95-9007. Proposed Revision of Federal Information Processing Standard (FIPS) 177, Initial Graphics Exchange Specification (IGES)  

  • [Federal Register Volume 60, Number 70 (Wednesday, April 12, 1995)]
    [Notices]
    [Pages 18583-18586]
    From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
    [FR Doc No: 95-9007]
    
    
    
    -----------------------------------------------------------------------
    
    DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE
    National Institute of Standards and Technology
    [Docket No. 950317077-5077-01]
    RIN 0693-AB13
    
    
    Proposed Revision of Federal Information Processing Standard 
    (FIPS) 177, Initial Graphics Exchange Specification (IGES)
    
    agency: National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST), 
    Commerce.
    
    action: Notice; Request for comments.
    
    -----------------------------------------------------------------------
    
    sumamry: NIST is prosing a revision of FIPS PUB 117, Initial Graphics 
    Exchange Specification (IGES). IGES defines a neutral file format for 
    the exchange of product model data and representation among differing 
    computer-aided design and computer-aided manufacturing (CA/CAM) 
    systems. This proposed revision will provided increased clarification 
    and enhancement of the existing standard, and added conformance 
    requirements and application protocols (APs) specified within the 
    American National Standard Digital Representation for 
    [[Page 18584]] Communication of Product Definition Data, ANSI/US PRO/
    IPO (United States Product Data Association/IGES PDES Organization--
    100-1993, Version 5.2.
        Prior to the submission of this proposed revision to FIPS 177 to 
    the Secretary of Commerce for review and approval, it is essential to 
    assure that consideration is given to the needs and views of 
    manufacturers, the public, and State and local governments. The purpose 
    of this notice is to solicit such views.
        This proposed revision contains two sections: (1) An announcement 
    section, which provides information concerning the applicability, 
    implementation, and maintenance of the standard; and (2) a 
    specifications section. Only the announcement section of the standard 
    is provided in this notice. Interested parties may obtain copies of the 
    ANSI/US PRO/IPO-1993 and the specified application protocols (Layered 
    Electrical Product (LEP) Application Protocol; 3-D Piping Application 
    Protocol; and Engineering Drawing (Class II) Subset (MIL-D-28000A)) 
    from the National Computer Graphics Association, 2722 Merrilee Drive, 
    Suite 200, Fairfax, VA, 22031, telephone: (703) 698-9600.
    
    dates: Comments on this proposed revision must be received on or before 
    July 11, 1995.
    
    addresses: Written comments concerning the adoption of this proposed 
    revision should be sent to: Director, Computer Systems Laboratory, 
    ATTN: Proposed Revision of FIPS 177, IGES, Technology Building, Room 
    B154, National Institute of Standards and Technology, Gaithersburg, MD 
    20899.
        Written comments received in response to this notice will be made 
    part of the public record and will be made available for inspection and 
    copying in the Central Reference and Records Inspection Facility, Room 
    6020, Herbert C. Hoover Building, 14th Street between Pennsylvania and 
    Constitution Avenues, NW., Washington, DC 20230.
    
    for further information contact: Ms. Lynne Rosenthal, National 
    Institute of Standards and Technology, Gaithersburg, MD 20899, 
    telephone (301) 975-3353.
    
    Executive Order 12866
    
        This FIPS notice has been determined to be ``not significant'' for 
    purposes of E.O. 12866.
    
        Dated: April 4, 1995.
    Samuel Kramer,
    Associate Director.
    
