sheet 1

1
ECSS Working GroupExchange of Product Dataand
related work

• Hans Peter de Koning (ESA/ESTEC/TOS-MCV)
• European Space Research and Technology Centre
• Thermal Control and Life Support Division
• e-mail hanspeter_at_yc.estec.esa.nl phone 31
  (71) 565 3452 fax [phone]
• mail P.O. Box 299, Noordwijk, The Netherlands
• (ECSS European Co-operation for Space
  Standardisation)

2
Why need a WG and standard Exchange of Product
Data ?

• Efficient and effective electronic exchange of
  product data is considered a key enabler
  forfaster/better/cheaper development of space
  products
• Long term, tool-independent archiving of product
  data is also needed in many space programmes
• European space community (industry and agencies)
  need a frame of reference in order to standardise
  on protocols for the communication of product
  data

3
Brief background of the WG

• 1994 ESA started developing STEP-based data
  exchange standards (in co-operation with CNES)
• At first focusing on thermal analysis model
  exchange
• 1994 to 1998 interest broadened across
  disciplines
• Electronic product definition, concurrent
  engineering, etc.
• Growing maturity of STEP / more capable CAx tools
• May-98 first informal meeting industry and
  agencies to assess need, support, Draft Terms of
  Reference for a WG
• Feb-99 Officially installed as ECSS WG E-10-07

4
Tasks of the WG

• Review of existing international product data
  exchange standards and their suitability for use
  in space projects - focusing primarily on STEP
• Identification of areas for which adapting /
  developing space-specific STEP-based standards is
  cost-effective - recommendation and promotion of
  further actions
• Production of an ECSS standard for the exchange
  and archiving of product data in space projects
• Including guidelines concerning the
  implementation / use of the standard

5
Standardisation approach (1)

• ECSS E-10-07 is part of E-10 System Engineering
• Addresses exchange via neutral standards (1)
  between different tools of one discipline(2)
  between tools of different disciplines
• Archiving is considered an application of (1)

6
Standardisation approach (2)

• Targeted disciplines
• ECSS-M-40 - Configuration Management
• ECSS-M-50 - Information / Documentation
  Management
• ECSS-M-70 - Integrated Logistic Support
• ECSS-Q-70 - Material, Mechanical Parts
  Processes
• ECSS-E-10 - System Engineering
• ECSS-E-20 - Electrical Electronics
• ECSS-E-30 - Mechanical (including thermal)
• ECSS-E-40 - Software Engineering (only on CI
  level)
• ECSS-E-60 - Control Systems
• ECSS-E-70 - Ground Systems Operations

7
Standardisation approach (3)

• E-10-07 is an umbrella standard
• Specifies which standard to use for what PDE
  situation
• Makes reference to existing international
  standards
• Primary focus on ISO 10303 (STEP)
• Adds guidelines / best practices on how to use
  the standard
• Designed for tailoring by individual projects
• Only file-based exchange in scope for first
  release

8
Standardisation approach (4)

• Identified candidate STEP(-based) standards
• AP 202 Associative draughting
• AP 203 Configuration controlled design
• AP 209 Composite and metallic structural
  analysis and related design
• AP 210 Electronic assembly, interconnect and
  packaging design
• AP 212 Electrotechnical design and installation
• AP 214 Core data for automotive mechanical
  design processes
• AP 232 Technical data packaging core information
  and exchange
• AP 233 Systems engineering application protocol
• STEP-TAS AP Thermal Analysis for Space (ESA)
• STEP-NRF AP Network-model Results Format (ESA)
• STEP-PRP AP Propulsion Systems (CNES)

9
Requirement for tailoring

• It is very unlikely that in practice such a
  standard can be applied as a whole to a project
• It shall be possible to use the standard as a
  contractual document in a programme or projectby
  declaring a subset of applicable clausesto
  specify the data exchange protocolsthat shall be
  used between parties
• Requirement for tailoring is recognised across
  all ECSS standards

10
ECSS E-10-07Initial core requirements
specification

• A extensive list of structured 4-element
  requirements
• To exchange datafrom a ltsource_disciplinegt
  representation
• to a ltdestination_disciplinegt representation
• for the purpose of transferring ltkind_of_datagt
• the ltexchange_standardgt standard shall be used.
• For long term archiving the requirement as for
  exchange within one discipline shall be used
• Identical ltsource_disciplinegt and
  ltdestination_disciplinegt

11
Example excerpt of initial requirements
specification (1)
12
Example excerpt of initial requirements
specification (2)
13
Status/schedule of WG

• 17 members (1/3 from agencies, 2/3 from industry)
• 3 working meetings held
• Terms of reference written and agreed
• First working draft produced
• Currently in review and comment loop
• Proofs difficult to actively involve industry in
  production of the standard (as always with long
  term benefits)
• Goal is first release of standard early 2000

14
Related work

• Since 1994, 3 STEP-based APs have been developed
  by European space community
• STEP-TAS Thermal Analysis for Space (ESA)
• STEP-NRF Network-model Results Format (ESA)
• STEP-PRP Propulsion (CNES)
• TAS and NRF developed as companion APs together
  with common Integrated Application Resources
• Space Domain
• Definition and Results of Analysis, Tests and
  Operations
• Thermal Analysis

15
Status STEP-TAS STEP-NRF

• Integrated Application Resources and
  APsavailable in fully compliant ISO TC 184/SC 4
  format
• Full programming libraries available
• With documentation (PDF, HTML)
• C and FORTRAN APIs
• STEP-TAS CC1 converters implemented in
• ESARAD 4.1 (released June 1999)
• THERMICA (release of 1999-Q3)
• Limited prototypes TRASYS and TSS (with NASA-JPL)
• STEP-NRF prototypes at Intespace and EdF

16
Future work related to STEP at ESA

• Continued implementation of STEP-TAS
• Further development of STEP-NRF
• AP203 (CC1,4,5,6) import facility in ESARAD
• Supports import of CAD product structure and
  shape
• Will include support for NURBS in ESARAD model
• Idea for CAD-to-Analysis tool based on AP203

17
Idea AP203-based CAD-to-Analysis tool

• UNIX type pipe of filters
• Open API
• Online visualisation