TABLE OF CONTENTS Designing and implementing flexible manufacturing control can be a difficult task. It requires attention to small details and planning for a wide variety of possible changes. Fortunately, a standard model for implementing flexible manufacturing was developed and defined in the ISA 88 Batch Control standard. While the standard was developed to address the needs of batch manufacturing, it has also been extensively applied to non-batch manufacturing operations. Implementations of the ISA 88 standard have led to the development of design patterns that can be applied to achieve the benefits of flexible production, modular control, and control code reusability. These patterns can be applied in manual systems, fully automated systems, and semiautomated systems. The patterns also can be applied to discrete and continuous manufacturing facilities.
The S88 Design Patterns define the set of rules and models to follow to develop flexible manufacturing control systems for batch manufacturing. Following the patterns will result in a flexible system that has significant reusability within a single system and across systems. The NS88 Design Patterns define a set of rules and methods to follow in developing flexible manufacturing control systems for discrete and continuous manufacturing.
The S88 and NS88 recipe and equipment model applies to any manufacturing procedure, not just those that are product-related. Recipes can be developed and implemented anywhere a well-defined procedure is needed and where a log of the actions is required. This may include equipment and room cleaning, equipment sterilization, material movements, and equipment tracking. In many S88 applications, the...
