Conformance testing comes to China

An ODVA product story

Edited by the Engineeringtalk editorial team Jan 15, 2008

Action will spur increasing adoption inside China of open industrial networks, whose collective shipments worldwide are estimated to exceed 11 million nodes.

With the adoption of CIP Networks continuing to grow in China, ODVA and TUV Rheinland announced today that a conformance test service provider for DeviceNet and EtherNet/IP will be established in mainland China at TUV Rheinland operations in Shanghai.

Conformance testing is a necessary step required by ODVA of all vendors seeking ODVA declarations of conformity for their ODVA technology-compliant products.

Furthermore, conformance testing provides general industry with the vendor-independent assurance that products built to the ODVA specifications comply with the ODVA specifications and interoperate in multivendor installations.

This action will spur increasing adoption inside China of these open industrial networks, whose collective shipments worldwide are estimated to exceed 11 million nodes.

DeviceNet and EtherNet/IP are already Chinese standards.

DeviceNet was adopted in 2003 by Standardisation Administration of the People's Republic of China (SAC) as a part of the first Chinese national standard to encompass fieldbus technology - GB/T18858 "Low-voltage switchgear and controlgear controller-device interface".

EtherNet/IP was adopted in 2006 by the National Development and Reform Commission (NDRC) of the People's Republic of China as a machinery industry standard JB/T10308.2-2006: "Digital data communication for measurement and control - Fieldbus for use in industrial control systems".

ODVA manages the specifications and oversees conformance testing for DeviceNet and EtherNet/IP.

ODVA's authorised test service providers (TSPs) conduct ODVA conformance tests of devices for compliance with ODVA's published specifications.

ODVA-licensed vendors who meet all of the requirements for being an ODVA-authorised vendor and whose products pass the tests receive an official Declaration of Conformity from ODVA and earn the right to use ODVA's Conformance Tested certification and logo marks.

"TUV Rheinland is pleased to co-operate with ODVA to offer conformance testing for DeviceNet and EtherNet/IP in China", said Frank Piller, General Manager in Shanghai of the Business Stream Products.

"TUV Rheinland has a long and successful history of operating in China, and we are confident that we can provide the highest level of conformance testing services for DeviceNet and EtherNet/IP in China".

ODVA Executive Director Katherine Voss adds: "This co-operation will provide undisputed benefits to users and vendors of ODVA technologies by bringing together two world-class operations - TUV Rheinland, a leading independent testing authority, and ODVA, a leading standards development organisation - to deliver the highest quality of vendor-independent conformance testing and device certification for open network standards".

Orders for conformance testing to be conducted in China will be offered through ODVA.

Vendors interested in learning more about ODVA conformance testing or testing in China should directly contact ODVA.

It is expected that conformance testing will be available at TUV Rheinland in China in the second half of 2008.