The OMAC Packaging Workgroup Executive Committee approved PackML Version 3 at a meeting held during the Pack Expo show Oct. 29-Nov. 2, in Chicago. PackML is a set of packaging machine language guidelines developed by the OMAC (for Open Modular Architecture Control) Packaging Workgroup. Packaging machines that follow the PackML guidelines can be more easily integrated into a packaging line and their associated manufacturing execution (MES) systems, minimizing engineering costs and reducing project schedules. PackML defines a standard state model for how a machine operates. While the previous version of PackML defined only an automatic mode, Version 3 adds multiple-mode capability by defining a mode manager that can handle other modes, such as manual and semi-automatic. Other changes were made to the states in the automatic mode to better align with the Instrumentation, Systems and Automation Society’s ISA-88 state model that is used in the process/batch area. The new Version 3 document also addresses the backward compatibility of Version 3 to the previous Version 2.2 of the PackML guidelines. PackML V3 is available for download on the OMAC Packaging Workgroup Web site. OMAC Packaging Workgroupwww.omac.org/packaging
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