Beyond batch: ISA-88 standards

A working group sponsored by the ISA SP-88 Committee and the World Batch Forum (WBF) is undertaking a new initiative to help users apply the principles explained in the ISA-88 standards in non-batch applications. The effort also is intended to be compatible with ISA-95 series of manufacturing integration standards. According to ISA, this combined approach is expected to enable end users to better apply both the ISA-88 and ISA-95 series principles to various manufacturing industries, as well as extend savings and benefits already realized by the batch industries into both discrete and continuous manufacturing environments.

Because the structure of the batch standard mirrors the structure required for flexible manufacturing, ISA says the ISA-88 principles can be extended to many continuous as well as discrete applications. The standard is flexible and, depending on the functionality required, can be adapted to many different types of applications. The Make2Pack working group has allowed subgroups of OMAC and the ISA SP-88 committee to work together to find ways to apply these standards based principles to machine-based control.

One of the key benefits offered in this initiative, according to ISA, is modularity, which allows lower engineering and training costs and flexibility for more production capability. Other benefits include the use of standard-based procedure models to meet changing operations requirements, improvements in the consistency and quality of products, and improved control over the manufacturing process.

—David Greenfield, editorial director, Control Engineering, dgreenfield@reedbusiness.com

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