PACTware

Efficient configuration
PACTware – One configuration tool for all instruments
PACTware is a manufacturer and fieldbus-independent software for the operation of
field instruments.

frame program and the individual soft- for communication. This enables
ware modules. This allows modern and communication to be carried out
user-friendly adjustment concepts to through any type of communication.
be realised. Already now, PACTware supports all
common communication protocols. At
Optimum adjustment functions the same time, these structures allow
In the PACTware concept, optimum the integration of future standards.
instrument adjustment takes top
priority. The uniform interface enables Versatile
the use of the best possible adjust- Each plant is different. PACTware can
Open for all ment concepts: optimised to fulfil user be implemented in many different
PACTware is an open platform in requirements and detached from the places in a plant: from the central
which individual manufacturers can inflexible restrictions of superordinate engineering station to on-site
integrate the operation of their field software. adjustment in the field. For the first
instruments. Contrary to the idea of time, it is possible to carry out para-
describing the instruments via a text Communication independent meter setting and configuration of all
file (Device Description), PACTware PACTware distinguishes between field instruments and field busses of a
uses a standardized interface for software modules for actual plant with only one engineering tool.
instrument operation between the instrument adjustment and modules

PLC/ Centralised
DCS engineering

PROFIBUS DP, Ethernet, Modbus, ControlNet, ...

Segment coupler/
Remote I/O Remote I/O
Linking Device

Communication-capable Communication-capable
field instruments field instruments

Local configuration
in the field
PACTware – based on FDT and DTM technology
PACTware based on FDT technology. This technology specifies the exchange of data
between the system level and the field instruments.

driver (device driver) is device and No new description language

manufacturer-specific and comes The heart of this concept is that no
with the printer. The device provides new description language needs to
its own user interface. be defined, but rather the interface
Communication between operating between the tool and the description
system and printer takes place via object of an instrument. This makes
predefined interfaces. the concept independent from the
actual (field bus) communication
Plug & Play in automation itself.
The FDT concept transfers this idea
Field Device Tool (FDT) to the world of automation: each Device Type Manager (DTM)
FDT is the name of an interface communicating field instrument has Like the printer driver in the office
specification. The easiest way to an electronic device description that world, the field instrument brings its
explain the technology is by using an can be integrated into the world of the own driver, including user interface,
example from the office world: if a system. That is, into the configuration into the FDT world. This driver is
new device such as e.g. a printer is and adjustment tools of a system called Device Type Manager, in short,
installed under Windows, it is done by environment, as well as into the DTM. It comprises all data and
installing a suitable driver. This printer stand-alone tool PACTware. functions of the field instrument. A
DTM can cover only one instrument
type, or in some cases a complete
family of instruments.

Segment coupler/
Remote I/O
Linking Device

Communication-capable
Field instruments
field instruments
with instrument-DTM

Communication-DTM with
respective hardware

Loading of the
ware
DTMs in PACTware

Optimum adjustment of all

field instruments in any
system environment
PACTware – Easy and efficient configuration
ware all instruments of a plant can be quickly and easily configured, set up and
With PACTware
if necessary, diagnosed. Universal use.

Unlimited possibilities Beside instrument DTMs, there are Proven, available technology
Whereas a usual Device Description also DTMs for communication PACTware as stand-alone tool and the
(DD) can be just an inflexible descrip- devices, such as e.g. PROFIBUS DP corresponding DTMs have already
tion of instrument functionality, a DTM cards or HART modems. The linking, been successfully used for many
has almost no limitations with regard administration and assignment of the years. In spite of that, an appropriate
to presentation and user guidance. DTMs is done by PACTware. DTM for every instrument of every
Adjustment of all available instrument supplier is not yet available. By means
functions, perfectly adapted to the Quick and easy of the so-called DD compiler, it is now
user’s requirements, is thus possible. The handling of PACTware is really possible to automatically generate a
And: DTM technology allows the easy. To begin with, all the instru- simple, but fully functioning DTM from
same instrument adjustment ments of a plant, including communi- the device description (DD) of a HART
procedures to be used in any FDT cation drivers, are assembled into
environment. one project. The corresponding
instruments are simply fetched from a
device catalogue via drag-and-drop
and inserted into the project. After this
is done, the structure of the system is
transparent and clearly defined. From
here, each individual instrument and
communication component can be
directly accessed:
instrument. Conversion tools for
• to adapt the configuration
PROFIBUS and FF instrument descrip-
• to modify individual parameters
tions are in preparation. This guaran-
• to simulate individual functions tees wide availability within a short
• to get a detailed, meaningful time.
diagnosis
• to prepare documentation PACTware
• simplifies set-up in automation
And all of this is manufacturer and • supports the complete
communication-independent. functionality of the field
Needless to say, subsequent instruments
modifications and extensions of the • is prepared for future standards,
structure can always be carried out. such as e.g. Ethernet
• unifies the instrument world
• is future-proof
Configuration
PACTware allows the configuration of a complete system. In the process, an
online connection is not compulsory. Thus, for example, topology planning as
well as structuring and configuration of the implemented system components
can be carried out in offline mode.

Parameter adjustment
Instruments and systems are adjusted with PACTware by means of point-to-point
communication or via a bus system. Easy handling has top priority. No difficult
installation or complex topology planning is necessary. Fast readout of device
information, as well as reliable writing of modified settings into an instrument, is
assured. This is typically applied in the workshop or in the field.

