ODVA Announced EtherNet/IP Enhanced to Integrate HART Devices

ODVA announced that it has published enhancements to The EtherNet/IP Specification, which outline how to integrate HART devices built to the HART Communication Protocol into an EtherNet/IP architecture.  The addition of this capability fulfills yet another step in the optimization of EtherNet/IP for the process industries by providing a mechanism for users to integrate their existing infrastructure while leveraging the benefits of industrial Ethernet.

This volume defines a standard mechanism for integrating HART devices into the Common Industrial Protocol (CIP) suite.  With this mechanism, a CIP originator can communicate with a HART device as if it is a native CIP device.  The result is seamless communication between CIP-based devices and HART-based devices, without requiring changes to existing HART devices or CIP originators such as industrial control systems.

ODVA is also involved in industry-wide efforts to promote adoption of Ethernet overall in the process industries, such as its collaboration with FieldComm Group and PROFIBUS and PROFINET International to help promote adoption of Ethernet to the Field that will be made possible by forthcoming enhancements to the IEEE 802.3 Ethernet standard for long-reach single pair Ethernet and use in hazardous areas.