HomeGeneral InformationPress RoomPress Releases

ISA/OMAC Merger Approved by Boards

Research Triangle Park, NC (24 February 2005) – ISA—The Instrumentation, Systems, and Automation Society announced today that its Executive Board has formally established a subsidiary organization to provide a new home for OMAC–The Open Modular Architecture Controls Users’ Group. The merger allows ISA and OMAC to enhance their missions to facilitate the development and application of automation technology.

OMAC Board Chair Andy McDonald of Unilever noted, “OMAC has been blessed with the active participation of a dedicated group of volunteers from numerous end user companies, automation suppliers, and OEM’s over its past eight years or so of informal existence. We are delighted that we are now affiliating with such a respected and established organization as ISA. It should help OMAC achieve even more success in establishing guidelines in areas such as packaging, computerized numerical control, and manufacturing architecture.”

“ISA is excited about the opportunity to work more closely with the members of OMAC to establish consensus industry standards for the manufacturing community,” commented ISA President Don Zee. “The guidelines that OMAC has established have greatly facilitated more efficient and effective manufacturing. They serve as an excellent complement to ISA’s legacy of useful industry standards and we look forward to working together in the future.”
 
Dick Hill, ARC Advisory Group VP observed, "ARC has been working with both groups for many years. Both OMAC and ISA are respected for helping achieve consensus and direction in the automation community. They have respective strengths in the discrete and process industries. By joining forces, they are positioned to leverage those strengths to become even more effective in serving the needs of automation professionals and manufacturing industries."

The OMAC Board of Directors will be working in the coming months to establish a strategic plan for the organization, including outlining plans for development of industry guidelines, a new membership structure, and meeting and training opportunities.

About the Merging Parties

About ISA

Founded in 1945, ISA (www.isa.org) is a leading, global, nonprofit organization that is setting the standard for automation by helping over 30,000 worldwide members and other professionals solve difficult technical problems, while enhancing their leadership and personal career capabilities. Based in Research Triangle Park, North Carolina, ISA develops standards; certifies industry professionals; provides education and training; publishes books and technical articles; and hosts the largest conference and exhibition for automation professionals in the Western Hemisphere. ISA is the founding sponsor of The Automation Federation (www.automationfederation.org).

About WBF

WBF provides an open forum for the exchange of information related to the management, operation, and automation of manufacturing processes.  Created in 1994, members of the non-profit, professional organization include end-users, vendors, consultants and academics.  WBF provides organization, management, and structure to facilitate networking among its members and sharing of knowledge and information related to manufacturing processes. WBF documents best practices and guidelines for implementation of standards that apply to batch control and the exchange of batch data, as well as conducting technical conferences and technical training programs. WBF is a founding charter member of The Automation Federation (www.automationfederation.org).  More information about WBF is available at www.wbf.org.

About OMAC

OMAC–The Open Modular Architecture Controls Users’ Group (www.omac.org) is an affiliate organization of ISA- The Instrumentation, Systems and Automation Society- and works to collectively derive common solutions for both technical and non-technical issues in the development, implementation, and commercialization of open, modular architecture control (OMAC) technologies, and to facilitate the accelerated development and convergence of industry and government developed OMAC technology guidelines to one set that satisfies common use requirements. OMAC has about 500 member representatives from end-user companies, OEM's, and technology providers and integrator companies. OMAC currently operates three Work Groups: Packaging Machinery, Manufacturing Infrastructure, and Machine Tool. OMAC is a founding charter member of The Automation Federation (www.automationfederation.org).