Development of new PackML implementation guide announced

Rob Aleksa, P&G corporate machine control section head, said, "Although the PackML standard exists, a well defined implementation approach has not yet been developed. P&G found many industry PackML implementations not very robust and often too complex. This frequently led to reworking the software, costing effort and money. So P&G developed efficient, robust software validated on a variety of machine systems. We decided to provide the software to industry, through OMAC, to drive a standard implementation approach. We want to ensure P&G and others get maximum benefit from the PackML standard."

In August, Procter & Gamble provided, to OMAC, a P&G PackML Implementation Guide along with the software and help files for an implementation on Rockwell's ControlLogix platform. The OPW group, after reviewing the guide, decided to adopt it and to encourage technology providers to develop example software that follows the guide.

OMAC Technical Director, Dave Bauman, said, "OPW is anticipating that the implementation of this guide and example software code will help accelerate the adoption of PackML by both users and machine builders. In fact, a number of other technology providers including B&R Automation, GE Fanuc, Kepware, Schneider Electric Elau Packaging Solutions, Siemens, and Wonderware are planning to develop example software code that will also be available for download on the OMAC website."

The PackML implementation guide and the example Rockwell software code developed by P&G will be made available for download from the OMAC website (www.omac.org) in November.

SOURCE: OMAC

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