A Generic Information Model for an XML-based Device Profile of Pumps

The informational bookkeeping of pumps is of particular interest for a wide range of applications in operative process control engineering. The integration of pump information in process control, in plant asset management and energy management applications, generally opens a large potential for improved maintenance as well as for process and plant optimisation. The important role of pumps in industry demand a standardisation of pump information in form of a general device profile especially due to the multitude of available field busses and various software interfaces in process control engineering. A general approach implicates independence from communication specific characteristics and validity for liquid and vacuum pumps in various industrial application fields. Such a device profile for pumps is not available yet. The lack of overall standards leads to enhanced investments for the pump type management on manufacturer side and to a laborious system integration for plant operators. The article describes the structure and the information model of a pump profile specified by the working group "Generic Device Profile for Pumps" of Pumps and Systems Association and Section Vacuum Technology within the VDMA. The information model and its XML representation provide a basis for a comprehensive standardisation and a potential for the simplification of a wide range of applications in process control engineering