Table Of Content5
NATLINST.OFSTAND&TECHR.IX
A111D3 TEfl3bE
NISTIR 5115
Prototype Application
rotocol for Ready-to-Wear
Pattern Making
Y. Tina Lee
Howard T. Moncarz
U.S. DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE
Technology Administration
National Institute of Standards
and Technology
Gaithersburg, MD 20899
January 1993
QC
100 NIST
.056
//51 1
1995
i7/r
A
Prototype Application
Protocol for Ready-to-Wear
Pattern Making
Y. Tina Lee
Howard T. Moncarz
U.S. DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE
Technology Administration
National Institute of Standards
and Technology
Gaithersburg, MD 20899
January 1993
U.S. DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE
Barbara Hackman Franklin, Secretary
TECHNOLOGY ADMINISTRATION
Robert M. White, Under Secretary for Technology
NATIONAL INSTITUTE OF STANDARDS
AND TECHNOLOGY
John W. Lyons, Director
A
Prototype Application Protocol for
Ready-to-Wear Pattern Making
&
Y. Tina Lee Howard T. Moncarz
Factory Automation Systems Division
Manufacturing Engineering Laboratory
National Institute ofStandards and Technology
MD
Gaithersburg, 20899
ABSTRACT
A Ready-to-WearPattern Making Information Model is introduced forextending the emerging
international Standardforthe Exchange ofProduct Model Data (STEP) to include the exchange
ofapparel pattern data. This model focuses on arepresentation oftwo-dimensional (flat)
patterns generated by the traditional ready-to-wearpattern making and grading method. A
testing methodology ofthe information model is also described in this paper.
KEYWORDS
apparel, application protocol, APDES, CIM, data exchange, grading, pattern, PDES, product
STEP
data,
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PREFACE
The apparel industry has used computers to great advantage to automate many ofits
manufacturingprocesses. However, these advancements often stand alone as "islands of
automation." Integrating these separate automatedprocesses could greatly improve the
effectiveness ofthe entire enterprise.
A set ofmanufacturing data standards that can enable integration ofthe functions in an apparel
enterprise can be based on the Standard fortheExchange ofProduct Model Data (STEP). STEP
is an emerging international standard^ forrepresenting the physical and functional characteristics
ofa product throughout the product's life cycle. As a standard, STEP will permit
communications among computerenvironments, each ofwhich performs various product life
cycle functions. An advantage of STEP is that it will support the integration ofthe computer
environments using a shared database.
Many ofthe informationrequirements as well as the software tools being developed to support
STEP are applicable for any manufacturing industry. To serve the needs for aparticular
industry. Application Protocols (APs) are developed thatdesignate the specific information and
application requirements forthat industry. The APs draw upon integrate resources^ to share the
same information among different APs.
In recent years, the National Institute ofStandards and Technology (NIST) has been working on
a project to develop a suite ofAPs to support computerintegration ofthe apparel product life
cycle. This project is sponsored by the Defense Logistics Agency (DLA), and the work is being
carried out in cooperation with the American Apparel Manufacturers Association (AAMA). The
project has been named the APDES project APDES stands forApparel Product Data Exchange
Standard.
The APDES project is part ofa substantial program sponsored by DLA to improve apparel
manufacturing technology. The DLA program is advancing technology from traditional size-
based methods (ready-to-wear) to methods that use body measurement data directly (made-to-
measure). Additiondly, the programis advancing production methods from fixed procedures
based on standard products to flexible, computer-integrated manufacturing usingproduct
representation standards to communicaterequirements. The new technologies developed will
lead to better fit, higherproductquality, economic unit production methods, and quickresponse.
All told, the program is a broad evolution toward integrated enterprises, in which all phases ofa
product's life cycle are coordinated through a framework ofstandards, concurrent engineering
practice, and supporting technology.^
The goal for the APDES project is to develop manufacturing data standards, based on STEP, that
will support integration ofthe projects thatDLA is sponsoring. The first objective, when the
APDES project began, was to demonstrate the feasibility ofusing STEP for apparel. The
objective was accomplished by developing an information model forpattern data using STEP
technology [LEEl]. The information model was represented in the EXPRESS modeling
—
^Referto—ISO IndustrialAutomationSystemsandIntegration ProductDataRepresentationand
Exchange OverviewandFundamentalPrinciples, tobepublished.
^Integratedresourcesare "asetofSTEPPartswhichprovideapplication-independentinformation modelsfor
widely-usedtypesofinformation. Integratedresources supportcommunicationbetween diverseapplicationsby
providinganagreed upon setofdefinitionsandmeanings fordatathatareindependentofspecificapplication
requirements" [KRA].
