At a Glance

The FDT/DTM (Field Device Tool/Device Type Manager), an open-standard, in Control Expert integrates the configuration tools needed to build projects, with a mix of Schneider and Third Party intelligent devices, on heterogeneous networks.

Control Expert is now a FDT Container (Field Device Tool Container) for DTMs and, therefore, is a Generic Fieldbus Intergrater.

NOTE: Schneider-Electric is not responsible for the correct functioning of non-Schneider-Electric DTMs under Control Expert.

FDT Concept

The FDT defines the interfaces between device-specific software components (DTMs) and Control Expert. The focus of the current version of FDT is on engineering, commissioning, diagnostics and documentation of fieldbus based control systems.

The device-specific software component is called a DTM (Device Type Manager), which are supplied by the device manufacturer together with the device. Because the FDT technology used in Control Expert is based on an open standard, Control Expert accepts compliant DTM products from any DTM/device vendor.

NOTE: The DTMs are installed/uninstalled on the PC (like most other Windows® programs) that runs Control Expert and information about the DTMs is kept in the Windows Registry.
NOTE: The DTM Browser displays the DTM connectivity configuration, but does not create any topological variables (%I or %Q) in the application.

Components

To create a Fieldbus network with Control Expert, its FDT Container uses:

  • The DTM Hardware Catalog

  • The DTM Browser

  • The DTM Editor, which uses vendor supplied GUIs to configure the DTMs

    NOTE: The DTM vendor is responsible for the DTM Configuration on-line Help, it is not available through the Control Expert on-line Help.