NIST Publishes Recommendations to Use Universally Unique Identifiers (UUIDs) in Manufacturing Life Cycle Data

A recently released NIST Advanced Manufacturing Series publication AMS 300-12 “Research Results and Recommendations for Universally Unique Identifiers in Product Data Standards” proposes recommendations for employing universally unique identifiers (UUIDs) to address findability of data in multi-domain and multi-life-cycle engineering and manufacturing contexts. In the model-based enterprise (MBE) paradigm, enterprises are fueled by the digital thread, an authoritative, integrated information flow that connects all phases of the product life cycle. The digital thread enables use of data-driven processes to build knowledge, make decisions, manage requirements, and control manufacturing execution. As information about a product moves through the supply chain, different systems consume or modify that information for a variety of reasons. Associating persistent and universally unique identifiers, in combination with human-readable identifiers, to key engineering requirements (also referred to as features or characteristics) enables the enterprise to track all information related to that requirement over the life of the product. Neither widely used product data standards nor commercial engineering software adequately support universally unique identifiers (UUIDs). This is a major roadblock to realizing the promises of the digital thread and model-based enterprise.

This research examines the use of UUIDs in product data standards primarily during the design to manufacturing and inspection workflow. The included product data standards are: ISO 10303, or STandard for the Exchange of Product model data (STEP), a model-based standard for communicating engineering design information developed and maintained by the ISO Technical Committee 184’s Subcommittee 4 on Industrial Data; MTConnect, a model-based standard for process execution data collection and classification from manufacturing equipment developed by the MTConnect Institute, a subsidiary of the Association for Manufacturing Technology; and Quality Information Framework (QIF), an integrated model for manufacturing quality information developed and maintained by the Digital Metrology Standards Consortium (DMSC).

The NIST publication presents current support for UUIDs in digital thread and digital twin standards, use cases and requirements for UUIDs in the product life cycle; research results; and recommendations for use of universal identifiers in commonly used product data standards.