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ISA100 Wireless Compliance Institute

Membership Prospectus - PDF Download

The ISA100 Wireless Compliance Institute facilitates the effective implementation and understanding of the planned ISA100 universal family of industrial wireless standards through:

  • compliance testing programs,
  • associated market awareness, and
  • technical support to users and developers.

The mission of the ISA100 Wireless Compliance Institute is to assure that the consensus industry standards arising from the work of ISA100 Standards Committee on Wireless Systems for Automation are applied effectively and consistently. The ISA100 Wireless Compliance Institute fulfills its functions as a natural complement to the ISA100 standards development activity, and ISA marketing and training activities for the ISA100 standards.

The ISA100 Wireless Compliance Institute is constituted as an industry group within the Automation Standards Compliance Institute (ASCI), an organization created to facilitate the proper use and application of automation standards through development and implementation of conformance assessment programs and related activities. It is open to participation from end users, technology suppliers, research and development, academia, and other industry consortia and standards bodies.

Current members of the ISA100 Wireless Compliance Institute include:

  • Apprion
  • BP
  • Chevron
  • Chong Quing University of Posts and Telecommunications
  • ExxonMobil Research & Engineering
  • Fuji Electric
  • Gastronics
  • Honeywell
  • Nivis
  • Proctor & Gamble
  • Shell Global Solutions
  • Shenyang Institute of Automation
  • Wilson-Mohr
  • Yokogawa

WCI Governing Board

  • Honeywell - Dan Sheflin - Chairman
  • Yokogawa - Dr. Penny Chen - Vice Chairman
  • Exxon Mobil - Pat Schweitzer - User Representative
  • Nivis - Marius Chilom

Further details on the concept are available below.

ISA 100 Wireless Compliance Institute Concept Details

(Download Concept Document - Download Overview Slides)



Background

Several hundred industry professionals are engaged in the work activity of ISA100 Standards Committee on Wireless Systems for Automation. The committee is developing consensus industry standards that address wireless manufacturing and control systems in the areas of the environment in which the wireless technology is deployed, technology life cycle for wireless equipment and systems, and application of wireless technology. (See Appendix A for full scope and purpose of the Committee.)

In working to assure confidence in, and the integrity of, wireless technology, and to provide criteria for implementation in manufacturing automation and control systems, the ISA100 Committee has launched a number of project teams. Each team's goal is to develop documents that will help users make the right decision on industrial wireless implementations.

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ISA100 Wireless Compliance Institute Organizational Concept

The ISA100 Wireless Compliance Institute facilitates the effective implementation and understanding of the ISA100 universal family of industrial wireless standards through:

  • compliance testing programs,
  • associated market awareness, and
  • technical support to users and developers.

The mission of the ISA100 Wireless Compliance Institute is to assure that the consensus industry standards arising from the work of ISA100 Standards Committee on Wireless Systems for Automation are applied effectively and consistently. The ISA100 Wireless Compliance Institute fulfills its functions as a natural complement to the ISA100 standards development activity, and ISA marketing and training activities for the ISA100 standards. It is open to participation from end users, technology suppliers, research and development, academia, and other industry consortia and standards bodies.

The ISA100 Wireless Compliance Institute is constituted as an industry group within the Automation Standards Compliance Institute (ASCI). ASCI is an organization created to facilitate the proper use and application of automation standards through development and implementation of conformance assessment programs and related activities. It is operated for the benefit of industry and the profession, and provides a stable long-term entity that transcends individuals, products, and companies. ASCI provides a vital link between ISA's unbiased standards development activity and the implementation of those standards.

ASCI activities are market-driven with financial support arising from membership dues, training and technical support fees, and certification fees. A legal and organizational infrastructure is in place so quick and low-cost start up of an organization like the ISA100 Wireless Compliance Institute is possible. This established infrastructure includes considerations such as legal incorporation, bylaws, governance systems, administrative staff resources, IT infrastructure, and accounting systems.

Within ASCI, industry interest groups govern specific programs, like the ISA100 Wireless Compliance Institute. A governance structure arises from the member organizations that join and support the ISA100 Wireless Compliance Institute. The strategic scope and policies are defined by a Governing Board, the market development activities are overseen by a Marketing Committee, and the technical support and compliance activities are overseen by a Technical Steering Committee.

