The background for the merging is to set the course of device integration by leveraging the strengths of the HART and FF protocol. The new corporation will develop a single future vision toward harmonization of standards for the process automation industry.

The great benefit is to obtain compatibility between the two worlds of configuration tools. This will strengthen the effort on the so-called FDI initiative. This initiative shall ensure compatibility between the two worlds of configuration tools, Device Description (DD) based and Device Type Manager (DTM) based tools. If this is successful, only one device driver needs to be written to support all types of third part’s configuration tools. The HART and FF DDs should also be expected to be harmonized.

The merging implies benefits and opportunities: HART members become members of the FieldComm Group and are automatically given access to the Fieldbus Foundation IP without the bureaucracy and cost of a new membership.