2026 Fall AC - Connecting the Laboratory and the Manufacturing Process: Allotrope, ISA 88 and ISA 95

Allotrope, ISA 88 and ISA 95 Presented by: Chris Monchinski, CTO (InflexionPoint) Modern manufacturing increasingly depends on analytical measurements that cross the traditional boundaries between laboratory systems, process automation, and manufacturing operations management. Standards such as ISA 88 and ISA 95 used to describe and execute manufacturing processes do not, by themselves, provide the rich scientific semantics necessary to consistently describe analytical instruments, methods, measurements, samples, and results. This presentation will explore how the Allotrope framework can complement ISA-88 and ISA-95 to bridge this gap and provide a semantic connection between process context and analytical data. The presentation will examine two use cases to illustrate a broader architectural concept: ISA-88 describes the process context, ISA-95 describes the manufacturing operations context, and Allotrope provides the analytical and scientific context needed to connect measurements and results to both. The combination of these standards offers the potential for a true standards-based semantic foundation spanning laboratory and manufacturing environments. The session will conclude by exploring how these complementary standards could enable more interoperable architectures for PAT, Quality 4.0, autonomous laboratories, advanced process control, digital manufacturing, and AI—where machines and agents understand the context and meaning of the data they receive. Details on use cases: From an ISA-88 perspective, analytical measurements are increasingly becoming integral parts of recipe execution. In-line and at-line technologies such as spectroscopy, chromatography, particle analysis, and other Process Analytical Technology (PAT) instruments may provide measurements that influence recipe transitions, process parameters, hold points, exception handling, and ultimately process outcomes. ISA-88 provides a strong model for recipes, procedural control, equipment, materials, parameters, and execution context, while Allotrope can provide the scientific and analytical context needed to consistently describe the instrument, analytical method, measurement, and resulting data. Connecting these models creates an opportunity to associate analytical results directly with the recipe step, equipment, material, batch, process conditions, and time under which the measurement was produced. From an ISA-95 perspective, the same challenge extends beyond the process cell and into manufacturing operations and laboratory workflows. A manufacturing operation may generate a requirement for a set of quality tests that must be scheduled, dispatched, executed by an internal or third-party laboratory, and returned to manufacturing. ISA-95 provides models for the production, quality, inventory, and material context surrounding this workflow, including concepts such as test specifications and quality test results. Allotrope can complement this by providing a standardized semantic representation of the scientific data generated during execution of those tests. Together, these models can support a digital thread from a material lot or production order, through sample and test execution, to analytical results, material disposition, inventory status, and ultimately product release. As Chief Technology Officer at InflexionPoint, Chris Monchinski leads the company’s strategic vision for digital transformation across manufacturing and critical infrastructure industries. With over three decades of experience in industrial automation and systems integration, he partners with global clients to design and implement data-centric architectures that unlock the full value of operational data—bridging OT and IT to enable smarter, more agile operations. Chris is a recognized industry leader in smart manufacturing, with deep expertise in MES, industrial data platforms, unified namespace (UNS), and the application of AI/analytics in regulated and high-performance environments. He plays a hands-on role with key clients, guiding enterprise data strategies, digital transformation roadmaps, and the deployment of scalable, standards-based solutions that align business, operations, and technology. Beyond his role at InflexionPoint, Chris is a prominent contributor to global standards and industry advancement. He serves Chair of the ISA-95 committee on Enterprise-Control System Integration. He is also Convenor of the IEC/ISO Joint Working Group 5, responsible for maintaining the IEC 62264 standards. His previous leadership roles include Vice President and Managing Director of the ISA Standards and Practices Board. Chris is an active voice in organizations such as ISA, MESA, and ISPE, frequently speaking on topics including Pharma 4.0, data governance, interoperability, and the future of industrial AI. Chris holds a Bachelor of Science in Electrical Engineering and a Master of Science in Computer Science and is a Certified Automation Professional (CAP) through ISA.