Glossary · MES and ISA-95
Enterprise-control system integration
Also known as: ISA-95, Enterprise-control integration
German: Integration von Unternehmens- und Steuerungssystemen
In manufacturing IT, enterprise-control system integration is the integration of business planning and logistics systems (Level 4, such as ERP) with manufacturing operations and control systems (Levels 3 and below, such as MES and control systems). It is the subject and title of the standard series ANSI/ISA-95 and IEC 62264.
- MES
- Standards
In one sentence
Enterprise-control system integration links business systems like ERP with manufacturing operations and control; it is the subject of ISA-95 / IEC 62264.
Example
Using the ISA-95 models, the project team defines which data the ERP sends to the MES (orders, material masters) and what comes back (consumption, output, status).
How it applies
- Engineering: The standard provides models (hierarchy, functional model, object models, activity models) that help teams agree on responsibilities and data flows between systems.
- Project management: ISA-95 terminology gives business and automation teams a shared vocabulary, which reduces scope gaps in integration projects.
- Security: Connections between Level 4 and Level 3 cross an important boundary; network architectures usually place a demilitarized zone between them, following IEC 62443.
- Documentation: Interface and system documentation should use the ISA-95 terms for exchanged information categories, such as production schedule and production performance, and state which system is the master for each data object.
Enterprise-control integration vs. IT/OT convergence
Enterprise-control system integration is a defined scope with standardized models. IT/OT convergence is a broader, less precise trend about merging technologies and organizations. ISA-95 is often used to structure convergence projects.