ODVA announces machinery initiative

06 April 2011

The Open DeviceNet Vendors Association (ODVA) has launched a Machinery Initiative designed to improve the integration of machinery with the industrial manufacturing ecosystem. Through this initiative, ODVA will develop a comprehensive and open interoperability framework that will include alliances with other vendor-neutral standards development organisations, starting with SERCOS and OPC Foundation, to foster cross-collaboration on topics of mutual interest for machinery applications.

Users are increasingly relying on machine builders to provide the functionality needed to integrate machines with overall production processes and the enterprise. Research into the OEM machinery market identified four key areas where focus on an open interoperability framework can provide this functionality. These areas include machine optimisation – which includes key application areas related to safety, energy and motion – as well as connectivity; information exchange; and device definition and configuration.

As its first action in its Machinery Initiative, ODVA has formed a task force to identify key milestones to ensure the appropriate input is received from machine builders on the process. The initiative will encompass technical work by the organisation, as well as workshops with its alliance partners to identify initial areas of cross collaboration.