    Proposed Federal Information Processing Standards Publication 177-1
    
    (Date)
    
    Announcing the Standard for Initial Graphics Exchange Specification 
    (IGES)
    
        Federal Information Processing Standards Publications (FIPS PUBS) 
    are issued by the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) 
    after approval by the Secretary of Commerce pursuant to Section 111(d) 
    of the Federal Property and Administrative Services Act of 1949 as 
    amended by the Computer Security Act of 1987, Public Law 100-235.
        1. Name of Standard. Initial Graphics Exchange Specification (IGES) 
    FIPS PUB 177-1).
        2. Category of Standard. Software Standard; Graphics and 
    Information Interchange.
        3. Explanation. This publication is a revision of the FIPS PUB 177 
    and supersedes FIPS PUB 177 in its entirety. It provides a substantial, 
    upward-compatible enhancement of IGES Version 4.0. FIPS PUB 177-1 
    specifies new conformance requirements, the addition and use of 
    application protocols (APs), and increased enhancement, correction, and 
    clarification of the existing specification. It does not contain any 
    new requirements that would make an existing conforming implementation 
    nonconforming.
        FIPS PUB 177-1 adopts the American National Standard Digital 
    Representation for Communication of Product Definition Data, ANSI/US 
    PRO/IPO (United States Product Data Association/IGES PDES 
    Organization)-100-1993, Version 5.2, and the specified application 
    protocols. FIPS PUB 177-1 addresses IGES implementation and data file 
    acquisition, interpretation, and conformance.
        The purpose of the FIPS for IGES is to enable the compatible 
    exchange of product definition data used by dissimilar computer-aided 
    design and computer-aided manufacturing (CAD/CAM) systems. Utilizing a 
    neutral database format the IGES processor can create or translate two-
    dimensional (2-D) or three-dimensional (3-D) vector-based digital 
    product model data. The standard specifies file structure and 
    syntactical definition, and defines the representation of geometric, 
    topological, and nongeometric product definition data. The exact 
    specification is in Section 10 of this standard.
        4. Approving Authority. Secretary of Commerce.
        5. Maintenance Agency. U.S. Department of Commerce, National 
    Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST), Computer Systems 
    Laboratory (CSL).
        6. Cross Index.
        a. American National Standard Digital Representation for 
    Communication of Product Definition Data, ANSI/US PRO/IPO-100-1993, 
    Version 5.2.
        b. American Society of Mechanical Engineers/American National 
    Standards Institute (ASME/ANSI) Y14.26M-1989, Digital Representation 
    for Communication of Product Definition Data, IGES Version 4.0.
        c. MIL-D-280000A, Continuous Acquisition and Life-Cycle Support 
    Specification, Digital Representation for Communication of Product 
    Definition Data: IGES Application Subsets and IGES Application 
    Protocols, February 10, 1992.
        d. American national Standard, 3-D Piping IGES Application 
    Protocol, ANSI/US PRO/IPO-110-1994.
        e. IGES Layered Electrical Product Application Protocol, Committee 
    Draft SAND94-2375, December 1, 1994.
        7. Related Documents.
        a. Federal Information Resources Management Regulations (FIRMR) 
    subpart 201.20.303, Standards, and subpart 201.39.1002, Federal 
    Standards.
        b. Federal ADP and Telecommunications Standards Index, U.S. General 
    Services Administration, Information Technology Management Service, 
    October 1994 (updated periodically).
        c. FIPS PUB 29-3, Interpretation Procedures for Federal Information 
    Processing Standards for Software.
        d. NISTIR 4379, IGES Technical Illustrations Application Guide.
        e. NISTIR 4600, IGES 5.0 Recommended Practices Guide.
        f. NISTIR 5541, Initial Graphics Exchange Specification (IGES): 
    Procedures for the NIST IGES Validation Test Service.
        g. MIL-T-31000, General Specification for Technical Data Packages.
        8. Objectives. Federal standards for electronic interchange permit 
    Federal departments and agencies to exercise more effective control 
    over the production, management, and use of the government's 
    information resources. The primary objectives specific to IGES are to:
    
    --Reduce the overall life-cycle cost for digital systems by 
    establishing a [[Page 18585]] common exchange format that allows for 
    the transfer of product definition data across organizational 
    boundaries and independent of any particular CAD/CAM system.
    --Exchange digital representations of product definition data in 
    various forms: illustrations, 2-D drawings, 3-D edge-vertex models, 
    surface models, solid models, and complete product models.
    --Provide CAD/CAM implementation manufacturers with a guideline for 
    identifying useful combinations of product definition data capabilities 
    in any CAD/CAM system.
    --Specify Application Protocols that can be used by Federal departments 
    and agencies to support the exchange of product data when applicable.
    
