The STEPDEX Help Glossary was originated by the I.Chem.E / I.Mech.E Joint Working Group on EDI and includes updates from their INTERCHANGE publication. Additional entries are taken from the Computer Suppliers Federation Glossary on PDM/EDM. Also included are revisions specifically applicable to the context of Data Management within Foster Wheeler Energy Ltd. (FWEL), who were responsible for version 1.1. This version (2.0) has been revised and made available on the STEP community web server at Newcastle University
All comments & suggestions to Ian Glendinning (FWEL)
or to Peter Norman (Newcastle
University). Any additional or alternative definitions, as well
as corrections, are positively invited.
To use, browse the index and select the item you are interested in.
Index of B
Index of C
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Index of I
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Index of L
Index of M
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Index of R
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Index of W
Index of X
Index of Y
Index of Z
Part of the STEP standard. Specific to a particular AP. Defines, in terms of business activities, the scope and / or context of the business area covered by the AP. It is descriptive for human interpretation.
STEP not prescriptive in how the AAM should be modelled. Intelligent work and data flowcharting tools are considered appropriate. IDEF0 is one commonly used method.
Language- and application-independent software technologies for sharing and exchange of data objects, building on Microsoft COM / OLE2. Being developed and promoted cooperatively by the Open Group, which includes DEC, HP, Lotus, Adobe, SAP etc. as well as Microsoft.
A term used by STEP and standards bodies such as BSI and some commercial companies to describe a category of industries, essentially covering all those industries that "build" (as opposed to manufacture or "make") things. Process Industry Engineering Contracting falls within this classification.
Also appears as AE&C
Part of the STEP standard. Building blocks for modelling particular applications, usually specific to a particular industrial application, though not actually part of the AP's.
The American Institute of Chemical Engineers initiated PDXI before STEP was introduced to the process industries.
Part of the STEP standard. Specific to a particular AP. The AIM is the rigorous and detailed definition of the product data model in the AP. It covers the complete class library of entities, relationships, characteristics etc., in the form of the EXPRESS language.
Intergraph PDM / EDM suite of products.
British Standards Institution (BSI) technical committees.
Committee AMT/4 has co-ordinated UK interest in the product data exchange standards generally, and in particular, UK participation in STEP.
Part of the STEP standard. A particular data model designed for a particular industrial application or need. Each consists of an activity model (AAM), an interpreted model (AIM) and a reference model (ARM). Associated with each AP there may also be a standard test suite, conformance class (CC) requirements and explanatory material..
In the process industry, there are three particularly relevant AP's under development.
AP221, Functional Data and their Schematic Representation for Process Plant. A standard model for intelligent P+ID's and similar schematic applications. (Main development under EPISTLE).
AP227, Plant Spatial Configuration. A standard for 3D CAD modelling of process plants. (Main development under PlantSTEP).
AP231, Process Data. A standard classification of process plant and equipment and the (mainly) process data applicable to them.(Main development under PDXI).
There are also a number of AP's which overlap or at least relate to the process industry, though most development on these has occurred outside the industry. The Japanese in particular are developing application of these to the process sectors under PlantCALS. These include:
AP203, Configuration controlled design (of equipment).
AP208, Life cycle management (change processes).
AP212, Electrotechnical design and installation.
AP225, Buildings (shape representation).
AP228, Building Services (HVAC)
AP230, Building structural frame (steelwork)
AP23X, Proposed AP for Plant Operation
AP23Y, Proposed AP for Plant Maintenance
AP23Z, Proposed AP for Process Control
AP???, Proposed AP's for Construction, Fabrication, Inspection, QA/Procedures etc.
A standard interface between an external application program and a set of services such as the database capabilities of a data management system, by which customised functionality may be built into a standard application.
Used by the computer industry to refer to the way in which the components of a computer system are interrelated.
Part of the STEP standard. A reference model specific to a particular AP. A descriptive, usually graphical, interpretation of the AIM for human reference.
The description used is generally EXPRESS-G since it allows complete and rigorous interpretation of the AIM in graphical form, though this is not actually part of theSTEP standard.
A standard used by virtually all computer system suppliers that specifies how individual characters should be represented in electronic format.
An ESPRIT 3 project led by Taylor Woodrow started in May 1992 and scheduled to last for 3 years.
Providing a lot of the research and development into the STEP building and construction group.
Intended to produce pilot demonstrators for both buildings and process plant. To date, majority of effort has been on building.
