ISA‑95 is an international standard that defines a common model and terminology for integrating enterprise business systems (like ERP) with manufacturing and control systems (like MES and SCADA). It structures manufacturing activities into levels, helping reduce integration risk, ambiguity, and custom engineering when connecting IT and OT systems.

FAQ

What is ISA‑95?

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ISA‑95 is an international standard (also known as IEC 62264) that defines a common framework for integrating enterprise and control systems in manufacturing. It focuses on how business systems (for example, ERP) and operational systems (for example, MES, SCADA, DCS, PLCs) exchange information in a consistent and structured way.

The standard provides:

Common terminology for equipment, materials, people, and production activities.
A functional hierarchy (Levels 0–4) describing where different systems and processes sit, from physical processes up to business planning and logistics.
Information models and interfaces that define what data is exchanged between levels, particularly between Level 3 (manufacturing operations management) and Level 4 (enterprise systems).

ISA‑95 is not a software product, protocol, or detailed implementation guide. Instead, it is a reference model and set of standards used to:

Align IT (Information Technology) and OT (Operational Technology) teams on a shared architecture.
Reduce ambiguity and custom point‑to‑point interfaces between systems.
Lower integration risk by clarifying responsibilities and data flows.
Support vendor‑neutral system design and selection.

Organizations typically apply ISA‑95 by mapping their existing systems and workflows to the ISA‑95 levels and models, then using those models to design interfaces, data structures, and responsibilities between business and manufacturing systems.

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