        9. Applicability.
        9.1  This FIPS for IGES is intended for the computer-interpretable 
    representation and exchange of CAD/CAM product definition data among 
    applications and programs that are either developed or acquired for 
    government use. Each CAD/CAM system acquired or developed by a Federal 
    agency shall include an IGES preprocessor and IGES postprocessor 
    capability. FIPS for IGES is designed to support the exchange of 2-D or 
    3-D product definition data with rich attribute information. It 
    provides a data format for describing product design and manufacturing 
    information that has been created and stored in a computer-readable, 
    device independent form.
        9.2  The FIPS for IGES shall be used when one or more of the 
    following situations exist:
    
    --The product definition application or program is under constant 
    review, and changes may result frequently.
    --It is anticipated that the life of the data files will be longer than 
    the life of the presently utilized CAD/CAM system.
    --The application is being designed centrally for a decentralized 
    system that may employ computers of different makes and models and 
    different CAD/CAM devices.
    --The product definition application may run on equipment other than 
    that on which it was developed.
    --The product definition data is to be used and maintained by other 
    than the original designer.
    --The product definition data is or is likely to be used by 
    organizations outside the Federal Government.
    --It is desired to have the design understood by multiple people, 
    groups, or organizations.
    
        9.3  For layered electrical product technology, three dimensional 
    piping, and engineering drawing applications, the use of the 
    appropriate application protocol or subset (as described below) is 
    required for implementation of this FIPS IGES.
        An AP or subset provides a means to improve the fidelity of the 
    product data exchanged. APs are developed by domain experts for the 
    purpose of defining the processes, information flows, and functional 
    requirements of an application. An AP defines the scope, context, 
    information requirements, representation of the application 
    information, and conformance requirements. Initial release of this FIPS 
    for IGES publication includes two application protocols and one 
    application subset.
    
    --Layered Electrical Product (LEP) Application Protocol: The LEP AP is 
    used for the transference of 2-D electrical and electro-mechanical 
    product models. This AP is required for layered electrical products 
    technology applications, including specification control drawings, 
    circuitry, fabrication and final assembly of a layered product system.
    --3-D Piping Application Protocol: The 3-D Piping AP is used for the 
    exchange of models from one piping modeling application to another. 
    This AP is required for 3-D piping and related equipment models, 
    including the fabrication and assembly of piping systems (e.g. pipe, 
    pipe fittings, attached equipment, piping supports, and insulation).
    --Engineering Drawing (Class II) Subset (MIL-D-28000A): The Class II 
    subset is used for exchange of the drawing model; including geometric 
    and annotation entities, attributes such as color and line fonts, and 
    organization information such as levels and subfigures. This subset is 
    required for the exchange of engineering drawings and product data 
    following MIL-T-31000 (General Specification for Technical Data 
    Packages).
    
        10. Specifications. This FIPS adopts ANSI/US PRO/IPO-100-1993 and 
    the specified application protocols: Layered Electrical Product (LEP) 
    Application Protocol; 3-D Piping Application Protocol; and Engineering 
    Drawing (Class II) Subset (MIL-D-28000A). The ANSI/US PRO/IPO-100-1993 
    standard for IGES, defines the communications file structure and format 
    (i.e., a file of entities), language format, and the representation of 
    product definition data.
        New entities and constructs are added with each revision and are 
    upwardly compatible. Thus, a processor conforming to IGES Version 5.2 
    would be able to read and process an IGES Version 4.0 file, but the 
    converse may not be true. The capabilities brought to the IGES user 
    implementing the IGES Version 5.2 standard are:
    
    --A new character set for the European Community;
    --Additional properties to the attribute table for Architecture/
    Engineering/Construction (AEC);
    --The addition of a new form of the drawing entity; and
    --The addition of a new class of entity use, termed construction 
    information.
    