A property or feature of an object. or A
fact about a data entity.
A method by which companies re-organise around the key processes of their business. Very often, this means changing from a functional based to a process based organisation.
Somewhat discredited as implying too drastic a change process
- likened to Open Heart Surgery. Management consultants appear
to be adopting Business Process Improvement as the preferred metaphor.
In this form, it is much closer to TQM / Continuous Improvement
/ Learning Organisation concepts.
The standards setting body for the UK
(Formerly the CADCAM Data Exchange Technical Centre at Leeds University)
The UK centre of excellence for the development and testing of CAD data exchange standards. Working through BSI, on STEP
CADDETC have an active AEC and process plant special interest group, and are working, in conjunction with NIST, to define a neutral file structure for piping component catalogues, and to develop a full IGES application protocol for the transfer of 3D piping models.
CADDETC are also participating in a number of UK and European
Government supported Research & Development projects working
on the implementation and validation of data exchange technologies.
An ESPRIT project focusing on a neutral file format for exchanging product analysis data between CAD systems and finite element programs, between modelling systems & finite elements analysing programs and for conversion of results into neutral file form for post processing.
Work completed in 1988/89 and has been a major influence on STEP.
UK input was focused via the Rutherford Appleton Laboratory.
An ESPRIT project to exploit the results
of CADI commercially.
(Formerly Computer-aided Acquisition and Logistic Support)
U.S. Department of Defence initiative which requires all D.o.D.
contractors to supply design data in digital form.
A U.S. association advising members, initiating research, developing standards and stimulating interest.
Proposed programme for developing open process engineering applications,
exploiting open data sharing and exchange technologies such as
OLE.
Part of the STEP standard. A subset of an
AP, which may be agreed as a definition of those
parts of the AP which must exist and / or be populated to suit
a particular purpose or a particular scope of the business.
A term used to represent the issue status of an ISO standard
A term used to represent the issue status of an ISO standard
The European Committee for Standardisation.
The Standards making body, responsible for the development and implementation of pan-European and ISO standards.
Works on uniform implementation, at national level by European Community member countries, of international standards for electrical technology, telecommunications and information technology.
BS EN 28632 standard, device-independent file format for encoding graphical data for archiving and transfer. Formerly known as VDM.
A protocol for retrieving and returning data and documents from or to a controlled data store, whereby a subsequent request for access is held or limited until the previous access is checked back in. One means of preventing inconsistencies where one application simultaneously changes data being used by another.
A project under the EUREKA initiative led by Taylor Woodrow.
Aimed at improving the efficiency and competitiveness of the European structural steelwork industry through the application of computer integrated manufacturing techniques and the establishment of related standards.
Looking at all aspects of analysis, design, fabrication, erection and maintenance of Steel Structures.
43 organisations are participating in the project and collectively have expended 400 man-year of effort.
Industrial pilot projects exist. CIMSTEEL will almost certainly provide the basis for a STEP Application Protocol for Structural Steelwork
A category of items or objects classified according common attributes of its members. Any individual object may find itself classified as being a member of more than one class.
The set or library of all classes available in a given data model. In a deeply object structured data model, where all items of data can be classified as objects, the class library is synonymous with data dictionary.
An electronic document which, by means of attaching, linking or embedding, contains files of more than one format. (eg. Wordprocessor text, with Spreadsheet cells and/or CAD graphics.)
An electronic document comprising both intelligent information ( text, symbolic or vector) and non-intelligent information (raster or scanned bitmap).
A standard data management system architecture whereby applications with proprietary data implementations may exchange data objects through an interface layer or Request Broker. An alternative standard, effectively competing with COM /OLE.
See also IIOP.
The process of executing traditionally sequential design, engineering and supply activities in parallel so as to reduce total lead time. Relies on early data sharing between functions and the flexibility to respond to iterative updates.
Application object description technology underlying Microsoft OLE / OLE2
The process of defining, changing and controlling the structure of a product data model.
The internal structure of a file / document
(1) The external structure of a file / document
Technique which uses primitives such as spheres, cones, cylinders etc. and combines them to construct more complex 3D solid models.
Basic factual things, numerical, textual or symbolic code in computer readable form, from which information may be inferred. May or may not be human interpretable directly.
A shared pool of data organised in a structured manner. The data is consistent and the same version can be accessed simultaneously by a number of users or applications.
A list of all data entities and their attributes, with associated definitions, in the current scope or context. May also include a descriptions of their structure and relationships.