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Collaborations

While the ISA100 Wireless Compliance Institute is focused on compliance, and associated awareness and technical support, of the ISA100 standards, it is important that this activity be undertaken in coordination with other industry consortia and standards bodies. Since the ISA100 wireless standards are universal in their applicability, and facilitate interoperability and co-existence with other communication and sensing protocols, and control system architectures, it is important that open and collaborative communications occur with the organizations that oversee these other standards and protocols. For example, in the case of compliance testing it is important that any organization licensed to test and grant the ISA100 Wireless Compliant brand represent it as a universal solution and not one uniquely available in association with some other certification. Effectively collaborating with groups such as Fieldbus Foundation, Profibus, HART, OPC, and others is necessary and important in this regard.

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ISA100 Wireless Compliance Institute - Market Awareness Development

Central to the ultimate success of the ISA100 standards development activity is recognition among the industrial community of the existence of the standards and their value when properly applied. This requires a concerted communications campaign that properly positions the ISA100 standards in the marketplace as uniquely universal family of industrial wireless standards. The ISA100 standards transcend specific protocols and architectures currently used in automation and control systems or in consumer or general purpose wireless applications. The ISA100 standards are vendor-neutral, user-driven technology applications for the industrial market.

The ISA100 Wireless Compliance Institute serves to communicate this unique position of the standards to the community of suppliers, end users, technology providers, and others. In so doing, it helps assure that the ISA100 standards are properly applied and the standards development work is leveraged to greatest benefit of the community.

Brand Development

A key component of the market awareness activities of the ISA100 Wireless Compliance Institute is establishing appropriate brand recognition and promulgating the value of that brand. This brand positioning encompasses both the ISA100 wireless standards brand as well as the brand associated with compliance with those standards. The brands should be simple, recognizable, memorable, logical, and reputable, as reflected in these two sample brands.

One of the characteristics of the ISA100 standards is the concept of classes. As such, the ISA100 Wireless compliance brand most likely will have multiple designations aligned with classes. While this characteristic is straight forward to test and manage from a technical perspective, brand class variants must be properly articulated to ensure clarity of the differences. With effective messaging to the industrial automation community, all participants can be clear on the meaning of the designations.

Well-conceived linkages between the standard/class, the standard/class compliance testing, through to the standard/class product logo will provide the necessary continuity to ensure that the designated compliance has consistent interpretation by the industrial automation community. Over time, the product logos should have easy recognition and provide immediate understanding of the designation's meaning. The branding and brand logos must clearly define the capabilities in devices with the ISA100 wireless logo and should meet the following objectives:

  • Make the specific capabilities of the ISA100 wireless devices more visible to consumers and make the device in question more readily able to fulfill expectations.
  • The functionalities of different devices can be compared at a glance, thus simplifying the purchasing and sales process.
  • The logos eliminate the need for consumers to understand profiles by grouping functionalities.
  • The brand logos let the supplier and consumer know at a glance that two devices with the same brand logos will interoperate for the given application
  • The brand logos aid the consumers in understanding functionality
  • The brand logos enhance the visibility of ISA100 wireless technology by broadening and deepening the consumer understanding of its functionality.

Successfully building the ISA100 wireless brand and brand logos is a critical success factor for industry participation in the ISA100 Wireless Compliance Institute compliance activity.

Communications

An organized continuing communications campaign is vital to assuring that the industrial community is aware of the ISA100 standards and the availability of compliant solutions. Through the efforts of the ISA100 Wireless Compliance Institute, a program entailing the following elements at a minimum can be expected to build the desired level of visibility.

  • The ISA100 Wireless Compliance Institute web site provides a central resource for access to relevant information resources.
  • Collateral materials, print and online, that describe the ISA100 Wireless standards applicability and value provide useful insights to suppliers and end users. This includes marketing materials that can be used by providers of compliant products and services to supplement their own promotions. This includes white papers and magazine articles that help users understand when and how to deploy ISA100 wireless solutions.
  • Participation in trade shows and industry events to communicate about the ISA100 standards and the compliance program benefit both suppliers and end users.
  • Advertising campaigns in relevant magazines and web sites serve to enhance general awareness and help the community locate more detailed resources about the ISA100 Wireless Compliance Institute.
  • As a neutral and trusted clearing house for data on compliant products, adoptions, and case histories, the ISA100 Wireless Compliance Institute serves to facilitate more rapid and broader use of the technology.
  • Public relations activities keep the media and analysts informed about ongoing standards development and compliance program activities.

