Control Engineering

David Chappell

What’s the problem?
October 6, 2007

So what is the problem? When looking at the landscape of equipment automation many feel things are good, even great. So why all the fuss over creating a standardized way to provide what already is being successfully provided?

To help me describe the “Problem,” I like to use the similarities I see between the current state of the automation industry to the state of the American West of the 1800’s. The area is vast and order is maintained by local organizations that develop their own rules and methods to get things done. Order is maintained and things get done so what’s the problem? Some would even say the outlaws of the Old West provided very effective ways to maintain order and get things done. As long as what was done aligns with your needs, or at least doesn’t conflict with your needs, is there a problem?

The “Problem” becomes obvious when different groups came together and things have to change because living by different and often conflicting rules doesn’t work well. The different groups, especially the outlaws who didn’t view themselves as outlaws, often would defend their way of life to the death, creating conflict and delaying the inevitable. Looked at locally everything was acceptable; when looked at as a whole, it was chaos. As occurred in the Old West as larger and larger areas were organized together local rules and methods had to be adapted, or totally changed. Similar events are occurring in the automation landscape as companies strive to realize the benefits of organizing the factory floor into larger and larger areas. 

Automation’s current chaos of having many different “local” rules needs to be consolidated, and will, one way or another. As the Make2Pack ISA SP88 Part 5 effort moves forward much of this consolidation is occurring and the future looks bright. The Make2Pack group is working together to incorporate the best of all the available options and in the end will remove the current chaos providing the rules and methods to successfully meet automation needs across the entire area of factory automation.

Any questions or comments? Do you feel like you’re trying to maintain order in the Wild West? I'd like to hear from you. Use the comment tools, as explained at the top of the page.

Posted by David Chappell on October 6, 2007 | Comments (1)