Most general term for any form of database management system.
A term meaning that the specific feature or item referred to is independent of the computer system on which the feature or item is implemented.
A status of issue of an ISO Standard after the committee draft, but before Final.
A database where the data (or meta-data) are physically stored at more than one separate location. Covers cases where each location may hold either unique or duplicate copies of the data for operational reasons.
Can refer to a physical document or to a file which can be uniquely identified by meta-data or document descriptions (eg. Document number, Title, Revision)
See CALS
The German standards making body.
The section of BSI that defines Information Technology standards.
Proprietary file format from AutoDesk (developers of AutoCad) for CAD data transfer.
In common use in some sectors as a de-facto standard. Recommended
by NEDO as an interim transfer standard for
the construction industry. Also being considered by the Ordnance
Survey.
An integrated information management concept developed within Foster Wheeler for the capture of, and flexible access to, all operational data. Based on adoption of standard data models and industry standard application software features. The intended benefits include increased operational productivity, risk reduction through better informed decisions, satisfying Client data requirements directly, and enabling easier and more flexible development in future.
(1) The subject of electronic data exchange and sharing generally, or
(2) Electronic data and/or document interchange format (X12), particularly in a purchasing context.
A neutral file specification for the transfer of electronic CAD/CAM data.
A standard for commercial transactions between (differing) computer systems of different commercial organisations.
Can be Electronic and/or Engineering Data and/or Document Management, depending on the context. Engineering Data Management is more or less synonymous with PDM.
System which provides access to business information, often but not exclusively at summary level, for executive management. Synonymous with MIS.
Any item or object of interest in the real world. Not necessarily an individual physical object. Can also be used to refer to the class of object.
A file format associated with Postscript .
A data model developed by the Petrotechnical Open Systems Corporation
(POSC)
ESPRIT Project 8370
An umbrella organisation for technical coordination of worldwide process industries STEP related projects and initiatives, including : PISTEP (UK), PIPPIN (UK), POSC (US), PlantSTEP (US), POSC/Caesar (Norway) and SPI-NL (Holland). See also PIEBASE.
In its own right EPISTLE has been active in development of drafts of AP221, through peer groups of discipline experts from all the major Operators, Contractors and Suppliers in Europe. This draft is known as the EPISTLE STEPLib Class Library and the May 1996 version exists as the CD issue of AP221.
Having significant full time resources dedicated to development in the Oil & Gas E&P sectors, POSC/Caesar has developed an alternative, and in some ways more advanced, draft AP221 based on the POSC EPICENTRE model and known as Snapshot B. (Snapshot C/D due end '96)
Since both drafts are based on the PISTEP PPEAM and the EPISTLE Generic Entity Framework, there is much common ground and EPISTLE are now coordinating the development of a consolidated issue at the next revision. This intercontinental cooperation has created a strong focus on the POSC/Caesar model amongst software suppliers and users committed to exploiting AP221.
Both AP227, the 3D modelling section, and AP231, the process modelling section developed by PDXI, overlap significantly with AP221. PDXI remains outside the EPISTLE umbrella, however there are EPISTLE and PIEBASE initiatives to review the scope of work to date on these AP's with a view to coordinating or rationalising future developments.
Part 11 of the STEP standard. The STEP data model description language defining the syntax used in Part-21 files.
EXPRESS-G is a graphical equivalent adopted by the STEP community but not actually part of the standard. It is often easier to visualise a modelling concept graphically. Software tools are available for converting EXPRESS-G diagrams to EXPRESS statements and vice versa.
The final stage of an ISO standard before publication as an IS.
Any identifiable logical collection of data. Can be perceived as a physical collection of related records at some level in the operating system, which can be stored or transferred as a collection.
A logical collection of documents or files, or their meta-data.
The lowest level of organisation of such files, which may be independent
of operating system file directories.
A device independent standard that defines the interface between a computer program and the graphical system used to display the results from the program. Permits one program to display results on many different types of display device. See also PHIGS
A procurement specification for OSI based systems for UK government civil administration.
The U.S. Government supports a similar profile, also called GOSIP, which is technically different from the UK version.
Page description language used for documents with text, graphics
and hyper-text links, which are to be published via the World
Wide Web (WWW).
U.S. Air Force project and the origin of IGES.
The UK professional institution for Chemical Engineers.
The I.Chem.E. and I.Mech.E. support EDI standards, in particular STEP through the activities of their Joint Working Group on Electronic Data Interchange (EDI).
