Research Triangle Park, NC (December 11, 2006) - ISA's SP-100 committee, Wireless Standards for Automation, formed a new user working group to provide input and feedback to the committee's technical working groups. The User Working Group (UWG) was formed to ensure that the ISA-100 standard will be consistent and provide maximum benefit to the market. The UWG will review, comment on, and provide recommendations for the work of all SP-100 technical working groups. The group will focus on both current and future industrial applications for wireless technology, and provide input that will help drive the development of ISA-100 compliant devices from multiple suppliers. The UWG will act as a single, global voice of the end user community.
"In a recent meeting held via teleconference with several end users, the users clearly identified a need for an increased focus on security as part of the standard," said UWG Co-chair Greg LaFramboise of Chevron. "We've taken that input and asked the technical working groups to work on defining parameters for security in the wireless environment, and the UWG will provide feedback on their work. This is an example of how valuable end-user input is to the process, and how instrumental users will be in the development of this new standard." The UWG will develop a "User Requirements" document, detailing requirements in users' language by February 2007.
The document will provide on-going, real-time input and feedback and will serve as a mechanism for critical end-user communications throughout the standards development process. Members of the UWG will be meeting this week at the ISA SP-100.11a committee meeting in Amsterdam. WIB, the International Instrument Users' Association, is also sending a contingent of European users to provide input to the ISA SP-100.11a effort.
"ISA is a user-driven standards organization with global reach. The creation of a group such as the UWG enables users to provide their input and requirements directly to the technical working groups of the committee. There's no better way to ensure a user-friendly standard," said Ian Verhappen, ISA VP of Standards and Practices. WIB provides process instrumentation evaluation and assessment services for, and on behalf of, its industrial user member companies. WIB operates in close collaboration with similar associations in France, the UK, and Germany.
WIB representatives attending the meeting include individuals from DOW, DuPont, Akzo-Nobel, and Heineken.
About ISA
Founded in 1945, ISA 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
