July 24, Aug 14 meetings: ISA88 efforts, what’s next, modular automation objects

Here is a quick review of some items discussed at the July 24 and Aug. 14 phone and online meetings of the ISA88 Part 5 Make2Pack committee, including module automation objects, work yet to do, and future meetings.

The technical report talking about how to use ISA88 and ISA95 has been published. There’s a lot of practical advice to help original equipment manufacturers (OEMs), system integrators, end-users or anyone putting together automation software in modular, practical ways. Anyone who hasn’t seen it at this point should take a look. 

How to use ISA88 and ISA95 together: ISA technical report provides more details. 

There’s also the ISA88 Machine and Unit States Technical Report. Our group provided considerable input to this resource, which incorporates thinking from OMAC Packaging Workgroup’s PackML and PackTags documents into ISA88 language. Working on that technical report helped solidify Part 5 language and concepts.

We discussed automation objects, as we understand them, from other standards that Part 5 will reference and as we’ve worked in various diagrams, some shown in previous postings. [See automation objects example from a May posting.] Our Make2Pack perspective now incorporates IEC 61131 function blocks as well as thinking from process and batch controls from our WBF experiences, and from packaging machine automation from the OMAC working group. Make2Pack, as the name says, has one foot in process (make) and another in packaging (pack), so processes and machines can interface more easily.

Packaging is a good place to show how automation objects work, and two companies are helping with that at present. Once these examples are documented, it should be easy to understand how to apply automation objects to any control situation… continuous process, batch, discrete, packaging and other areas, as well. As we’ve said before, while Batch is part of ISA88’s name, it’s not just for batch anymore.

Some concepts that depend on Part 1 work (under revision) and Part 5 work (being drafted) we’ve put off to a future Part 6 of the ISA88 standard. People are hoping Parts 1 and 5 can be finished before we start on Part 6, because of interdependence of the pieces, and also because there are only so many people, at the moment, to go around.

What’s next, meetings: in person and phone/online

Upcoming work includes more on modular automation objects, phase interface, and the prototype.

Anyone out there who wishes to learn more or get involved may contact me for more information. (Contact link is on main page of the blog). Groups generally meet at least monthly on the phone. 

In-person meetings include Part 1 group in Raleigh, NC, Aug. 18-21; Make2Pack / Part 5, Sept. 9 through Sept. 11 meeting in Dayton, OH. Pack Expo 2008 is Nov. 9-13. WBF European Conference is Nov. 10-12 in Barcelona, Spain—I’ll give a paper there, and there’s a training day expected. Make2Pack / Part 5 will meet Dec. 2-4, location to be determined.

Additional phone / online meetings are Sept. 3, Oct. 16, Nov. 20, and Dec. 18.

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