Map — Manufacturing Automation Protocol, Industrial Local Area Networks for Data Communications Based upon International Standards

Local area networks (LAN's) are being developed to reduce the cost of interconnecting programmable devices in a multi-vendor environment. The current cost of integrating these devices into a cohesive whole, has been negatively impacted by the lack of compatible protocols. The Manufacturing Automation Protocol (MAP) specification development work was started by the General Motors MAP Task Force in the early 1980's to address this recurring connectivity cost. The continuing MAP LAN development activity has been supported by the standards organizations, the SME/MAP Users Group, and the vendor community.