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ISA100 Wireless Compliance Institute - Technical Support

Beyond general awareness, there also is an important role for the ISA100 Wireless Compliance Institute to provide technical support to the industrial community in deploying the ISA100 solution set. Technology providers in some instances need development tools and access to competent technical staff. Systems integrators and engineering contractors benefit from technical resources that supplement their own experiences with the implementation of the standards. End users require technical assistance in identifying the right technical solution for their specific application.

Technical support is provided in many forms.

  • Technical staff retained by the ISA100 Wireless Compliance Institute provide an independent, vendor-neutral trusted source of technical advice about ISA100 standards and compliance to both technology providers and end users.
  • Training programs, both on the web for quick tutorials and hands-on classroom courses for more detailed coverage, afford a means for technology providers to develop their staff expertise and for end users to develop their desired level of in-house expertise about ISA100 standards and compliance.

Technical staff retained by the ISA100 Wireless Compliance Institute can further the understanding and adoption of ISA100 standards through contributions to the ongoing development and maintenance of the standards. In addition, technical staff can contribute to the development of technology solutions that facilitate the implementation of the standards, and facilitate the organization and conduct of field trials and demonstrations to promulgate critical concepts like product interoperability and coexistence.

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ISA100 Wireless Compliance Institute- Compliance

At the core of efforts to promulgate the understanding and implementation of the ISA100 wireless standards is a compliance program that certifies that products or systems comply with the strictures of the ISA100 standards. This entails activities such as

  • Applying and maintaining suitable compliance assessment methodologies
  • Managing the compliance testing program(s) and associated license program(s), including partnering with other organizations to deliver compliance testing as appropriate
  • Marketing the value of ISA100 compliant wireless solutions and brand
  • Acting as a clearinghouse for information about compliant products

The compliance program entails an initial step of defining the test methodology and verifying that conformance metrics exist for all critical parameters. Since the ISA100 standards are being developed with the recognition that conformance testing is desired, it is likely that the standards will be fully suitable for testing. However, if there are any required quantitative metrics that are not suitably specified within the standard, then the Technical Steering Committee facilitates rapid consensus development of the needed supplemental test parameters.

The definition of the certification program for ISA100 standards is established by consensus agreement among the members of the ISA100 Wireless Compliance Institute under the direction of the Technical Steering Committee. The program is summarized here.

Certification provides formal recognition of a product's conformance to an industry standard specification with advantages to suppliers and buyers:

  • Suppliers are able to make and substantiate clear claims of conformance to a standard
  • Buyers are able to specify and successfully procure conforming products that interoperate

Certification programs are based on a supplier's claim of conformance, which may (depending on the certification program that is defined and approved by the members) use testing as an indicator of conformance. Suppliers often use test suites to establish confidence that their product conforms, and to achieve certification, the supplier must provide a warranty of conformance, indicating that their product is conformant.

This warranty ensures that:

  • Products conform to an industry standard specification
  • Products remain conformant throughout the life of the product
  • If there is a non-conformance, the product will be fixed in a timely manner

This warranty of conformance by suppliers is usually based on the use of a trademark in connection with certified products. The terms under which the trademark is licensed include a strong legal representation by the supplier that the product registered in the program fully conforms to the relevant specification(s). The warranty is made by suppliers, not the owner of the specification, owner of the trademark, or the certification authority.

A certification program is tailored to fit the needs of consortia, and depending on the definition of the program, could include but is not limited to some or all of the following options:

  • Certification of conformant products by validating the indicators of conformance, which may or may not include test suites, along with a supplier's warranty of conformance
  • Certification of test suites developed by third parties, which may then be used as tools or as indicators of compliance for suppliers when certifying conformant products
  • Certification of test agency authorities, who may do the testing for applicants and validate the results for submission to the certification authority as an indicator of conformance when certifying products

The methodology for testing, if it becomes part of the Certification Program will be modeled after a practice such as the following.

  • The Certification Process

    The certification process must be clearly defined, including any pre-requisites that must be met prior to registering a product or procedure for certification. The steps required to achieve certification must be clearly described along with the expected timeframes for the process.

  • The Indicators of Conformance

    The policies must define the appropriate steps to be taken to validate that a product or procedure is conformant. In this step, the alternatives will be discussed to determine what validation steps make sense and policies will be established for any necessary validation procedures, tools, or test suites.

  • The Obligations and Rights of Certification Customers

    The program must clearly identify any obligations on customers who either wish to certify or have certified a product or procedure in the program, as well as any rights the customer may have as a result of participating in the program.

  • The Problem Reporting and Interpretations Process

    An effective certification program must be able to provide applicants with a responsive service through which they can get answers to questions of interpretation about the standard or best practices guide, or report problems with any test suites, validation procedures or the certification system.

