ISA100’s Factory Automation Working Group Issues Request for Proposals

The ISA100 Factory Automation Working Group (WG16) is soliciting input by means of a Request for Proposal for companies or individuals to make a presentation or submit a proposal paper.

ISA100 WG16 is chartered to investigate applications for wireless technology in the factory automation and discrete manufacturing industries such as automotive manufacturing, packaging machinery, machining, and robotics.

The group is seeking presentations for new wireless technology and system architectures for the link between sensors/actuators and automation systems. While wired links between conventional sensors and actuators can often be used, many repetitive motion applications such as machine tools and robotics make wire replacement a major source of work flow interruption and high maintenance cost. WG16 is studying the feasibilities of replacing such wiring with fast, low-cost wireless connections.

The presentation or paper must address important requirements emerging from WG16 efforts including:

• Wireless sensing and/or actuating, possibly involving multiple hops
• Low latency in the range of 2-50 milliseconds
• Low power vs. line power trade-offs
• Security comparable to ISA100.11a
• Leverage of existing technologies including hardware (chip sets) and software (communication protocols)

The presenter(s) should be prepared to discuss the attributes, benefits, trade-offs, performance, and relative (order of magnitude) cost to implement their proposal. Proposals must be submitted by 28 April 2009. Accepted proposals are required to be presented at an ISA100.16 meeting or teleconference.

For information on how to submit a proposal, please contact Linda Wolffe at lwolffe@isa.org, or +1 919 990 9257.

The ISA100 standards committee was established to prepare a family of standards for wireless communications in industrial automation applications. The committee’s next face-to-face meeting is scheduled for 19-22 May in Kyoto, Japan, hosted by JEMIMA (Japan Electric Measuring Instruments Manufacturer”s Association).

For more information about ISA100, visit www.isa.org/ISA100 or call +1 919 549 8411.