From the release:
ISA, MIMOSA, OAGi, OPC, and WBF Join Forces to Establish OpenO&M Research Triangle Park, NC (9 October 2007) -- ISA, MIMOSA, the OPC
Foundation, the Open Applications Group Inc., and WBF have established
OpenO&M, a cooperative forum where members can work together to solve
automation challenges through standardization and harmonization of
industry guidelines. Each organization has a different scope and focus for their individual
standards and specifications work. The principal organizations in
OpenO&M are working together to ensure a cohesive set of standards,
harmonize divergent and competitive approaches to standardization, avoid
duplication of efforts, and eliminate confusion among users,. Through
collaboration and communication about the development of manufacturing
data exchange standards and implementation technologies, OpenO&M will
stimulate continuous improvement of specific standards and
specifications overseen by participant organizations. The forum will
facilitate end user input and direction, and provide a coordinating
function to exchange insights, identify overlaps, and harmonize work. "OpenO&M is not a new or separate standards body, and it is not an
organization for the arbitration of technical questions. Instead, it's a
forum where organizations can come together to work on projects that
benefit the industry," said Alan Johnston, MIMOSA President. The principal organizations will exchange non-voting memberships on a
no-fee basis, enabling the principals to provide staff and officers to
attend each other's meetings and participate in standards development
activities. The organizations will share the official minutes of their
relevant work group meetings, committee rosters, and draft documents.
OpenO&M allows for cross-participation in each others' work groups,
project teams and other related committees. The principals will work together to reconcile differences,
duplications, and inconsistencies in standards. They will exchange XML
schema and communicate technology experiences and knowledge to aid each
other in their developments and to share implementations where it is in
the best interest of each organization. The organizations will also team
up to communicate the benefits of manufacturing standards and
implementation technologies to manufacturing companies and their
suppliers. OpenO&M will be administered by a steering committee, composed of one
representative from each of the principal organizations. For more information about OpenO&M, or the principal organizations,
visit www.openoandm.org.
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