Is the Fieldbus War over?

Declaring peace in their decade-old fieldbus war, Emerson Process Management and Siemens Automation and Drives (A&D) have announced their expansion of system interfaces to enable both companies to expand support of global fieldbus standards. The companies will exchange technology and engineering support to add the interfaces that extend their systems and software to offer customers expanded global interoperability and greater functionality. First products are expected to be available mid-2007. Their cooperation grew out of the work both companies have done with user-supplier consortiums to deliver fully open and interoperable field instrumentation and electric drives using the newly enhanced global standard Electronic Device Description Language (EDDL). Siemens will add interfaces to the company's Simatic PCS 7 process control system and its Process Device Manager (PDM) tool to support Foundation fieldbus standards, in addition to the Profibus and HART standards it supports today. This will enable Siemens to connect to the extensive array of Foundation fieldbus instruments and valve controllers from Emerson, as well as devices from other companies who support Foundation fieldbus. Emerson will similarly expand its DeltaV and Ovation control systems, as well as its AMS Suite: Intelligent Device Manager application, with an interface for Profibus DP and Profinet standards, in addition to the Foundation fieldbus and HART standards Emerson supports today. This will enable Emerson to connect to the extensive array of drives, motor starters, and other discrete devices from Siemens, as well as devices from other companies that support Profibus DP and Profinet. So, folks, is the Fieldbus War finally over?