Overview
ISO 16100-2:2003 - "Industrial automation systems and integration - Manufacturing software capability profiling for interoperability - Part 2: Profiling methodology" defines a structured methodology for creating manufacturing software capability profiles. The standard is part of the ISO 16100 series and describes how to represent software unit capabilities (functions, interfaces, protocols) in a computer-interpretable and human-readable way to enable software interoperability across manufacturing systems. The methodology is intentionally architecture- and platform-independent and supports lifecycle use from requirements analysis through conformance and registration.
Key topics and requirements
- Capability profiling concept: Express software requirements as capability profiles that capture functionality, interfaces and supported protocols of a software unit.
- Capability classes and taxonomy: Use an organized classification scheme (taxonomy) and capability classes to describe manufacturing functions at different hierarchical levels.
- Profiling process: Analyze a software unit to identify supported class paths, search existing templates in a profile database, fill matching templates or create new templates when needed.
- Requirements analysis: Decompose manufacturing software requirements into primitive requirements and map those to capability classes and templates to generate required profiles.
- Profile registration and conformance: After profiling and conformance testing (see ISO 16100‑4), register software unit capability profiles in a central database for reuse and discovery.
- Matching and interoperability rules: Apply rules for matching capability profiles to determine when software units can interoperate or require adaptation.
- Reference methods: The standard references technologies and formats useful for implementation (e.g., XML and other interchange formats) as informative guidance.
Practical applications and users
ISO 16100-2 is practical for anyone involved in integrating or procuring manufacturing software where interoperability matters:
- System integrators and solution architects: to select compatible software units and design interoperable systems.
- Software vendors: to create standardized capability profiles for product catalogs and enable easier integration.
- Manufacturing IT and automation engineers: to map plant requirements to software capabilities and plan deployments.
- Procurement and asset managers: to compare products objectively based on machine-readable capability profiles.
- Test labs and certification bodies: to develop conformance test methods and verify profile claims.
Using ISO 16100-2 supports modular integration, reduces vendor lock-in, and speeds reuse of verified software components in manufacturing automation projects.
Related standards
- ISO 16100-1 (Framework)
- ISO 16100-3 (Interface protocols and templates)
- ISO 16100-4 (Conformance test methods, criteria and reports)
- Informative references: XML schemas and other interchange technologies noted in the standard.
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