interoperability Solution

Applied Systems collaborated with CodeWrights GmbH, a leading German company in device integration software, to pioneer an interoperability solution for FDI device packages and FDT frame applications.

Customer
CodeWrights GmbH, founded in 2002, specializes in device integration and management software development, maintaining a leading position in providing reliable device communication solutions to clients in the process industries. The challenge arose from the wide use of standards like EDDL, FDT, and FDI to ensure seamless integration between devices and control systems in industrial networks.

Challenge
Industrial equipment and control system manufacturers often employ different technologies for configuration, parameterization, and operation, leading to interoperability issues between products from different vendors. To address this challenge, CodeWrights aimed to develop a flagship product facilitating interoperability between FDI device drivers and FDT Frames. To help them bring out the iDTM Manager, a tool for managing this system, the Customer turned to Applied Systems in search of a partner to complement their expertise in data, protocols and devices.

Solution
In collaboration with CodeWrights, Applied Systems' design team outlined the overall style and user interface prototype, prioritizing the tool's look and feel. Before the development phase, project collaboration tools and processes were meticulously defined.

Using .NET WPF, Dapper ORM, LightInject, and MSpec frameworks, the team delivered functionality enabling the use of FDI Device Packages in FDT frame applications and the management of FDI Device Packages. The database was supported with SQLite; automated tests were run for all the scenarios.

Results
CodeWrights became the first vendor to introduce a completely new solution for integrating existing FDI packages into FDT-based control systems. The iDTM Manager, developed by Applied Systems' team, was delivered on time and on budget, successfully accommodating changes to the initial product specification. Upon project completion, the software transitioned to CodeWrights' maintenance team.

This collaboration underscores Applied Systems' commitment to providing innovative solutions for system interoperability in industrial automation, setting new standards for seamless integration between different technologies in the industrial landscape.