Make2Pack and PackML making inroads at P&G

摘要

The goal of tightly integrating processing and packaging, as well as devising an industry standard method of machine control, is still gaining momentum. In 2005, Automation World's sister publication, Packaging World, sat down with corporate engineers from Procter & Gamble Co., the Cincinnati-based consumer products giant, to discuss the state of the Make2Pack (ISA SP88 part 5 committee] and PackML (ISA TR88.05] effort, two major standards activities in this area. A follow-up meeting was held recently at P&G corporate engineering headquarters to assess how much progress has been made-and how much work remains. Automation World caught up with Bob MacDonald, associate director, corporate engineering, power, control & information systems, modeling simulation & analysis; Rob Aleksa, corporate engineering machine control section head, and vice chairman of the OMAC Users Group (for Open Modular Architecture Control); Pat Dollard, corporate engineering process control section head; Mike Lamping, corporate engineering machine control technology leader and ISA TR88.05 leader; and Dave Chappell, a P&G retiree who is chief technology officer at Complete Manufacturing Automation Associates, and chair of the ISA88.5 committee.