An intelligent graphical activity and data flow modelling language. Not adopted as part of STEP, but used by a number of initiatives under the STEP umbrella such asPDXI.
Incorporated into a number of Business Analysis software tools, such as LogicWorks BPWin.
See also IDEF1X
A graphical data modelling language associated with IDEF0. An alternative to EXPRESS-G & NIAM.
The equivalent of ISO for Electronic, Electrical and Electro-technical International Standards.
A neutral file specification for the transfer of data between CAD/CAM systems.
Focuses primarily on 2D & 3D graphical information.
A "genuine" standard and preferred mechanism, endorsed/adopted by BSI until superseded by STEP.
Part of the STEP standard. Building blocks
for modelling generic applications which recur across many industries
and sectors (Materials, Components, Geometries, Graphics, etc.)
and which are not therefore specific to any individual AP.
A protocol of CORBA for data object request brokering over Internet connections.
The entire subject of managing information for the purposes of the business / organisation.. See also IS & IT.
The UK professional institution for Mechanical Engineers.
The I. Mech. E. and I.Chem.E. support EDI standards, in particular STEP through the activities of their Joint Working Party on Electronic Data Interchange.
Data, files or documents, organised and presented for human interpretation for the purpose of supporting any immediate or future decisions.
The periodic publication of the IChemE / IMechE committee known as the Joint Working Party on Electronic Data Interchange (EDI). A regular source of latest information on the status of STEP activities.
Also known as the Net.
Global network of networks created by connection through gateways between local, national and international public and leased networks. Facilitates transmission of data via flexible routing from point to point between virtual addresses of individuals and organisations who subscribe to any one of the networks.
Internet communications protocols break individual transmissions into separate packets of data, including a leading packet which describes the composition of the transmission and multiple packets with the information content itself. The packets of any one transmission may typically find themselves travelling different network routes point to point. This technology provides senders and receivers with some level of assurance against interception or blockage of the complete transmission and some means for the recipient to detect whether a transmission is incomplete, despite the openness of connection and invisibility of routing..
See also the Web.
The principles and practice of using Internet technologies and applications for data communication and access across networks within a business / organisation. A network established using such technologies.
(1) Information Systems : The collective term for those applications software and systems which process, store, and manage information for the purposes of the business / organisation. See also IM & IT.
(2) International Standard : See ISO.
The technologies of the computing and communications platforms, hardware and software infrastructure which, facilitate and underpin IS, for the purposes of the business / organisation. See also IM.
High level programming languages used for publishing and communication using Internet and WWW technologies. Java is an extension to C / C++ originated by Sun Systems Inc., but currently openly available in various forms via other programming language suppliers including Microsoft.
A standard format for compression of still image files.
Working Group 8 of Subcommittee 4 of Technical Committee 184 of ISO. TC184/SC4 is the committee responsible for the STEP standard.
Aimed at linking numerically controlled machines, robots and control computers over local area networks.
Literally data about data. Typically a file of meta-data will hold unique index, descriptive or look-up data which instantiate or point to the detailed data objects or classes.
(1) Management Information System. Synonymous with EIS.
(2) Manufacturing Information System.
(3) The name of a particular software supplier.
A no cost agreement under PIEBASE whereby signatory organisations agree to coordinate STEP development activities in the Process Industries.
Standard format for compression of full motion video image files.
Materials Requirements Planning (MRP-I) and/or Manufacturing Resource Planning (MRP-II)
Now defunct
Colloquial name for the Internet. See also the Web.
A file containing product data (e.g. description, geometry) organised in a format which is independent of any application or system (hence the term "neutral").
A graphical method for creating a product model. See also EXPRESS-G and IDEF1X.
The US national standards organisation. Successor to the US National Bureau of Standards.
Any branch or end connection point in any network.
Can represent a physical node (eg. in Structural framework, Piping system, Electrical or control circuit.)
Can represent a logical node (eg. in Workflow model, Structured data model.)
Can represent a workstation in a Computer network.
(IT/Software Object ) A self-contained, re-usable software component containing logic, data and functionality which can be communicated to other objects, independent of the specific application software, or operating platform. The objects in Object Oriented. (see COM / OLE for example).
(Data Modelling Object ) An entity; any item of significance in the world being modelled, real or imaginary, physical or logical, individual or collective. In a rigorously developed data model, many items of data perceived as attributes of, or relationships between, tangible objects are modelled as objects themselves.