        Conformance Requirements. Conformance is mandatory for this 
    standard and is applicable to all Federal department and agency 
    procurements. Conforming data files and processors must adhere to all 
    the rules appropriate to specific features, such as entities, defined 
    within ANSI/US PRO/IPO-100-1993 and any of the specified application 
    protocols. Vendors of processors claiming conformance to this standard 
    shall complete documentation which accurately indicates the processor's 
    support of, and mapping between, native and IGES entities.
        A conforming preprocessor shall create conforming IGES data files 
    which represent the native database which was input to the 
    preprocessor. File content shall represent the native entities 
    according to the vendor's completed documentation. It is desirable and 
    recommended that the preprocessor report on any native feature or 
    entity which has not been written to the IGES data file.
        A conforming postprocessor shall translate conforming IGES data 
    files into the native database form of a specific CAD/CAM system. It 
    shall convert each supported entity into native constructs, which 
    preserve the functionality and match the geometry, attributes, and 
    relationships of the IGES entity in the file. It is desirable and 
    recommended that the postprocessor report on any IGES entities or 
    features which have been discarded.
        Any visual presentation produced by the processor shall accurately 
    and correctly represent the IGES constructs contained in the data file 
    and specified by ANSI/US PRO/IPO-100-1993 and, if applicable, the AP or 
    subset. For example, the display of a design which is filled with a 
    pattern of lines as indicated by the pattern code of the Sectioned Area 
    Entity (type 230) shall resemble the predefined definitions illustrated 
    in the ANSI/US PRO/IPO-100-1993 specification.
        Conformance Rules for Application Protocols and Subsets. An 
    application protocol or subset which claims [[Page 18586]] conformance 
    to this standard, must satisfy the following rule:
    
    --An implementation conforming to an AP shall satisfy the conformance 
    requirements specified in the AP as well as the conformance 
    requirements in the ANSI/US PRO/IPO-100-1993 specification.
    
