Automation Standards Compliance Institute (ASCI)

The Automation Standards Compliance Institute (ASCI) was established by ISA in 2006 as a separately incorporated non-profit organizational entity to facilitate programs that assess automation-related standards compliance. The institute's charter includes a wide range of standards compliance assessments including software or hardware products, implementation methods, solutions, companies and individuals.

ASCI provides a vital link between the standards ISA develops and the implementation of those standards. ASCI also offers the opportunity to partner with other organizations and assess conformity of their standards. A feasibility study, market study, and legal assessment performed in 2005 and 2006 indicated that a standards conformity program was needed to provide a useful link between automation standards and the products, services, processes and systems that use them. The studies revealed that automation users are increasingly recognizing the value of adopting true industry standards and that the next step in this evolution was to ensure that the solutions selected in fact adhere to these standards. ASCI is chartered to educate users and help suppliers transform standards into real interoperable products.

ASCI is governed by a Board of Directors that includes senior ISA officers and staff, and “outside” directors appointed for their business experience with standards conformity programs. Within ASCI, groups are formed to address specific interest areas for standards conformance. Each such Interest Area Group establishes its own membership and governance structure.

Initial Interest Area Groups are in development in the areas of security, safety and wireless, where asset owners, consultants, contractors, and suppliers are all striving to reduce risks and optimize performance. All of these topics are critical to industry where assistance on how best to implement industry standards in an effective and efficient manner is critical. ASCI is in a unique position to evaluate compliance in these areas and facilitate development of ancillary services that assist asset owners, integrators and consultants, and suppliers in understanding and implementing standards.

ASCI is financially capitalized by ISA to facilitate cost-effective development of compliance program activities. This includes professional staff management of the programs from a full time managing director as well as allocation of professional staff resources from the 75-member ISA staff. The necessary legal and administrative costs to launch ASCI and facilitate the initial development of Interest Area Groups is being underwritten by ISA.