PackML

[6] PackML concepts are also finding application in the other discrete control environments such as converting, assembled products, machine tools, and robotics.

[6] In an effort to gain industry acceptance Procter & Gamble (P&G) developed a “PackML Implementation Guide” with a software template & help files that was provided royalty-free, non-exclusive licensed to OMAC.

[5] Many control suppliers (including Siemens, Lenze, Bosch, Rockwell, Mitsubishi, B&R, ELAU, Beckhoff ) have developed their own PackML software template.

The ISA-88 Committee started work in the 1980s and has developed a series of standards and technical reports with the intent of providing a broadly accepted set of concepts, models and definitions for the batch control industry.

Each committee had a specific focus area:[10][13] The PackML sub-committee's focus was to develop a method to quickly integrate a line of machines without concern on what field bus (protocol & media-the domain of the PackConnect sub-committee) was going to carry the data set between machines, SCADA and MES.

Later in the development process, the concept of PackTags was introduced to provide a uniform set of naming conventions for data elements used within the state model.

It gets additional non-monetary support from PMMI (Packaging Machinery Manufacturers Institute) and ARC (Automation Research Corporation).

In 2008 the final version (v3), which contains both PackML and PackTags, were updated and harmonized with the ANSI/ISA-88.00.01 standard terms and definitions to produce the technical report ANSI/ISA-TR88.00.02-2008 Machine and Unit States: An Implementation Example of ISA-88.

The PackML version 2 implementation had the disadvantage of being memory intensive for PLC processors, unnecessary unused code as well as having an incomplete state/mode model for some machines.