Overview
ISO 15745-4:2003/Amd 2:2007 is Amendment 2 to Part 4 of the ISO 15745 series (Industrial automation systems and integration - Open systems application integration framework). Published in 2007, this amendment adds technology-specific profiles for Modbus TCP, EtherCAT and ETHERNET Powerlink. It extends the Application Integration Framework in ISO 15745‑1 by specifying device and communication network profile templates, class structures and XML schema guidance for Ethernet‑based control systems.
Key topics and technical requirements
- Profiles added: Modbus TCP, EtherCAT, ETHERNET Powerlink (EPL) - each with device profile and communication network profile templates.
- Device profile structure: common main classes shown in class diagrams - DeviceProfile, DeviceIdentity, DeviceManager, DeviceFunction, ApplicationProcess. DeviceIdentity captures vendor/product identification attributes; DeviceManager covers monitoring and configuration points; DeviceFunction and ApplicationProcess describe functionality and interfaces.
- Communication network profile: CommNetworkProfile split into ApplicationLayers, TransportLayers, and NetworkManagement describing application/transport/management aspects of each Ethernet technology.
- XML/DDXML templates: device and network profile templates are expressed as XML schemas. Modbus TCP uses DDXML headers and device profile parts; EtherCAT and EPL have their own schema sections in the annexes (E, F, G).
- Normative references and abbreviations: adds references such as ISO 1000, ISO 3166‑1, IEC/PAS specifications for Modbus, EtherCAT and Powerlink, and RFC 1157 (SNMP). Defines abbreviations like DDXML, EPL, FMMU, MIB, SNMP.
- Interoperability focus: the amendment defines technology‑specific elements and rules for describing communication network profiles and communication‑related device aspects to improve integration and interoperability.
Practical applications and users
Who benefits:
- Device manufacturers creating Ethernet‑based I/O, drives, controllers - to publish consistent device descriptions and profiles.
- System integrators and control engineers implementing multi‑vendor industrial Ethernet networks (Modbus TCP, EtherCAT, Powerlink).
- Tool vendors building configuration, commissioning, asset management or diagnostic software that consumes DDXML/XML device and network profiles.
- Standards and test labs performing conformance and interoperability testing.
Typical uses:
- Generating machine‑readable device descriptions for automated configuration
- Exchanging device/ network capability metadata across engineering tools
- Supporting network management, mapping and device monitoring via standardized profile attributes
Related standards
- ISO 15745‑1 (Application Integration Framework)
- IEC/PAS 62030 (Modbus application protocol specs), IEC/PAS 62407 (EtherCAT), IEC/PAS 62408 (EPL)
- RFC 1157 (SNMP)
Keywords: ISO 15745-4, Modbus TCP, EtherCAT, ETHERNET Powerlink, industrial automation standard, device profile, communication network profile, DDXML, XML schema, application integration framework.
Open preview (PDF)Industrial automation systems and integration — Open systems application integration framework — Part 4: Reference description for Ethernet-based control systems — Amendment 2: Profiles for Modbus TCP, EtherCAT and ETHERNET Powerlink
