X96-10423. Approval of Federal Information Processing Standards Publication 177-1, Initial Graphics Exchange Specification (IGES)  

  • [Federal Register Volume 61, Number 79 (Tuesday, April 23, 1996)]
    [Notices]
    [Pages 17876-17879]
    From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
    [FR Doc No: X96-10423]
    
    
    
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    DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE
    National Institute of Standards and Technology
    [Docket No. 960212025-6025-01]
    RIN 0693-XX14
    
    
    Approval of Federal Information Processing Standards Publication 
    177-1, Initial Graphics Exchange Specification (IGES)
    
    AGENCY: National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST), 
    Commerce.
    
    ACTION: Notice.
    
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    SUMMARY: The purpose of this notice is to announce that the Secretary 
    of Commerce has approved a revision of Federal Information Processing 
    Standard (FIPS) 177, Initial Graphics Exchange Specification (IGES), 
    which will be published as FIPS Publication 177-1. This revision 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.
        On April 12, 1995, notice was published in the Federal Register (60 
    FR 18583-18586) that a revision of Federal Information Processing 
    Standard (FIPS) 177, Initial Graphics Exchange Specification (IGES), 
    was being proposed for Federal use.
        The written comments submitted by interested parties and other 
    material available to the Department relevant to this standard were 
    reviewed by NIST. On the basis of this review, NIST recommended that 
    the Secretary approve the revised standard as Federal Information 
    Processing Standards Publication (FIPS PUB) 177-1, and prepared a 
    detailed justification document for the Secretary's review in support 
    of that recommendation.
        The detailed justification document which was presented to the 
    Secretary, and which includes an analysis of the written comments 
    received, is part of the public record and is available for inspection 
    and copying in the Department's Central Reference and Records 
    Inspection Facility, Room 6020, Herbert C. Hoover Building, 14th Street 
    between Pennsylvania and Constitution Avenues, NW, Washington, DC 
    20230.
        This FIPS contains two sections: (1) an announcement section, which 
    provides information concerning the applicability, implementation, and 
    maintenance of the standard; and (2) a specifications section, which 
    deals with the technical requirements of the standard. Only the 
    announcement section of the standard is provided in this notice.
    
    EFFECTIVE DATE: This revised standard becomes effective November 1, 
    1996.
    
    ADDRESSES: Interested parties may purchase copies of this revised 
    standard, including the technical specifications section, from the 
    National Technical Information Service (NTIS). Specific ordering 
    information from NTIS for this standard is set out in the Where to 
    Obtain Copies Section of the announcement section of the standard.
    
     FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Ms Lynne Rosenthal, telephone (301) 
    975-3353, National Institute of Standards and Technology, Gaithersburg, 
    MD 20899.
    
        Dated: April 16, 1996.
    Samuel Kramer,
    Associate Director.
    
    Federal Information Processing Standards Publication 177-1
    
    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 5131 of 
    the Information Technology Management Reform Act of 1996 and the 
    Computer Security Act of 1987, Public Law 104-106.
        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
    
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    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-28000A, 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 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 APs 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 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 attributable 
    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.
    
        For layered electrical product technology, three dimensional 
    piping, and engineering drawing applications, the use of the 
    appropriate AP 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 APs 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 the exchange of the drawing model; including 
    geometric and annotation entities, attributes
    
    [[Page 17878]]
    
    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 APs: 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 entitles), language format, and the representation of product 
    definition data.
        New entities and constructs are added with each revision and are 
    upwardly compatible. Thus, 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 mush adhere to all 
    the rules appropriate to specific features, such as entities, defines 
    within ANSI/US PRO/IPO-100-1993 and when applicable, one of the APs or 
    subset identified in this standard. 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. Unsupported native 
    entities shall be reported.
        A conforming postprocessor shall be capable of reading any 
    complying data file without halting or aborting, including data files 
    containing unprocessible entitles. All unprocessible entities shall be 
    ignored. 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. The postprocessor shall 
    report on any IGES entities or features which have been discarded.
        Any visual presentation of supported, displayable entities that is 
    produced by the processor, shall represent a visual appearance 
    equivalent to the examples appearing in ANSI/US PRO/IPO-100-1993 and, 
    if applicable, the AP or subset. The visual appearance shall depict the 
    functional intent of the database.
        Conformance Rules for Application Protocols and Subsets. An 
    application protocol or subset which claims 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 November 1, 
    1996. A transition period of twelve (12) months, beginning on the 
    effective date, allows industry to produce IGES implementations and 
    data files conforming to this 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 of 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, 
    Building 820, Room 562, National Institute of Standards and Technology, 
    Gaithersburg, MD 20899.
        11.4  Validation of IGES Implementations. Validation of IGES 
    implementations is not mandatory at this time. Testing of an 
    implementation's conformance to this FIPS IGES will be optional by the 
    agency. Government agencies acquiring implementations in accordance 
    with this standard may wish to require testing for conformance, 
    interoperability, and performance. The tests to be administered and the 
    testing organization are at the discretion of the agency Acquisition 
    Authority.
        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, Building 820, Room 509; 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.
    
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        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.
        13. Where to Obtain Copies. Copies of this publication are for sale 
    by the National Technical Information Service, U.S. Department of 
    Commerce, Springfield, VA 22161. (Sale of the included specifications 
    document is by arrangement with the National Computer Graphics 
    Association and the American National Standards Institute.) When 
    ordering, refer to Federal Information Processing Standards Publication 
    177-1 (FIPSPUB177-1), and title. Payment may be made by check, money 
    order, or NTIS deposit account.
    
    [FR Doc. 96- 9941 Filed 4-22-96; 8:45 am]
    BILLING CODE 3510-CN-M
    
    

Document Information

Effective Date:
11/1/1996
Published:
04/23/1996
Department:
National Institute of Standards and Technology
Entry Type:
Notice
Action:
Notice.
Document Number:
X96-10423
Dates:
This revised standard becomes effective November 1, 1996.
Pages:
17876-17879 (4 pages)
Docket Numbers:
Docket No. 960212025-6025-01
RINs:
0693-XX14
PDF File:
x96-10423.pdf