Overview
ISO/TR 16161:2019 - "Automation systems and integration - Use case of capability profiles for cooperation between manufacturing software units" - is a Technical Report that describes how to apply ISO 16100 capability profiles to enable cooperation between manufacturing software units (MSUs). It presents a practical agent-based approach where software agents (MSUs) exchange capability profiles to identify compatible partners (requesters/customers and performers/providers), then engage through a defined message language and dialogue protocol to request, negotiate and report manufacturing activities.
Key topics and technical coverage
- Capability profiles: Use and structure of MSU capability profiles (based on ISO 16100 concepts) to describe requested and provided manufacturing capabilities. Includes template and example profiles.
- Agent roles: Definitions of C‑subsystem (customer/requester) and P‑subsystem (performer/provider) and their interaction model.
- Dialogue model: A state transition diagram for dialogues (Request → Promise/Decline → Accept → Complete) and customization options (Annex E, F).
- Message language & types: Definitions and structures for messages (control messages such as Notify/Ask/Warn; performative messages such as Request, Promise, Counter, Accept, Decline, Cancel, Report Completion, DeclareComplete). Message structures and semantics are detailed (see Clause 7).
- Communication protocol & interfaces: Protocol for C–P dialogues, interface considerations, and message sequencing (Clause 8).
- Practical artifacts: JSON Schema for message definitions (Annex A), Management Layer guidance (Annex B), customer‑performer model examples (Annex C), sample messages (Annex D), and mapping to other standards (e.g., OAGiS mapping in Annex G).
- Discovery model: Use of a centralized service provider to register and retrieve URIs and capability profiles for partner identification (Clause 6).
Applications and who uses it
- System integrators and software architects building interoperable manufacturing systems that require agent-to-agent cooperation.
- Vendors of manufacturing application software and MSUs who need a standard way to publish capabilities and support automated partner discovery and negotiation.
- Automation engineers and IT teams implementing MES, shop‑floor orchestration, or modular manufacturing services that rely on software agents for task allocation.
- Standards bodies and solution designers wanting to align agent communication models with ISO 16100 capability profile semantics.
Related standards and interoperability
- Directly applies ISO 16100 (capability profile representation) and references agent communication concepts (contrast with FIPA ACL).
- Provides mapping guidance to other industry formats (e.g., OAGiS) for integration with enterprise systems.
Keywords: ISO/TR 16161:2019, capability profiles, manufacturing software unit (MSU), C-subsystem, P-subsystem, agent communication, interoperability, automation systems and integration, ISO 16100, message protocol, JSON schema.