Simulation
During the set-up phase, the signal flow within an application can be checked
by simulating a certain process value. Signals can thus be traced over different
measurement points and faults corrected at an early stage.

Diagnostics
For the analysis of faults in the system or in the field instruments, suitable tools
are available in the installed DTMs in PACTware. For example, short-term faults
can be detected by means of the graphical presentation of measured values. Or
to realise long-term observation of data, measured values can be recorded over
an unlimited period of time.

Documentation
An overview of the project as well as the set values of individual instruments
can be conveniently printed out with PACTware. Furthermore, all necessary
information such as device description, manufacturer identification, order
number, serial number and firmware version are available in the DTM. Time-
consuming searches for up-to-date documentation thus belong to the past.
PACTware – Simply download and take off
ware can be downloaded anytime from the Internet
The free-of-charge adjustment software PACTware
and, with the appended DTMs, immediately used to adjust any HART instrument.

PACTware Consortium e.V. Distribution of PACTware Much additional information on the

More and more companies support The association takes care of deve- topic of FDT can be found on the
the PACTware idea and use its lopment and maintenance of the pages of the individual members.
technology. With a lean organisation software, while the individual member Many instrument manufacturers also
the PACTware Consortium e.V. joins companies distribute PACTware offer as downloads free-of-charge
mutual interests and advances the together with their own DTMs on the DTMs for the adjustment of their
concept as well as the product. For market. This is ideal for the user, instruments. There’s really no easier
example by actively contributing to because it means he always has the way to check out for yourself the
the FDT specification, by integrating same contact: for the actual field advantages of FDT/DTM technology
additional field busses and by instrument, for its device driver (DTM), and PACTware.
extending Asset Management and for the frame application
functionality. PACTware. And of course service and Prepared for the future
The association is the custodian of support for any one of these compo- Thanks to the clear and open-ended
PACTware and has proprietor rights. nents also comes from the one structures, integration of all present
New developments and extensions provider. and future field busses is possible
are co-ordinated by the association, anytime. But PACTware offers more: via
and new versions are created and Adjustment of HART instruments additional interfaces, more functions –
released via a painstaking process. included available to all DTMs – can be inte-
The result is an up-to-date, manufac- The PACTware basic package already grated into PACTware. These so-called
turer-independent software for instru- enables adjustment of any HART “Plug-Ins” enable, for example, Audit
ment operation in automation. instrument. It contains a communi- Trail or Trending of a large number of
cation driver for standard HART-FSK instruments. With PACTware, the data
modems and a generic HART instru- of all communication components
ment DTM that allows easy adjust- and field instruments are available
ment of the basic parameters of any centrally. This is the prerequisite for
HART instrument. plant-wide Asset Management.

Download free of charge

The easiest way to get PACTware is to
download it from the Internet pages of
the member companies. A clear and
up-to-date list of the members who offer
the download can be viewed on the
homepage of the PACTware consortium
under www.pactware.com.
One for all
A DTM written for PACTware can be
implemented one-to-one in any other
FDT environment. Instrument manu-
facturers thus have to maintain only
one software component for instru-
ment adjustment and can focus on
their key business: instrument
development. For the user, this not
only assures consistent instrument
adjustment and functionality, regard-
less of system architecture or frame
High software quality
application – it also guarantees high
software quality, and thus high avail- Linux is demonstrating this in the world of the office – PACTware in the world of
ability of the entire plant. automation: the software is Open Source and is available as source code to
full members of the PACTware Consortium e.V. This transparency guarantees
high software quality. Any bugs that appear can be easily and quickly localised,
and above all, eliminated. Fewer dependencies on individual companies arise.
That’s because all companies of the PACTware consortium guarantee the same
uncompromising support and development of PACTware. That assures real
interoperability and the best possible technology for state-of-the-art applications.

The advantages at a glance

PACTware is a manufacturer and field bus-independent software for the operation
of field instruments. It makes the configuration of widely differing instruments in
any automation environment possible with only one software tool.

PACTware
• fits in any automation environment
• is the platform for all DTMs acc. to FDT standard
• allows adjustment of all field instruments via any communication structure
• is free of charge and continues to be developed
The members – The members – PACTware
ware
Field device manufacturers Solution Provider

www.bihl-wiedemann.de www.pepperl-fuchs.com www.codewrights.biz

www.burmt.de www.prelectronics.dk www.fssoft.net

www.buerkert.com www.samson.de www.icsgmbh.de

www.endress.com www.solidat.com www.ifak-md.de

www.foxboro.com www.t-h.de www.stz-systemtechnik.de

www.knick.de www.tyco-valves.com

www.krohne.de www.turck.de

The members – University

www.ksb.com www.vega.com

www.magnetrol.com www.wika.de www.itm.tum.de

Copyright PACTware Consortium e.V. – Printed in Germany – July 2005

www.naf.se www.yokogawa.com

You will find an up-to-date overview of the members on www.pactware.com.

PACTware Consortium e.V.

Panoramastraße 16 • 76327 Pfinztal / Germany
Phone +49 7240 94309-61 • Fax +49 7240 94309-63
[email protected] • www.pactware.com