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Industry 4.0 Glossary

What Is ISA 95?

ISA 95 is an international industrial communication standard to enable communication between different levels of a manufacturing enterprise. It helps data from the field, or the plant connect with enterprise systems and applications.

With the ISA 95 standards, communication is made possible between different players in a manufacturing process like suppliers, manufacturing line, and supply chain.

ISA 95 Data Models

ISA 95 data model defines 5 different levels of automation where data is created, consumed or transacted in a manufacturing environment. This data model is based on UML (unified modelling language) that is already in use for data interchange between MOM (manufacturing operations management) and ERP (enterprise resource planning) systems.

Level 0:

This is where data creation begins and represents the actual production process.

Level 1:

At this level, one can find sensors and intelligent equipment that create or gather data in a manufacturing process. This data and intelligence are further used to manipulate the line equipment and devices.

Level 2:

In level two, information is used to drive actions that impact the equipment, line and plant performance. Controls and automation hardware and software come together to monitor and control the physical processes.

Level 3:

This layer involves workflows that deliver the goals of the production line. It involves actions like scheduling, workload balancing, optimization of production and other processes that help achieve the manufacturing objectives. It involves MOM systems like MES (manufacturing execution systems), production scheduling systems and historians.

Level 4:

This layer consists of enterprise systems that administer the manufacturing operations in line with the business goals. ERP, CRM (customer relationship management), SCM (supply chain management) are some of the enterprise systems that use data from level 3 to drive business decisions.

The different layers are defined in such a way that it is independent of the industry or product manufactured. It can apply to any type of manufacturing like discrete, process or hybrid.

ISA 95 Training

ISA 95 connects operations applications with enterprise systems. This throws a variety of functions into the mix like IT, manufacturing, and finance. It also extends to functions like procurement and management. Data interoperability is only a part of realizing integration between functions. Training the individual contributor and/or stakeholder is critical for the successful utilization of cross functional intelligence.

ISA 95 Certification

ISA (international society of automation) (www.isa.org) provides certification and professional licensing programs. The certification programs include “certified automation professional (CAP)”, “certified controls systems technician (CCST)”, and “ISA/IEC 61511 safety instrumented systems” for professionals. Even programs like “ISA/IEC 62443 cybersecurity certificate programs” related to cybersecurity are available. The certification is for the individual’s knowledge and expertise in the respective subjects but is not a license to practice.

ISA 95 In The IIoT Era

ISA 95 was developed in 1995 as an evolution of the previous ISA 88 model, in which the internet of things and smart machinery were unnamed concepts. Today, concepts like IIoT and edge computing are bringing a number of possibilities to the manufacturing industry. ISA 95 brings value to industry 4.0 through its vendor neutral application across diverse industries and types of manufacturing. It does not provide for the scenarios of decentralized computing and unstructured data. But, by combining ISA 95 with new age architecture that has been developed for IoT applications can make it invaluable for the future of manufacturing.