The industrial state of the art in Computer Integrated Management (CIM) for the process industries is currently focused on integration between Enterprise Rsource Planning (ERP), Manufacturing Execution System (MES) and Process Control System (PCS).

The Purdue Reference Model provided a framework for ERP/MES/PCS integration has evolved into the ANSI/ISA-95 standard (Enterprise Control System Integration, also called S95) which describes the tasks carried out by each layer and what information is exchanged between the tasks.

Implementations of integrated ERP/MES/PCS systems using the ISA-95 framework use an XML markup language for exchange of information between MES/PCS and the ERP called B2MML (Business to manufacturing markup language).

While there is a clear R&D programme for industrial information and communication technologies, it is the research challenges for control engineers in the operation of an installed ERP/MES/PCS system which are the focus of the work.

It will attempt to draw out process control research issues due to the dynamics of operation of an integrated ERP/MES/PCS installation.

The old view of the CIM pyramid (left) versus the new CIM structure of ISA-95 (right). ISA-95 provides a reference model of the activities within each layer and a description of the interfaces between the MES and ERP layers.

References

• Hamlin, C., and Thornhill, N.F., 2008, Integration of control, manufacturing and enterprise systems, Control 2008 IChemE Industry Session, Manchester, Sept 3rd 2008