Overview
ISO/TS 18101-2:2026 is a Technical Specification published by the International Organization for Standardization (ISO). Titled Automation systems and integration - Asset-intensive industry interoperability - Part 2: Vocabulary, this document standardizes terminology for interoperability within asset-intensive industries. It serves as the authoritative vocabulary reference for the ISO 18101 series, supporting clear communication, consistent documentation, and practical implementation of digital transformation solutions across sectors that depend heavily on physical assets.
Asset-intensive industries, such as oil and gas, mining, utilities, manufacturing, transportation, and chemical processing, rely on complex equipment and infrastructure. Interoperability across these sectors is vital to reduce operational silos, streamline asset management, and support effective digitalization strategies. This specification provides unified definitions, ensuring alignment across various applications and stakeholders.
Key Topics
ISO/TS 18101-2:2026 provides precise terms and definitions that underpin interoperability in asset-intensive industries:
- Interoperability: The capability of distinct entities (devices, systems, organizations) to exchange and use information or services based on standardized interfaces and mechanisms.
- System and System Element: Clarifies the composition, interaction, and hierarchy within technical and operational environments, including systems of systems.
- Digital Twin & Digital Asset: Defines core digital concepts supporting advanced analytics, simulation, and lifecycle asset management.
- Data Quality, Data Set, and Data Portability: Addresses the need for reliable, transferable, and structured data across platforms and life-cycle phases.
- Reference Architecture & Information Model: Establishes the importance of foundational frameworks adapted to specialized industry domains.
- Industry Standard Datasheets & Reference Data: Explains the role of supplier-neutral specifications and standardized data sets to enhance interoperability.
By harmonizing this vocabulary, ISO/TS 18101-2:2026 enables transparent and efficient integration of automation systems and business processes, facilitating cross-sector collaboration and vendor neutrality.
Applications
The standardized vocabulary in ISO/TS 18101-2:2026 is critical for a range of practical applications, including:
- Digital Transformation Initiatives: Supports organizations seeking to streamline data exchange and integrate operational technology (OT) with information technology (IT) for enhanced asset management.
- Implementation of Reference Architectures: Provides the terminological foundation for applying frameworks like the Open Industrial Interoperability Ecosystem (OIIE).
- Supplier and Vendor Engagement: Enables equipment manufacturers, solution providers, and asset owners to communicate requirements and solutions effectively using a common language.
- Project and Operations Management: Reduces ambiguity in the design, implementation, and operation of capital projects and ongoing maintenance activities.
- Compliance and Interoperability Testing: Ensures clarity in conformance assessment and compatibility verification across diverse industrial systems and digital platforms.
Industries leveraging ISO/TS 18101-2:2026 benefit from improved risk management, cost control, and operational efficiency through standardization of critical terms related to asset-intensive systems.
Related Standards
ISO/TS 18101-2:2026 is part of the broader ISO 18101 series and aligns with several other key international standards:
- ISO 55000:2024 - Asset management - Vocabulary, overview, and principles
- ISO/TS 18101-1:2019 - Automation systems and integration - Oil and gas interoperability - Part 1: Overview and fundamental principles
- ISO 18435-1:2009 - Industrial automation systems and integration - Diagnostics, capability assessment, and maintenance applications integration
- ISO/IEC/IEEE 15288:2015 - Systems and software engineering - System life cycle processes
- ISO 8000-2:2018 - Data quality - Vocabulary
Adoption of ISO/TS 18101-2 ensures consistency and compatibility with established best practices for industrial automation, interoperability, and asset management. For more information and guidance on implementing these standards, visit the ISO Online Browsing Platform or consult your national standards organization.
Open preview (PDF)Automation systems and integration — Asset-intensive industry interoperability — Part 2: Vocabulary
