NIST Leader Helps Develop ISO Standard Enabling Production Systems to Read Unique Data

In November 2022, NIST’s Allison Barnard Feeney, Group Leader of Smart Connected Manufacturing Systems, contributed to ISO 10303 working group’s development of a standard for industrial data, termed, “Standard for the Exchange of Product Data.” The working group met in Japan, in its first in-person meeting in three years.

This development includes a standard information protocol for manufacturing and product data that can be read by a variety systems involved in the lifecycle of goods, such as the different systems which design, manufacture, and assemble products. Each system will get the product information needed for their respective functions. As examples, data for computer-assisted design will be in the form of geometry and topology, while manufacturing data will have geometric dimensions and tolerances.

In other words, all involved in the product life cycle, will operate off the “same sheet of music,” while each get and use their unique data – which was not the case previously. This standardization of industrial data will make production faster and more efficient.

This data standardization is termed, “Managed Model-based 3D Engineering.” Its specifics will be addressed in “Application Protocol 242 (AP242),” which means it will be implemented in software. The software will give users new capabilities to include persistent identification of data, harmonization of standards related to industrial data, and harmonized modeling. Barnard Feeney is providing technical leadership in the development of AP242, which includes facilitating research to inform development.