The fact that both definitions can represent the same real world business objects is convenient, but leads to the confusion that a data model built-up of entities requires an object oriented implementation. The two issues are independent and a tabular relational or hierarchical database implementation may be still be appropriate depending upon the application.
ISO Std. 8613 Standard document file format
De-facto standard technology underlying Microsoft Windows, enabling sharing and exchange of data and functionality of application objects between applications and application subsets (applets). Underpinned by COM.
There are emerging a number of variants (or flavours) besides plain (vanilla) OLE. As well as using COM / OLE technology, each flavour embodies a model of the range of basic data objects applicable to the particular area of interest. Watch this space. Current examples include :
OLE for Design & Modelling (ODM)
OLE for Process Control (OPC)
OLE for Process Design (OPD)
Umbrella holding company for the Open Software Foundation and the X/Open Company. Cooperative ventures on open data sharing and communication technologies between major software companies.
A set of communication standards based on a layered model. It describes how two or more devices or applications exchange information through a network..
Part 21 of the STEP standard. A simple file structure using standard ASCII coding and the EXPRESS language to describe standard data models and/or instantiated data models. Can be used to define the AP, the CC, the entities, relationships, characteristics and data content of the model.
Almost exclusively means an "IBM compatible" desktop or portable computer based on the Intel x86 or Pentium range of processor chips.
Formerly Product Data Exchange Specification, a replacement for IGES
A U.S. activity contributing to STEP. See also PDES Inc.
A privately funded US consortium of commercial organisations (with NIST) participation committed to promoting the development of PDES and STEP.
Pioneered by US Air Force.
Incorporates specification for solid model exchange and is being consolidated into PDES and STEP.
The technology and methodologies used to by a business to organise, access and control data related to its products and their production as part of the management of the lifecycle of their products and assets. (See also EDM)
Note : It is normal to make a distinction between product management and asset management, however as the Engineering Contractor, our product is generally our Client's asset.
An ESPRIT project with the objective of promoting cooperation on product data technologies with an emphasis on standardisation, infrastructure and dissemination of information. Not specific to the process industries.
US cooperative consortium founded originally under AIChE concerned with standardising exchange of data on process equipment, particularly for process design and simulation. The activity and data models developed now form the basis of ongoing work under STEP AP231.
Performs similar function to GKS
A global association (US, European and Japanese) established to set and coordinate high level STEP objectives for the process industries. Membership is effectively defined by adoption of the MOUAC.
See also EPISTLE.
ESPRIT project 20506. A project involving PISTEP members and European partners in prototyping the sharing and exchange of data between typical process plant applications using STEP technology.
The UK consortium working "Towards The Use of STEP for Process Industry Data Exchange", to give it its full original title. Supported by active part-time membership on some 22 individual PISTEP projects by major operators such as BP, ICI and Shell, as well as Foster Wheeler, Brown & Root, Kellogg, Intergraph, ICS, ZYQAD and others.
The scope of projects range from development and review of process and data models, through specification and development of software tools and demonstration projects, to investigations on specific issues such as quality and change management.
An acronym for the emerging Standard ISO 13584. A Standard for the structure and use of Standard Parts Libraries . Not part of STEP, but likely to come under review for possible adoption.
Major Japanese process and power industries collaborative venture set up to develop STEP initiatives, with significant funding provided via MITI. Cooperating internationally under PIEBASE.
Many separate workgroups addressing aspects beyond AP's 221, 227 and 231. These include AP's 203, 208, 212, 225, 228, 230, 23X, 23Y & 23Z.
US Process Industry Consortium working on STEP developments. Members include : DuPont, Eastman, Merck, John Brown, Bechtel, AutoDesk, Bentley, Computervision, Intergraph, CADCentre and NIST.
Major contribution is to the development of AP227. NIST are implementing a STEP demonstrator.
US Oil & Gas E&P industry cooperative organisation developing standards for a software integration platform. Members include BP, Elf, Mobil and Texaco. A key deliverable has been the EPICENTRE data model, now adapted by POSC/Caesar and likely to form a key part of the development of STEP AP221, in conjunction with EPISTLE.
A Norwegian collaborative venture between POSC and Caesar Offshore, who are themselves a consortium of Statoil, Saga, Norsk Hydro, Aker, Kvaerner and DnV.
Working full time towards development of STEP AP221 by extension of the POSC EPICENTRE model. The current draft is known as Snapshot-B, with Snapshot-C/D planned. Ongoing development is being coordinated with the cooperation of EPISTLE.