  • The Renewal and Appeals processes and Confidentiality policy

    The renewal process covers identification of the period of time for which a certification registration is valid, requirements for maintaining the certification, and the process for renewal.

  • The Certification Requirements for modifications of a Certified Product or Procedure

    The policy must define the requirements for maintaining certification when making modifications to a certified product or practice. This involves defining the types of modifications that could be made and identifying the re-certification requirements in each case.

  • Agree on logo and trademark to be used in conjunction with the certification program and register with PTO.

Once the overarching policies have been defined for each of the areas described above, they will be incorporated into a Certification Policy document. Once agreement on the overarching program definition has been reached within the Working Group(s), the Certification Policy will be submitted to the formal review and approval process.

As technical standards and profiles are approved, the following specific areas will be defined for each of the technical standards/profiles and will together with the General Policy described above, comprise the definition of the supplemental certification program for a particular standard/profile:

  • Conformance Requirements

    The conformance requirements for a technical standard or profile certification are specified in a Conformance Requirements Document. A Conformance Requirements Document is a precisely defined and documented set of requirements against which Certifiable Entities may be certified.

  • Conformance Statement Questionnaire

    A Conformance Statement is the Organization's documented set of claims describing precisely the way in which the Certifiable Entity meets the Conformance Requirements, including which optional requirements are implemented. It provides a precise characterization of the Certified Entity. A Conformance Statement is produced by completing the relevant Conformance Statement Questionnaire.

  • Supplemental Certification Policy

    A supplemental policy will only be necessary if any of the general policy requirements need to be altered to accommodate the specific standard/profile that is being developed.

The scheme for testing and the granting of compliance certificates is the most critical role for the ISA100 Wireless Compliance Institute and requires careful consideration of market needs and technical realities. The program(s) need careful continuing oversight from the members to assure that it serves the collective needs of the community and is a credible reference for suppliers and end users alike.

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ISA100 Wireless Compliance Institute - Benefits

The ISA100 Wireless Compliance Institute facilitates the effective implementation and understanding of the ISA100 family of industrial wireless standards through three interrelated components of

  • compliance testing programs,
  • associated market awareness, and
  • technical support to users and developers.

The mission of the ISA100 Wireless Compliance Institute is to assure that the consensus industry standards arising from the work of ISA100 Standards Committee on Wireless Systems for Automation are applied effectively and consistently. The ISA100 Wireless Compliance Institute fulfills its functions as a natural complement to the ISA100 standards development activity, and ISA marketing and training activities for the ISA100 standards.

In fulfilling this mission, the ISA100 Wireless Compliance Institute:

  • facilitates the integrated application of the ISA100 family of standards,
  • positions the ISA100 wireless standards as universal across all protocols,
  • positions the ISA100 wireless standards as uniquely suited for a broad range of industrial applications,
  • reinforces that the standards and their implementation arise from an open process with end user input via ISA and other Automation Federation member organizations, and
  • contributes to the continuing development and evolution of future ISA100 wireless standards

The benefits directly accruing to members of the ISA100 Wireless Compliance Institute are unique to the driving force or motivation for each member to join. In the case of suppliers, it may be to establish market credibility for a product line through the affiliation with a reputable organization or to publicize standards-based interoperability. In the case of an end user, it may be to gain access to a network of wireless subject matter experts to facilitate more effective business and technology decisions or to simplify purchasing decisions using ISA standards-based interoperability as key decision criteria. For a systems integrator, it may be to market credibility through affiliation and to gain recognition through participation in a professional certificate of competence program.

A list of potential benefits is shown in Appendix B.

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Appendix A - Scope and Purpose of ISA100 Standards Committee on Wireless Systems for Automation

The ISA100 Standards Committee on Wireless Systems for Automation addresses wireless manufacturing and control systems in the areas of the environment in which the wireless technology is deployed, technology life cycle for wireless equipment and systems, and application of wireless technology. The wireless environment includes the definition of wireless, radio frequencies (starting point), vibration, temperature, humidity, EMC, interoperability, coexistence with existing systems, and physical equipment location. Global short-, medium-, and long-term technology needs are incorporated on a non-exclusive technology basis with no bias towards or against a particular wireless technology. The standards themselves may influence the allocation and use of resources and spectrum.

