Overview
ISO 13281-2:2000 specifies the minimum set of services and interfaces required to create a Manufacturing Automation Programming Environment (MAPLE) at the application layer. It is part of the ISO 13281 MAPLE family and focuses on interface requirements for software components (not on user workflows). The standard targets software developers of MAPLE environments, system integrators, and software tool developers who need a vendor‑neutral specification for integrating manufacturing software, data sources and automation tools.
Key topics and technical requirements
- Application-layer interfaces: Defines how MAPLE interacts with external Manufacturing Software Programs and other MAPLEs (interface objects: MAPLE, ManufacturingSoftwareProgram, MAPLEFinder).
- Dictionary Definition Schema: Specifies a schema for the Manufacturing Data Dictionary and Manufacturing Software Dictionary, including catalogues for data classifications and storage types.
- MAPLE services (minimum required set):
- Plan task and Task Planner roles for sequencing work items
- Data and Software Dictionary maintenance for schema and capability registration
- Manufacturing data access and logical‑to‑physical mappings to connected Manufacturing Databases
- Translate data (Data Translator) and transfer intermediate data between tools
- Invoke software program capability and Program execution management (Execution Manager)
- MAPLE system services and access control to MAPLE functions
- Interfaces with external systems: Interfaces to Manufacturing Databases, Data Translators and Manufacturing Software Programs are described; Annex A provides normative interface descriptions.
- Conformance and normative references: Relies on interface description language and ODP viewpoints (e.g., ISO/IEC 14750, ISO/IEC 10746) and references standards for remote database access and character sets.
Practical applications and benefits
- Enables interoperable integration of CAD/CAM/NC, PLC, robotics and shop‑floor tools through a neutral MAPLE implementation.
- Supports tool chaining (software tool linker), automated task planning and execution orchestration in manufacturing automation projects.
- Simplifies access to diverse manufacturing databases by defining data classification, storage type catalogues and logical‑to‑physical mapping.
- Useful when implementing enterprise‑level automation workflows, post‑processors, translators or toolchains that must interface with multiple vendor systems.
Who should use this standard
- Software developers building MAPLE environments or manufacturing integration middleware.
- System integrators implementing cross‑tool automation and execution management.
- Software tool developers (post‑processors, data translators, planners) who need standardized invocation and data access semantics.
Related standards
Keywords: ISO 13281-2, MAPLE, Manufacturing Automation Programming Environment, industrial automation, MAPLE services, manufacturing data dictionary, software dictionary, interfaces, system integrators, software tool developers.