What is the Automation Pyramid?
The Automation Pyramid (also referred to as the ISA-95 model) is a hierarchical model that represents the various levels in industrial automation — from the physical plant up to the enterprise level.
The model describes how data and functions are organised from Sensor to boardroom — and forms the basis for OT convergence, ISA-95 and Industry 4.0.
🧱 The 5 levels of the pyramid
| Level | Name | Function | Examples |
|---|---|---|---|
| 0 | Physical process | The actual production or operation | Sensors, Actuators, motors |
| 1 | Field level | Signal processing and basic control | PLC, Remote IO, VFD |
| 2 | Control level | Process visualisation and manual intervention | SCADA, HMI, DCS |
| 3 | Production level | Production planning, execution and monitoring | MES, Batch Control, Historian |
| 4 | Enterprise level | Commercial processes, resources and analysis | ERP, WMS, QMS |
🎯 Purpose of the automation pyramid
- Provide structure for IT and OT integration
- Make responsibilities visible (engineering, IT, operations)
- Understand data flows between sensors and management systems
- Standardise interfaces and protocols (e.g. via ISA-95 and OPC UA)
- Support segmentation and Defense in Depth
📡 How do the levels communicate?
- Levels often communicate via standard protocols such as Modbus, ProfiNET, OPC UA and MQTT
- Data is filtered and enriched at each layer (“data refinery”)
- Edge Computing is increasingly common between levels 1–3
🔄 The pyramid vs. modern models
| Model | Characteristic |
|---|---|
| Automation Pyramid | Classic hierarchy, stable and manageable |
| Purdue Model | More focused on network segmentation and cybersecurity |
| Industry 4.0 architecture | More flexible, decentralised, with real-time data streams |
| IIoT-based | Sensor-to-cloud models with Edge Computing, AI and Cloud |
✅ Benefits of the automation pyramid
- Clear and universally applicable model
- Standard concepts and interfaces within OT architecture
- Helps with integration questions between IT and production environments
- Foundation for risk analysis and network segmentation
- Supports compliance with IEC 62443, GAMP, GMP and NIS2
📌 In summary
The automation pyramid provides structure and oversight within industrial automation, from Sensor to ERP — and is essential for IT/OT integration, risk management and digital transformation.