A page description language by Adobe Systems Inc., covering layout, font and graphic features.
A subcommittee of SC4.
The activity model developed under PISTEP and
in active use in several STEP initiatives.
An ESPRIT project led by Rutherford-Appleton Laboratory and involving Akzo and Framatome. Project now complete, but instrumental in the development of STEP AP221, now inherited by EPISTLE
The product data model. A representation of the structure and relationships of all the data associated with a product (covering cost, strength, materials, properties etc. as well as the geometry and assembly of its component parts).
That part of the product model defining the physical and hierarchical assembly of the product from its component parts. (PDM/EDM)
A set of rules standardising the formatting and packaging of data communicated between computer systems.
The quality subcommittee of SC4.
A group of data or piece of information kept as a unit, usually associated with an object. In databases viewed as tables, a record may be perceived as a line in a table. A collection of records is called a file.
A generalised model from which to derive specific real world models. (See ARM)
Subcommittee number 4 of TC184.
Part of the STEP standard. A series of standardised implementation methods for accessing and communicating STEP data. One method is the Part 21 file format.
ISO Std. 8879 Page formatting standard
French national standard for data transfer in the Aerospace Industry. Similar to IGES.
Dutch process industries standardisation organisation involving ABB-Lummus, Fluor-Daniel, John Brown, Shell and Akzo, working towards STEP objectives. SPIN-Off/1 was an AP221 modelling related project. SPIN-Off/2 is a pilot data warehouse demonstrator. See also EPISTLE
ISO / ANSI Std X3.135 standard interface (API) enabling access to data held within any SQL compliant relational DBMS
ISO Std 10303. A standard in many parts, covering methods and models, for representation and exchange of data applicable to any industrial products at any stage in their life-cycle.
The responsible ISO committee / sub-committee is ISO TC184 / SC4. Various parts are at different stages of full issue, committee draft for voting (CD) and committee draft for comment (CDC). Internationally there are many consortia who are or have been working on standardisation of data exchange who are gradually coming under STEP, if they did not actually originate under that banner. For the process industries the key umbrella organisations are EPISTLE for technical purposes and PIEBASE for administrative purposes.
The full title of the STEP standard is : Industrial Automation Systems and Integration - Product Data Representation and Exchange. Its many sections are classified according to the following headings :
Part 1, General (Overview and Principles)
Parts 11 to 13, Description Methods (EXPRESS language reference)
Parts 21 to 26, Implementation Methods (Part 21 files and the SDAI)
Parts 31 to 35, Conformance Testing Methodology and Frameworks
Parts 41 to 49, Integrated Generic Resources (IGR)
Parts 100 onwards, Integrated Application Resources (IAR)
Parts 200 onwards, Application Protocols (AP including AAM, ARM, AIM, & CC)
Parts 300 onwards, Abstract Test Suites (ATS) specific to each AP
Parts 500 onwards, Application Interpreted Constructs (AIC)
The index and glossary of STEP and PDM related terms which you are currently browsing.
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The process of keeping distributed databases in synchronisation so far as integrity and consistency of the data is concerned.
A DIN standard.
Technical committee number 184 of the ISO, responsible for the STEP standard ISO-10303.
Intended for use with CAD system and manufacturing administration links over local area networks.
See CALS
Literally a secure physical storage area holding a database subject to specific rules of access. May be used to refer to the whole managed database and DBMS, even if distributed.
Society of German Motor Manufacturers
Association of German Motor Industry Sheet Metalwork. Used mainly for the transfer of 3D free form curves and surfaces.
German national standard (DIN66301) since 1985.
Now renamed CGM.
A draft ISO standard in circulation prior to adoption by a relevant ISO committee.
Colloquial name for the World Wide Web (WWW). See also the Net.
A working group of the relevant ISO committee.
An electronic document management term where different users at different workstations, may view the same window to allow joint review and commenting on the same document.
3D model represented in terms of points, lines, and edges only, showing it as a line drawing.
The process whereby information in the form of data, files and documents are disseminated using routes defined according to the flow of work processes in the organisation.
Also known as the Web
Global network of server sites holding pages of information, with associated files and functionality. Each site is owned and maintained by an organisation or individual with a virtual address, the information itself generally being held on servers which may be remote from the individual or organisation. Servers, sites, owners and users communicate with each other using the Internet.
2 Dimensional
3 Dimensional