        11. Implementation. The implementation of this standard involves 
    four areas of consideration: effective date, acquisition, 
    interpretation, and validation.
        11.1  Effective Date. This publication is effective six (6) months 
    after date of publication upon final announcement in the Federal 
    Register. A transition period of twelve (12) months, beginning on the 
    effective date, allows industry to produce IGES implementations and 
    data files conforming to this is standard. Agencies are encouraged to 
    use this standard for solicitation proposals during the transition 
    period. This standard is mandatory for use in all solicitation 
    proposals for IGES data files and implementations (i.e., computer-aided 
    design and manufacturing systems) acquired twelve (12) months after the 
    effective date.
        11.2  Acquisition of IGES Implementations and Data Files. 
    Conformance to this standard should be considered whether the CAD/CAM 
    systems are developed internally, acquired as part of a system 
    procurement, acquired by separate procurement, used under a leasing 
    agreement, or specified for use in contracts for programming services. 
    Recommended terminology for procurement of FIPS IGES is contained in 
    the U.S. General Services Administration publication Federal ADP and 
    Telecommunications Standards Index, Chapter 5, Part 1.
        11.3  Interpretation FIPS IGES. Resolutions of questions regarding 
    this standard will be provided by NIST. Procedures for interpretations 
    are specified in FIPS PUB 29-3. All questions concerning the 
    specifications and content should be addressed to: Director, Computer 
    Systems Laboratory, ATTN: FIPS IGES Interpretation, National Institute 
    of Standards and Technology, Gaithersburg, MD 20899.
        11.4  Validation of IGES Implementations. Implementations of FIPS 
    for IGES shall be validated in accordance with the NIST Computer 
    Systems Laboratory (CSL) validation procedures for FIPS for IGES, 
    NISTIR 5541, Procedures for the NIST IGES Validation Test Service. 
    Recommended procurement terminology for validation of FIPS for IGES is 
    contained in the U.S. General Services Administration publication 
    Federal ADP and Telecommunications Standards Index, Chapter 5, Part 2. 
    This GSA publication provides terminology for three validation options: 
    Delayed Validation, Prior Validation Testing, and Prior Validation. The 
    agency shall select the appropriate validation option and shall specify 
    appropriate time frames for validation and correction of 
    nonconformities. The agency is advised to refer to the NIST publication 
    Validated Products List for information about the validation status of 
    IGES products. This information may be used to specify validation time 
    frames that are not unduly restrictive of competition.
        Implementations shall be evaluated using the NIST IGES Test Suite. 
    The NIST IGES Test Suite was first released in October 1994 to assist 
    users and vendors determine compliance with FIPS PUB 177 and/or MIL-D-
    28000, Class II subset. The results of validation testing by the NIST 
    IGES Validation Test Service are published on a quarterly basis in the 
    Validated Products List, available from the National Technical 
    Information Service (NTIS).
        Current information about the NIST IGES Validation Test Service and 
    validation procedures for FIPS for IGES is available from: National 
    Institute of Standards and Technology, Computer Systems Laboratory, 
    Graphics Software Group, IGES Test Service, Building 225, Room A266, 
    Gaithersburg, MD 20899, (301) 975-3265.
        12. Waivers.
        Under certain exceptional circumstances, the heads of Federal 
    departments and agencies may approve waivers to Federal Information 
    Processing Standards (FIPS). The head of such agency may redelegate 
    such authority only to a senior official designated pursuant to section 
    3506(b) of Title 44, U.S. Code. Waivers shall be granted only when:
        a. Compliance with a standard would adversely affect the 
    accomplishment of the mission of an operator of a Federal computer 
    system, or
        b. Cause a major adverse financial impact on the operator which is 
    not offset by Governmentwide savings.
        Agency heads may act upon a written waiver request containing the 
    information detailed above. Agency heads may also act without a written 
    waiver request when they determine that conditions for meeting the 
    standard cannot be met. Agency heads may approve waivers only by a 
    written decision which explains the basis on which the agency head made 
    the required finding(s). A copy of each such decision, with procurement 
    sensitive or classified portions clearly identified, shall be sent to: 
    National Institute of Standards and Technology; Attn: FIPS Waiver 
    Decisions, Technology Building, Room B-154; Gaithersburg, MD 20899.
        In addition, notice of each waiver granted and each delegation of 
    authority to approve waivers shall be sent promptly to the Committee on 
    Government Operations of the House of Representatives and the Committee 
    on Governmental Affairs of the Senate and shall be published promptly 
    in the Federal Register.
        When the determination on a waiver applies to the procurement of 
    equipment and/or services, a notice of the waiver determination must be 
    published in the Commerce Business Daily as a part of the notice of 
    solicitation for offers of an acquisition or, if the waiver 
    determination is made after that notice is published, by amendment to 
    such notice.
        A copy of the waiver, any supporting documents, the document 
    approving the waiver and any supporting and accompanying documents, 
    with such deletions as the agency is authorized and decides to make 
    under 5 U.S.C. Sec. 552(b), shall be part of the procurement 
    documentation and retained by the agency.
    
    [FR Doc. 95-9007 Filed 4-11-95; 8:45 am]
    BILLING CODE 3510-CN-M
    
    

Document Information

Published:
04/12/1995
Department:
National Institute of Standards and Technology
Entry Type:
Notice
Action:
Notice; Request for comments.
Document Number:
95-9007
Dates:
Comments on this proposed revision must be received on or before July 11, 1995.
Pages:
18583-18586 (4 pages)
Docket Numbers:
Docket No. 950317077-5077-01
RINs:
0693-AB13
PDF File:
95-9007.pdf