Application of the technology includes:

  • Field sensors used for monitoring, control, alarm, and shutdown that can be vertically integrated from field to business systems.
  • Wireless technology whose uses include real time field-to-business systems (e.g. wireless equipment interfacing work order systems, control LAN, business LAN, voice)
  • Coverage across all industries - fluid processing, material processing, and discrete parts manufacturing environments

The ISA100 Committee is establishing standards, recommended practices, technical reports, and related information that define procedures for implementing wireless systems in the automation and control environment with a focus on the field level (Level 0). Guidance is directed towards those responsible for the complete life cycle including the designing, implementing, on-going maintenance, scalability or managing manufacturing and control systems, and shall apply to users, system integrators, practitioners, and control systems manufacturers and vendors.

The Committee's focus is to improve the confidence, integrity, and availability of components or systems used for manufacturing or control, and provide criteria for procuring and implementing wireless technology in the control system environment. Compliance with the Committee's guidance will improve manufacturing and control system deployment, and will help identify vulnerabilities and address them, thereby reducing the risk of compromising or causing manufacturing control systems degradation or failure.

In working to assure confidence in, and the integrity of, wireless technology, and to provide criteria for implementation in manufacturing automation and control systems, the ISA100 Committee has launched a number of project teams. Each team's goal is to develop documents that will help users make the right decision on industrial wireless implementations.

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Appendix B - Member Benefits of the ISA100 Wireless Compliance Institute

Benefits for members of the ISA100 Wireless Compliance Institute include:

  • ISA100 Wireless Product Guide: Members can list descriptions of their ISA100 Wireless compliant products and services in the online product guide. This is free of charge.
  • Manufacturer ID code assignment: ISA100 Wireless products are assigned an ID Code which is managed by the ISA100 Wireless Compliance Institute.
  • Hotlinks from Members List: All members are listed on the ISA100 Wireless Compliance Institute website establishing recognition of involvement and participation with ISA100 with a link to the member company's website.
  • Reduced prices for device registration and certificates: A reduced members' price is granted for the registration of devices and for the issuing of certificates.
  • Participation in ISA100 Wireless Compliance Institute Technical Working Groups: The ISA100 Wireless compliance testing technologies are maintained and updated in the Technical Steering Committee and associated working groups of the ISA100 Wireless Compliance Institute. Participation in these groups is reserved for members of the ISA100 Wireless Compliance Institute.
  • Participation in marketing activities all over the world: Marketing activities are executed by the ISA100 Wireless Compliance Institute globally, including seminars, conferences, and education. Members of the ISA100 Wireless Compliance Institute have the opportunity to participate in marketing activities like joint trade show exhibits, interoperability demonstrations, advertising campaigns, special publications, and ongoing promotional programs that include representation in ads, articles, and email newsletters.
  • Preferential access to profiles, guidelines, and email lists: With your member password, you can access and download ISA100 Wireless Compliance Institute documents., and gain access to an exclusive online community providing user/developer forums for discussion items such as technical issues, improvement ideas, and much more.
  • Banner advertising: Advertising at the ISA100 Wireless Compliance Institute website is possible for members at favorable prices.
  • Use of ISA100 Wireless logos: The brand logos for ISA100 Wireless are registered trademarks. Members of the ISA100 Wireless Compliance Institute are entitled to use the logos in their written or electronic publications and promotional material. Members are issued a style guide that describes the guidelines behind the use of the ISA100 Wireless logos.
  • Discount on training and seminars: Members of the ISA100 Wireless Compliance Institute enjoy discounts on ISA100 seminar fees of many member companies and of the ISA Training Institute.
  • Involvement with emerging ISA100 standards: ISA100 standards development activities are open to all companies that are willing to contribute and to commit to the technology. By actively participating in the ISA100 Wireless Compliance Institute, members have access to, and are able to influence, the development of standards by providing strategic guidance on design information, development details, and interoperability specifications.
  • Networking opportunities: Members also benefit from networking with other market leaders committed to providing interoperable wireless products and networks. This provides an opportunity to interact with other individuals whose complementary skills and capabilities may enhance the efficiency and effectiveness of their own products.
  • Marketplace confidence: Being a part of the ISA100 Wireless Compliance Institute and participating in interoperability programs and market development efforts means that you and your customers can be assured of the very best experience of wireless technology and services.
  • ISA100 Wireless Compliance Institute meetings: Members benefit from participation in the meetings of the ISA100 Wireless Compliance Institute members where topics such as implementation guidelines, interpretation of new standards, industry issues, and marketing are discussed.
  • Board Elections: Voting members can vote for leaders in the ISA Wireless Compliance Institute, impacting the strategic direction of the organization.

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