^MuchofDLA'ssponsoredapparelresearchispublishedin theannual Academic ApparelResearch Conference
proceedings. Themostrecentconferencewas heldFebruary 17-18, 1992 [DLA],
V
language [ISOl1]. The model was implemented in a computerprogramthat exchanges pattern
data between two proprietary industry formats [MON]. A neutral set ofdata structures, based on
the information model developed, was used as the intermediary in thisprocess. It was concluded
that STEP APs can provide the information interfaces to integrate the apparel productlife cycle.
The timeline required for integrating the DLA-sponsored research projects is insufficient to
enable the development andintegration offormd STEP APs. Instead, a suite of "prototype" APs
will be developed.^ Aprototype AP will notrequireindustry consensus, and it wiU consist of
four main components:
Scope: general description ofthe information requirements and the applications
supported
Application Reference Model (ARM): an information model that formally describes the
information requirements and constraints for an application domain. The model
uses terminology that is familiar to an expertfrom the application domain. In a
ARM
prototype AP, the is expressed in the formal computerlanguage,
EXPRPSS, and is used in implementing the application interfaces^
Conformance Testing (CT) Requirements: testing requirements to demonstrate that an
application that implements the prototype AP does so correctly
Useage Guide: a manual that contains a written description ofthe Scope, the Application
Reference Model, and the Conformance Testing Requirements to enable a
developer to implement the AP into an application
A formal STEP AP thatis developed according to ISO guidelines [PAL] requires a formal
documentation and quality review process, as well as an extensive, consensus gathering effort.
Additionally, a formal STEP AP requires one more component:
"Application Interpreted Model (AIM): a model that describes the interpretation ofthe
integrated resource constmcts that provide functional equivalence to the AP's
information requirements as specified in the application reference model. The
form ofan AIM is an EXPRESS schema" [PAL].
The intention for the APDES project was to develop CTrequirements andprocedures for the
prototype APs, based on STEP methodology. Unfortunately, the CT methodology is still
evolving. There is not yet a clear, documented consensus ofwhat constitutes an abstracttest
suite^ and the methodology to create it. There is not yet a documented methodology for
^NIST is concurrentlyworkingon thedevelopmentofformal STEPAPs fortheapparelindustry [LEE2].
^Inaformal STEP AP, theARMcanbedescribedin oneofthreeinformationmodelinglanguages(EXPRESS,
NIAM [NU], orIDEFIX [USA]),and is developedfrom thepointofviewoftheapplicationdomain,withoutregard
totherestofSTEP’Sresources. Itis thenmapp^totheAIM,which is writteninEXPRESS,andusesconstructs
fromtheSTEPintegratedresources. Anapplicationthatimplements theAPwillbebaseddirectly ontheEXPRESS
versionofthe AIM.
^Thefollowing terminology is usedinSTEPConformanceTesting (quotedfrom [IS031]);
abstracttestcase Oneormorefiles,encapsulatingatestpurposeandindependentofboththe
implementation andthenumerical values, whichprovidetheformalbasisfrom
whichexecutabletestcasesarederived
abstracttestgroup Anamedsetofrelated abstracttestcases
abstracttestsuite Acomplete setofabstracttestcases,possiblycombinedintonested abstracttest
groups,thatisnecessary toperform conformancetestingforastandardorgroup
ofstandards
executabletestcase An instantiationofan abstracttestcasewith values NOTE: Theformofthe
realization isstill underdevelopment [KEM]
A
executabletestsuite completesetofexecutabletestcases thatisnecessary toperform conformance
testing forastandardorgroupofstandards
VI
AP
translating abstract test suites to executable test suites. Consequently, the prototype specified
in this report describes the procedures for Conformance Testing, but the formal testrequirements
are not defined.
This reportpresents the prototype Ready-to-WearPattern Making AP. The information model
used is arefinement ofaprevious model developed at NIST [—LEEl]. For aproposed STEP AP
to be approved by the official STEP sanctioning organization the International Organization for
Standar^zation~an extensive, consensus gathering effort in the industry must be undertaken.
The prototype APs that are currently being developed in the APDES project can be used as initial
proposals fordeveloping official STEP standards for apparel. NIST will continue to work with
the AAMA to extend the prototype Ready-to-WearPattern Making AP to a formal AP. The
work will be carried out in cooperation with standards organizations, the apparel manufacturing
industry, and academia.
testpurpose Aprecisedescriptionoftheobjectivewhichanabstracttestcaseis designedto
achieve
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